Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Exodus 20:21
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
And the people stood afar off, etc.] Still kept their distance in their camp and tents; or the heads and elders of the people having had this conversation with Moses, returned to their tents as they were bid, (<050530>Deuteronomy 5:30) and to the people in the camp, and there they continued while Moses went up to God with their request: and Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was; the thick cloud, (<021909>Exodus 19:9,16) as Jarchi interprets it, and who observes from their doctors that there were three enclosures about the divine Majesty, darkness, a cloud, and thick darkness; and so Moses passed through the darkness, and the cloud, to the thick darkness where Jehovah was, and where he is said to dwell when the temple was built, (<110808>1 Kings 8:8:12) and they have an observation that the word rendered “drew near” is transitive, and should be translated, “he was brought near” or, “made to draw nigh”; Michael and Gabriel being sent to him, took hold of his hands and brought him against his will unto the thick darkness f620; but if the word will admit of such a version, the sense is either that he was caused to draw near through the importunity of the people; or rather through the call of God to him, or an impulse of his upon his mind, which obliged him to it.
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