Arcana Coelestia #8825
8825. Verses 20-25 And Jehovah came down onto Mount Sinai to the top of the mountain; and Jehovah called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And Jehovah said to Moses, Go down, warn the people so that they do not perhaps break through to Jehovah to see [Him], and many of them fall. And also the priests coming near Jehovah must sanctify themselves, so that Jehovah does not perhaps make a breach in them. And Moses said to Jehovah, The people cannot go up to Mount Sinai; for You have warned us, saying, Set bounds to the mountain and sanctify it. And Jehovah said to him, Go! go down; and you are to come up, you and Aaron with you. And do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to Jehovah, so that He does not perhaps make a breach in them. And Moses went down to the people and told them.
'And Jehovah came down onto Mount Sinai' means the Lord's presence in heaven. 'To the top of the mountain' means in the inmost. 'And Jehovah called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up' means the joining of the truth from God there. 'And Jehovah said to Moses' means admonition from the Divine. 'Go down, warn the people so that they do not perhaps break through to Jehovah to see [Him]' means that those belonging to the spiritual Church should not desire to go up to the heaven where the Divine celestial is. 'And many of them fall' means that in so doing they would perish. 'And also the priests coming near Jehovah must sanctify themselves' means that those governed by spiritual good, which has the Divine within it, are to be covered over. 'So that Jehovah does not perhaps make a breach in them' means a consequent separation from good. 'And Moses said to Jehovah' means thought engaged in by the truth from God. 'The people cannot go up to Mount Sinai' means that they are unable to raise themselves to the celestial kingdom. 'For You have warned us' means because the Divine has cautioned them. 'Saying, You are to set bounds to the mountain' means by declaring that the spiritual sphere of good comes to an end below [the celestial kingdom]. 'And sanctify it' means that they are thereby held back from the Divine. 'And Jehovah said to him' means further admonition. 'Go! go down' means influx. 'And come up, you and Aaron' means being joined to the truth from God, inward and outward. 'And do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to Jehovah' means that those governed by spiritual good and truth should not desire to go up into the celestial heaven. 'So that He does not perhaps make a breach in them' means separation from truth and good. 'And Moses went down to the people' means influx of the Divine through the truth from God. 'And told them' means admonition through it.
Exodus 19
1
In the third month after the children of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.
2
When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain.
3
Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him out of the mountain, saying, "This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:
4
'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself.
5
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine;
6
and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
7
Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Yahweh commanded him.
8
All the people answered together, and said, "All that Yahweh has spoken we will do." Moses reported the words of the people to Yahweh.
9
Yahweh said to Moses, "Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever." Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh.
10
Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments,
11
and be ready against the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai.
12
You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, 'Be careful that you don't go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.
13
No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.' When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain."
14
Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
15
He said to the people, "Be ready by the third day. Don't have sexual relations with a woman."
16
It happened on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.
17
Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain.
18
Mount Sinai, all it, smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
19
When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.
20
Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21
Yahweh said to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish.
22
Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break forth on them."
23
Moses said to Yahweh, "The people can't come up to Mount Sinai, for you warned us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.'"
24
Yahweh said to him, "Go down and you shall bring Aaron up with you, but don't let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest he break forth on them."
