And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to the people, “Be ready by the third day. Don’t have sexual relations with a woman.”
- BSB “Be prepared for the third day,” he said to the people. “Do not draw near to a woman.”
- NKJV And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not come near your wives.”
- NASB He also said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman.”
- NLT He told them, “Get ready for the third day, and until then abstain from having sexual intercourse.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses charged the people to be ready and to abstain from sexual relations. Even legitimate activities were set aside in focused preparation for God.
Overview
Temporary abstinence marked the people's undivided readiness for God's appearing, not because marriage is impure but to underscore the solemnity of the moment. Such consecration reflects the call to single-minded devotion when drawing near to God, a devotion perfected in those wholly set apart to Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Exod 19:11And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
- 1 Sam 21:4–5And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.
- 1 Cor 7:5Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
- Joel 2:16Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
- Exod 19:16And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
- Zech 7:3And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
- Zech 6:3And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
- Mal 3:2But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
- Amos 4:12Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
- Matt 3:10–12And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
- 2 Pet 3:11–12Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
- Matt 24:44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
- Zech 12:12–14And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 19:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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