Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break out on them.”
Parallel translations
- KJV And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
- BSB Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
- NKJV Also let the priests who come near the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.”
- NASB Also have the priests who approach the Lord consecrate themselves, or else the Lord will break out against them.”
- NLT Even the priests who regularly come near to the Lord must purify themselves so that the Lord does not break out and destroy them.”
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
Even the priests who draw near must consecrate themselves, lest God break out against them. Nearness to God requires holiness, even for leaders.
Overview
No one, not even those with priestly access, may approach God carelessly. The repeated emphasis on consecration teaches that proximity to God is a privilege guarded by holiness. This points to our need for a perfect High Priest, Christ, whose holiness qualifies Him to bring us safely near.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Exod 24:5He sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of cattle to Yahweh.
- 2 Chr 30:3For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, and the people had not gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
- Acts 5:10She fell down immediately at his feet, and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
- 1 Chr 15:13For because you didn’t carry it at first, Yahweh our God broke out in anger against us, because we didn’t seek him according to the ordinance.”
- 2 Sam 6:6–8When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for God’s ark, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled.
- 2 Chr 30:15Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into Yahweh’s house.
- 2 Chr 30:18–19For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover other than the way it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Yahweh pardon everyone
- 1 Cor 11:30–32For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.
- 1 Chr 13:9–11When they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.
- Acts 5:5Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.
- Lev 10:1–3Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them.
- Exod 19:14–15Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
- Isa 52:11Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing! Go out from among her! Cleanse yourselves, you who carry Yahweh’s vessels.
- Exod 19:5Now 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;
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 19:22 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.