19:23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, because you solemnly warned us, 3 ‘Set boundaries for the mountain and set it apart.’” 4
1 tn The verb is a Hiphil perfect (“make borders”) with vav (ו) consecutive, following the sequence of instructions.
2 tn The Niphal imperative (“guard yourselves, take heed to yourselves”) is followed by two infinitives construct that provide the description of what is to be avoided – going up or touching the mountain.
3 tn The construction is emphatic: “because you – you solemnly warned us.” Moses’ response to God is to ask how they would break through when God had already charged them not to. God knew them better than Moses did.
4 tn Heb “sanctify it.”