Exodus 19 in the early church
179 passages quote, allude to, or echo Exodus 19, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 6 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22
Exodus 19:1
In the third month, on the same day of the month that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai.
Exodus 19:2
After they had set out from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:2 | Homilies on Exodus 8.1 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 19:2 | Letter 78.14 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Exod 19:2 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 4.2.3 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374-377 |
Exodus 19:3
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, “This is what you are to tell the house of Jacob and explain to the sons of Israel:
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:3–6 | On Saint Athanasius 1.3 · Lucifer of Cagliari | quotation, high confidence | ca. 356–361 |
| Exod 19:3 | Letter 78.14 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Exod 19:3–15 | Exodus, lines 712–738 · Cyprianus Gallus | allusion, high confidence | early 5th cent. |
Exodus 19:5
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:5–6 | On Pascha 68 · text not on this site · Melito of Sardis | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 160-180 |
| Exod 19:5 | Exhortation to the Greeks 10.94 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Exod 19:5 | Miscellanies 1.18.89 · Clement of Alexandria | echo, medium confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 19:5 | On Prayer 27.7 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 233–234 |
| Exod 19:5–6 | Letter 251 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 360–390 |
| Exod 19:5 | Apostolic Constitutions 7.36.2 · Anonymous | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 380 |
| Exod 19:5 | On the Christian Faith 3.15 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 378–380 |
Exodus 19:6
And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:6 | Preparation for the Gospel 7.4.6 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 19:6 | Long recension, Philadelphians 4 · Anonymous | allusion, medium confidence | later 4th century (probable) |
| Exod 19:6 | Oration 6.17 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Exod 19:6 | Oration 13.4 · Gregory of Nazianzus | echo, medium confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Exod 19:6 | Oration 43.41 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Exod 19:6 | Apostolic Constitutions 2.26.1 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380 |
Exodus 19:9
The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in you.” And Moses relayed to the LORD what the people had said.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:9 | Homilies on Exodus 11.7 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 19:9 | Homilies 8.5 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | 4th century (reworking earlier material) |
| Exod 19:9 | Prophetic Extracts 1.10 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
| Exod 19:9 | Demonstration of the Gospel 5.14.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 314–324 |
| Exod 19:9 | Tractates on the Gospel of John 3.17 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 406–420 |
| Exod 19:9 | On the Governance of God 1.44 · Salvian of Marseilles | quotation, high confidence | ca. 439-451 |
Exodus 19:10
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes
Exodus 19:11
and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:11 | Homilies on Exodus 11.7 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 19:11 | Question 112, section 1 · Ambrosiaster | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–384 |
| Exod 19:11 | Letter 78.14 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Exod 19:11 | Altercatio, chapter 2, speech 47 · Evagrius of Gaul | quotation, high confidence | ca. 400 |
| Exod 19:11 | Letter 55.30 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386–430 |
Exodus 19:12
And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:12 | Miscellanies 5.12.78 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 19:12–17 | Commentary on Matthew 18 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 353–355 |
| Exod 19:12 | Oration 45.13 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Exod 19:12–13 | On the Life of Moses 375 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 385–395 |
| Exod 19:12 | Tractates on Matthew 3.1 · Chromatius of Aquileia | allusion, high confidence | ca. 388–407 |
| Exod 19:12 | On the Spirit and the Letter 29 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 412 |
Exodus 19:13
No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows—whether man or beast, he must not live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:13 | Oration 2.40 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Exod 19:13 | Oration 32.16 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Exod 19:13 | Oration 40.45 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Exod 19:13 | Letter 98.3 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Exod 19:13 | Theological Oration 2 (Or. 28), On the Doctrine of God 2 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, high confidence | 380 |
| Exod 19:13 | Theological Oration 5 (Or. 31), On the Holy Spirit 1 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, medium confidence | 380 |
| Exod 19:13 | Homily 1 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |
| Exod 19:13–25 | Exodus, lines 739–763 · Cyprianus Gallus | allusion, high confidence | early 5th cent. |
Exodus 19:15
“Be prepared for the third day,” he said to the people. “Do not draw near to a woman.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:15 | Miscellanies 3.11.73 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 19:15 | Fragment on 1 Corinthians (Jenkins § 34, part 1) · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 226-254 |
| Exod 19:15 | Homilies on Exodus 11.7 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 19:15 | To Quirinus 3.32 · Cyprian of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248–250 (book 3 perhaps later) |
| Exod 19:15 | Demonstration 18.4 · Aphrahat | quotation, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Exod 19:15 | On Virginity 24 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–371 |
| Exod 19:15 | Letter 49.15 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Exod 19:15 | Letter 78.14 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Exod 19:15 | On the Duties of the Clergy 1.50 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 386–390 |
| Exod 19:15 | Homilies on Matthew 2.1 · John Chrysostom | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Exod 19:15 | Homily 1 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |
| Exod 19:15 | 1 Corinthians 7:5 · Pelagius | allusion, high confidence | ca. 405–410 |
Exodus 19:16
On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the ram’s horn went out, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
Exodus 19:17
Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:17 | Prophetic Extracts 1.9 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
Exodus 19:18
Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.
Exodus 19:19
And as the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:19 | On First Principles 3.1.22 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220–230 (Rufinus's translation 398) |
| Exod 19:19 | Fragments on Job, column 97 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Exod 19:19 | Homily on Luke 11 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 233–250 |
| Exod 19:19 | Homily on Luke 18 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 233–250 |
| Exod 19:19 | Commentary on the Song of Songs 3.231 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410) |
| Exod 19:19 | Prophetic Extracts 1.9 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
| Exod 19:19 | Oration 6.17 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Exod 19:19 | Letter 78.14 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Exod 19:19 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 64.69.4 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Exod 19:19 | On the Life of Moses 375 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 385–395 |
| Exod 19:19 | On the Trinity 2.15 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 399–419 |
Exodus 19:20
The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the summit. So Moses went up,
Exodus 19:21
and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:21 | Dialogue with Trypho 127.3 · Justin Martyr | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 155–160 |
Exodus 19:22
Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:22 | Letter 65.2 · Cyprian of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | 249/250–258 |
| Exod 19:22 | Letter 67.1 · Cyprian of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | 249/250–258 |
| Exod 19:22 | Letter 72.2 · Cyprian of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | 249/250–258 |
| Exod 19:22 | Oration 26.1 · Gregory of Nazianzus | echo, low confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Exod 19:22 | Against the Letter of Parmenian 2.12 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 400 |