And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
And he said to the people, 'Get yourselves ready for the third day, and do not have sexual relations with your wives.'
Moses is telling the Israelites to prepare themselves spiritually for meeting God by avoiding physical intimacy for three days.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Exodus, the Israelites had recently escaped slavery in Egypt and arrived at Mount Sinai, where God was preparing to establish His covenant with them by giving the Ten Commandments. Moses instructed the people to consecrate themselves for three days, which included abstaining from sexual relations, as a way to achieve ritual purity in the ancient Near Eastern context. This emphasis on purity reflected the cultural understanding that physical cleanliness was necessary to approach a holy God without defilement.
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