In the {a} third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same {b} day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.

(a) Which was in the beginning of the month of Sivan, containing part of May and part of June.

(b) That they departed from Rephidim.

Wesley's Notes

19:1 In the third month after they came out of Egypt. It is computed that the law was given just fifty days after their coming out of Egypt, in remembrance of which the feast of Pentecost was observed the fiftieth day after the passover, and in compliance with which the spirit was poured out upon the apostles, at the feast of Pentecost, fifty days after the death of Christ. Mount Sinai was a place which nature, not art, had made conspicuous, for it was the highest in all that range of mountains. Thus God put contempt upon cities and palaces, setting up his pavilion on the top of a mountain, in a barren desert. It is called Sinai, from the multitude of thorny bushes that over - spread it.

Scofield Reference Notes

[2] In the third month

At Sinai Israel learned the lessons:

(1) of the holiness of Jehovah through the Commandments;

(2) of their own sinfulness and weakness through failure;

(3) and of the goodness of Jehovah through the provision of priesthood and sacrifice. The Christian learns through the experience of Rom 7:7-24 what Israel learned at Sinai. This division of Exodus should be read in light of Rom 3:19-27 7:7-24 Gal 4:1-3 Gal 3:6-25 explains the relation of the law to the Abrahamic Covenant:

(1) the law cannot disannul that covenant;

(2) it was "added" to convict of sin;

(3) it was a child-leader unto Christ;

(4) it was but preparatory discipline "till the Seed should come."

Margin third month i.e. June.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 19

Ex 19:1-25. Arrival at Sinai.

1. In the third month-according to Jewish usage, the first day of that month-"same day."-It is added, to mark the time more explicitly, that is, forty-five days after Egypt-one day spent on the mount (Ex 19:3), one returning the people's answer (Ex 19:7, 8), three days of preparation, making the whole time fifty days from the first passover to the promulgation of the law. Hence the feast of pentecost, that is, the fiftieth day, was the inauguration of the Old Testament church, and the divine wisdom is apparent in the selection of the same reason for the institution of the New Testament church (Joh 1:17; Ac 2:1).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:1-8 Moses was called up the mountain, and was employed as the messenger of this covenant. The Maker and first Mover of the covenant, is God himself. This blessed charter was granted out of God's own free grace. The covenant here mentioned was the national covenant, by which the Israelites were a people under the government of Jehovah. It was a type of the new covenant made with true believers in Christ Jesus; but, like other types, it was only a shadow of good things to come. As a nation they broke this covenant; therefore the Lord declared that he would make a new covenant with Israel, writing his law, not upon tables of stone, but in their hearts, Jer 31:33; Heb 8:7-10. The covenant spoken of in these places as ready to vanish away, is the national covenant with Israel, which they forfeited by their sins. Unless we carefully attend to this, we shall fall into mistakes while reading the Old Testament. We must not suppose that the nation of the Jews were under the covenant of works, which knows nothing of repentance, faith in a Mediator, forgiveness of sins, or grace; nor yet that the whole nation of Israel bore the character, and possessed the privileges of true believers, as being actually sharers in the covenant of grace. They were all under a dispensation of mercy; they had outward privileges and advantages for salvation; but, like professing Christians, most rested therein, and went no further. Israel consented to the conditions. They answered as one man, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. Oh that there had been such a heart in them! Moses, as a mediator, returned the words of the people to God. Thus Christ, the Mediator, as a Prophet, reveals God's will to us, his precepts and promises; and then, as a Priest, offers up to God our spiritual sacrifices, not only of prayer and praise, but of devout affections, and pious resolutions, the work of his own Spirit in us.