Hebrews 12:20 (DBY)

Passage

(for they were not able to bear what was enjoined: And if a beast should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;

Nearby Context

Hebrews 12:18 For ye have not come to [the mount] that might be touched and was all on fire, and to obscurity, and darkness, and tempest,

Hebrews 12:19 and trumpet's sound, and voice of words; which they that heard, excusing themselves, declined [the] word being addressed to them any more:

Hebrews 12:20 (for they were not able to bear what was enjoined: And if a beast should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;

Hebrews 12:21 and, so fearful was the sight, Moses said, I am exceedingly afraid and full of trembling;)

Hebrews 12:22 but ye have come to mount Zion; and to [the] city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem; and to myriads of angels,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "able", "bear", "enjoined", "beast", "should", "touch", "mountain", and "shall". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "able" and "bear", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "and trumpet's sound and voice of words..." into verse 21's "and so fearful was the sight Moses...", so "able" and "bear" belong inside that flow. In Hebrews context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "able" and "bear" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.