Exodus 19
19
Israel Comes to Mount Sinai
1Exactly three months after the people of Israel left Egypt, they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2After they started out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai. They camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
3Then Moses went up to God. The Lord called out to him from the mountain. He said, “Here is what I want you to say to my people, who belong to Jacob’s family. Tell the Israelites, 4‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt. You saw how I carried you on the wings of eagles and brought you to myself. 5Now obey me completely. Keep my covenant. If you do, then out of all the nations you will be my special treasure. The whole earth is mine. 6But you will be a kingdom of priests to serve me. You will be my holy nation.’ That is what you must tell the Israelites.”
7So Moses went back. He sent for the elders of the people. He explained to them everything the Lord had commanded him to say. 8All the people answered together. They said, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
9The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “I am going to come to you in a thick cloud. The people will hear me speaking with you. They will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people. Today and tomorrow set them apart for me. Have them wash their clothes. 11Have the people ready by the third day. On that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai. Everyone will see it. 12Put limits for the people around the mountain. Tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go near the mountain. Do not even touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain must be put to death. 13Do not lay a hand on any of them. Kill them with stones or shoot them with arrows. Whether they are people or animals, do not let them live.’ They may go near the mountain only when the ram’s horn gives out a long blast.”
14Moses went down the mountain to the people. After he set them apart for the Lord, they washed their clothes. 15Then he spoke to the people. He said, “Get ready for the third day. Don’t have sex.”
16On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud covered the mountain. A trumpet gave out a very loud blast. Everyone in the camp trembled with fear. 17Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God. They stood at the foot of the mountain. 18Smoke covered Mount Sinai, because the Lord came down on it in fire. The smoke rose up from it like smoke from a furnace. The whole mountain trembled and shook. 19The sound of the trumpet got louder and louder. Then Moses spoke. And the voice of God answered him.
20The Lord came down to the top of Mount Sinai. He told Moses to come to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up. 21The Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people. They must not force their way through to see the Lord. If they do, many of them will die. 22The priests approach the Lord when they serve him. But even they must set themselves apart for the Lord. If they do not, his anger will break out against them.”
23Moses said to the Lord, “The people can’t come up Mount Sinai. You yourself warned us. You said, ‘Put limits around the mountain. Set it apart as holy.’ ”
24The Lord replied, “Go down. Bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through. They must not come up to the Lord. If they do, his anger will break out against them.”
25So Moses went down to the people and told them.
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Exodus 19: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Exodus 19
19
Israel at Sinai
1In the third month, on the same day of the month that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai. 2After they departed from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain. # Ex 3:1; 17:1,8
3Moses went up the mountain to God, and the Lord called # Ex 3:4; Ac 7:38 to him from the mountain: “This is what you must say to the house of Jacob, and explain to the Israelites: 4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me. # Dt 29:2; Is 63:9 5Now if you will listen to Me and carefully keep My covenant, # Ex 15:26; Dt 5:2 you will be My own possession # Dt 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Ps 135:4; Ti 2:14 out of all the peoples, although all the earth is Mine, 6and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation.’ # Dt 26:19; Is 62:12; 1Pt 2:5,9 These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”
7After Moses came back, he summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8Then all the people responded together, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken.” # Ex 24:3,7; Dt 5:27 So Moses brought the people’s words back to the Lord.
9The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, # Ex 24:15-16; Mt 17:5 so that the people will hear when I speak # Dt 4:12,36; Jn 12:29 with you and will always believe you.” Then Moses reported the people’s words to the Lord. 10And the Lord told Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes # Gn 35:2; Lv 11:44-45; Heb 10:22 11and 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. # Ex 19:16; 34:5 12Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain will be put to death. # Heb 12:20 13No hand may touch him; instead he will be stoned or shot with arrows. No animal or man will live. When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain.”
14Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15He said to the people, “Be prepared by the third day. Do not have sexual relations with women.”
16On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. 17Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. # Ex 3:2; 24:17; Dt 4:11; 2Ch 7:1 Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, # Ps 144:5; Rv 15:8 and the whole mountain shook violently. # Jdg 5:5; Ps 68:7; Jr 4:24; Heb 12:26 19As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder. # Neh 9:13; Ps 81:7
20The Lord came down on Mount Sinai at the top of the mountain. Then the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. 21The Lord directed Moses, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise many of them will die. # Ex 3:5; 1Sm 6:19 22Even the priests who come near the Lord must purify themselves or the Lord will break out in anger against them.” # Lv 10:3; 2Sm 6:7-8
23But Moses responded to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since You warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy.” 24And the Lord replied to him, “Go down and come back with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the Lord, or He will break out in anger against them.” 25So Moses went down to the people and told them.
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