Exodus 19
19
Israel at Sinai
1Exactly three months after the Israelites had left Egypt, they reached the Desert of Sinai. 2They had left Rephidim and had come to the Desert of Sinai. The Israelites camped in the desert in front of Mount Sinai. 3Then Moses went up on the mountain to God. The Lord called to him from the mountain. The Lord said, “Say this to the family of Jacob. And tell this to the people of Israel: 4‘Every one of you has seen what I did to the people of Egypt. You saw how I carried you out of Egypt. I did it as an eagle carries her young on her wings. And I brought you here to me. 5So now obey me and keep my agreement. Do this, and you will be my own possession, chosen from all nations. Even though the whole earth is mine, 6you will be my kingdom of priests. You will be a nation that belongs to me alone.’ You must tell the Israelites these words.”
7So Moses went down and called the elders of the people together. He told them all the words the Lord had commanded him to say. 8And all the people answered together, “We will do everything he has said.” Then Moses took their answer back to the Lord.
9And the Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud. I will speak to you. The people will hear me talking to you. I will do this so the people will always trust you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and have them spend today and tomorrow preparing themselves. They must wash their clothes 11and be ready by the day after tomorrow. On that day I, the Lord, will come down on Mount Sinai. And all the people will see me. 12But you must set a limit around the mountain. The people are not to cross it. Tell the people not to go up on the mountain. Tell them not to touch the foot of it. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death. 13He must be put to death with stones or shot with arrows. No one is allowed to touch him. Whether it is a person or an animal, he will not live. But the trumpet will make a long blast. Only then may the people go up on the mountain.”
14So Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He made them prepare themselves for service to God. And the people washed their clothes. 15Then Moses said to the people, “Be ready in three days. Do not have physical relations during this time.”
16It was the morning of the third day. There was thunder and lightning with a thick cloud on the mountain. And there was a very loud blast from a trumpet. All the people in the camp were frightened. 17Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God. They stood at the foot of the mountain. 18Mount Sinai was covered with smoke. This happened because the Lord came down on it in fire. The smoke rose from the mountain like smoke from a furnace. And the whole mountain shook wildly. 19The sound from the trumpet became louder. Then Moses spoke, and the voice of God answered him.
20So the Lord came down on the top of Mount Sinai. Then he called Moses to come up to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up. 21The Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people. They must not force their way through to see me. If they do, many of them will die. 22Even the priests, who may come near me, must first prepare themselves. If they don’t, I, the Lord, will punish them.”
23Moses told the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai. You yourself told us to set a limit around the mountain. We made it holy.”
24The Lord said to him, “Go down and bring Aaron with you. But don’t allow the priests or the people to force their way through. They must not come up to the Lord. If they do, I will punish them.”
25So Moses went down to the people and told them these things.
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Exodus 19
19
Preparation for Receiving the Covenant at Mount Sinai
1In the third month after the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” went out from the land of Egypt, on this day they came to the Sinai desert. 2They set out from Rephidim, and they came to the desert of Sinai, and they camped in the desert, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
3And Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you will say to the house of Jacob and you will tell the Israelites,#Literally “sons/children of Israel” 4‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and I brought you to me. 5And now if you will carefully listen to my voice and keep my covenant, you will be a treasured possession for me out of all the peoples, for all the earth is mine,#Literally “because all of the earth is for me” 6but you, you will belong to me as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites.”#Literally “sons/children of Israel”
7And Moses came and called the elders of the people, and he placed before them all these words that Yahweh had commanded him. 8And all the people together answered and said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we will do.” And Moses brought back the words of the people to Yahweh. 9And Yahweh said to Moses, “Look, I am going to come to you in a thick cloud#Literally “the cloud of the cloud” in order that the people will hear when I speak with you and will also trust in you forever.” And Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh.
10And Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes, 11and they must be prepared for the third day, because on the third day, Yahweh will go down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people. 12And you must set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Guard yourselves against#Literally “watch to/for you” going up to the mountain and touching its edge. Anyone touching the mountain will certainly be put to death. 13Not a hand will touch it, because he will certainly be stoned or certainly be shot; whether an animal or a man, he will not live.’ At the blowing of the ram’s horn they may go up to the mountain.”
14And Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and he consecrated the people, and they washed their clothes. 15And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day.#Literally “for third of days” Do not go near to a woman.”
16And#Literally “and it was” on the third day, when it was morning, there was thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud over the mountain and a very loud ram’s horn sound, and all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17And Moses brought the people out from the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18And Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke because Yahweh went down on it in the fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a smelting furnace, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19And the sound of the ram’s horn became louder and louder,#Literally “was going and strong very” (compare 2 Sam 3:1) and Moses would speak, and God would answer him with a voice.
20And Yahweh went down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21And Yahweh said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to see and many from them fall. 22And even the priests who come near Yahweh must consecrate themselves, lest Yahweh break out against them.” 23And Moses said to Yahweh, “The people are not able to go up to Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’ ” 24And Yahweh said to him, “Go, go down, and come up, you and Aaron with you and the priests, but the people must not break through to go up to Yahweh, lest he break out against them.” 25And Moses went down to the people, and he told them.#Or “and he said to them”
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