Exodus 19
1 In the third month of the departure of Israel from the land of Egypt, in that day, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai.
Two months to the day after they left Egypt, the Israelites arrived at the Sinai desert.
2 Thus, setting out from Raphidim, and going directly to the desert of Sinai, they encamped in the same place, and there Israel pitched their tents away from the region of the mountain.
They had set out from Rephidim, and after they entered the Sinai desert they camped there in front of the mountain.
3 Then Moses ascended to God. And the Lord called to him from the mountain, and he said: “This you shall say to the house of Jacob, and announce to the sons of Israel:
Moses went up the mountain to God. The Lord spoke to Moses from the mountain, and told him, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob, the Israelites:
4 ‘You have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, in what way I carried you upon the wings of eagles and how I have taken you for myself.
‘You saw for yourselves what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles' wings, how I brought you to myself.
5 If, therefore, you will hear my voice, and you will keep my covenant, you will be to me a particular possession out of all people. For all the earth is mine.
Now if you really obey what I say and keep the agreement with me, then out of all the nations you will be a special people that belong to me. While the whole world is mine,
6 And you will be to me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the sons of Israel.”
for me you will be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.’ This is what you are to tell the Israelites.”
7 Moses went, and calling together those greater by birth among the people, he set forth all the words which the Lord had commanded.
So Moses went back down and summoned the elders of the people, and presented to them everything the Lord had ordered him to say.
8 And all the people responded together: “Everything that the Lord has spoken, we shall do.” And when Moses had related the words of the people to the Lord,
Everyone answered, “We promise to do everything the Lord says.” Then Moses took the people's answer back to the Lord.
9 the Lord said to him: “Soon now, I will come to you in the mist of a cloud, so that the people may hear me speaking to you, and so that they may believe you continuously.” Therefore, Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord,
The Lord told Moses, “Look! I'm going to come to you in a thick cloud so the people will hear me speaking with you and as a result they will always trust you.” Then Moses reported to the Lord what the people had said.
10 who said to him: “Go to the people, and sanctify them today, and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments.
The Lord told Moses, “Go back down and prepare them spiritually today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes
11 And let them be prepared on the third day. For on the third day, the Lord will descend, in the sight of all the people, over Mount Sinai.
and be ready on the third day because that is when the Lord will descend upon Mount Sinai in the full view of everyone.
12 And you will establish limits for the people all around, and you will say to them: ‘Take care not to ascend to the mountain, and that you do not touch its parts. All who touch the mountain, shall die a death.’
Set up a boundary for the people all around and warn them, ‘Watch out! Don't try to go up the mountain—don't even touch it! For anyone who touches the mountain will most certainly be killed. Don't touch any person or any animal that has touched the mountain.
13 Hands shall not touch him, but he shall be crushed with stones, or he shall be pierced through with darts. Whether it be a beast or a man, he shall not live. For when the trumpet begins to sound, perhaps they might go up toward the mountain.”
Make sure they are stoned or shot with arrows—they must not be allowed to live.’ Only when there is a long blast on the ram's horn can the people come up the mountain.”
14 And Moses came down from the mountain to the people, and he sanctified them. And when they had washed their garments,
Moses went down the mountain and prepared the people spiritually and they washed their clothes.
15 he said to them, “Be prepared on the third day, and do not draw near to your wives.”
He instructed the people, “Get ready for the third day, and don't be intimate with a woman.”
16 And now, the third day arrived and the morning dawned. And behold, thunders began to be heard, and also lightning flashed, and a very dense cloud covered the mountain, and the noise of the trumpet resounded vehemently. And the people who were in the camp were fearful.
When morning came on the third day there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud covered the mountain. There was the very loud sound of a ram's horn, and everyone in the camp shook with fear.
17 And when Moses had led them out to meet God, from the place of the camp, they stood at the base of the mountain.
Moses led the people out from the camp to meet God. They stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 Then all of Mount Sinai was smoking. For the Lord had descended over it with fire, and smoke ascended from it, as from a furnace. And the entire mountain was terrible.
Smoke poured out over the whole of Mount Sinai because the Lord's presence had come down like fire. The smoke rose up like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook furiously.
19 And the sound of the trumpet gradually increased to be louder, and extended to be longer. Moses was speaking, and God was answering him.
As the sound of the ram's horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in a loud, thunderous voice.
20 And the Lord descended over Mount Sinai, to the very top of the mountain, and he called Moses to its summit. And when he had ascended there,
The Lord descended on the top of Mount Sinai, and he called Moses to come up there. So Moses went up,
21 he said to him: “Descend, and call the people to witness, lest they might be willing to transgress the limits, so as to see the Lord, and a very great multitude of them might perish.
and the Lord told him, “Go back down, and warn the people not to force their way across the boundary to try to come to the Lord or they will die.
22 Likewise, the priests who approach toward the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them down.”
Even the priests, who come before the Lord, must prepare themselves spiritually, so that the Lord does not punish them.”
23 And Moses said to the Lord: “The people are not able to ascend to Mount Sinai. For you testified, and you commanded, saying: ‘Set limits around the mountain, and sanctify it.’”
But Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai. You yourself warned us, ‘Set up a boundary around the mountain, and treat it as holy.’”
24 And the Lord said to him, “Go, descend. And you shall ascend, and Aaron with you. But let not the priests or the people transgress the limits, nor ascend to the Lord, lest perhaps he may put them to death.”
The Lord told him, “Go down and bring Aaron back up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way to come up to the Lord, or he will punish them.”
25 And Moses descended to the people, and he explained everything to them.
So Moses went down and explained to the people what the Lord had said.
