< Exodus 19 >

1 In the third month, by the coming forth of the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt, on this day, came they into the desert of Sinai:
And in the third month of the departure of the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came into the wilderness of Sina.
2 then was it that they brake up out of Rephidim and came into the desert of Sinai, and encamped in the desert, —yea Israel encamped there before the mountain.
And they departed from Raphidin, and came into the wilderness of Sina, and there Israel encamped before the mountain.
3 And when Moses, had gone up unto God, then called Yahweh unto him out of the mountain saying, Thus, shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, And tell the sons of Israel:
And Moses went up to the mount of God, and God called him out of the mountain, saying, These things shall you say to the house of Jacob, and you shall report them to the children of Israel.
4 Ye, have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, —And how I bare you upon wings of eagles, And brought you in unto myself: —
You have seen all that I have done to the Egyptians, and I took you up as upon eagles' wings, and I brought you near to myself.
5 Now, therefore, if ye will, indeed hearken, to my voice, And keep my covenant, Then shall ye be mine as a treasure beyond all the peoples, For, mine, is all the earth;
And now if you will indeed hear my voice, and keep my covenant, you shall be to me a peculiar people above all nations; for the whole earth is mine.
6 But, ye, shall be mine, As a kingdom of priests, And a holy nation. These, are the words, which thou shalt speak unto the sons of Israel.
And you shall be to me a royal priesthood and a holy nation: these words shall you speak to the children of Israel.
7 Then came Moses, and called for the elders of the people, —and put before them all these words which Yahweh had commanded him.
And Moses came and called the elders of the people, and he set before them all these words, which God appointed them.
8 And all the people responded together and said, All that Yahweh hath spoken, will we do. And Moses took back the words of the people, unto Yahweh.
And all the people answered with one accord, and said, All things that God has spoken, we will do and listen to: and Moses reported these words to God.
9 Then said Yahweh unto Moses: Lo! I, am coming unto thee in the veiling of cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with thee, moreover also, that, in thee, they may trust to times age-abiding. Then told Moses the words of the people unto Yahweh.
And the Lord said to Moses, Behold! I come to you in a pillar of a cloud, that the people may hear me speaking to you, and may believe you for ever: and Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.
10 And Yahweh said unto Moses—Go unto the people, and thou shalt hallow them to-day, and to-morrow, —and they shall wash their clothes;
And the Lord said to Moses, Go down and solemnly charge the people, and sanctify them today and to-morrow, and let them wash their garments.
11 and shall be ready, by the third day, —for on the third day, will Yahweh come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai.
And let them be ready against the third day, for on the third day the Lord will descend upon mount Sina before all the people.
12 So then thou shalt set bounds for the people round about saying, Take heed to yourselves—that ye go not up into the mountain, nor touch the boundary thereof, whosoever toucheth the mountain, shall, surely die.
And you shall separate the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves that you go not up into the mountain, nor touch any part of it: every one that touches the mountain shall surely die.
13 No hand shall touch it but he shall be, surely stoned, or be, surely shot, whether beast or man, he shall not live, —When the ram’s horn soundeth, they themselves, shall come up within the mount,
A hand shall not touch it, for [every one that touches] shall be stoned with stones or shot through with a dart, whether beast or whether man, it shall not live: when the voices and trumpets and cloud depart from off the mountain, they shall come up on the mountain.
14 Then Moses went down out of the mount, unto the people, —and hallowed the people, and they washed their clothes.
And Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified them, and they washed their clothes.
15 And he said unto the people, Be ready, by the third day, —do not approach a woman.
And he said to the people, Be ready: for three days come not near to a woman.
16 And it came to pass on the third day, when the morning had come, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a heavy cloud upon the mount, and the sound of a horn, loud exceedingly, —and all the people who were in the camp trembled.
And it came to pass on the third day, as the morning drew near, there were voices and lightnings and a dark cloud on mount Sina: the voice of the trumpet sounded loud, and all the people in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people, to meet God out of the camp, —and they stationed themselves in the lower part of the mount,
And Moses led the people forth out of the camp to meet God, and they stood by under the camp.
18 And Mount Sinai, smoked, all over, because Yahweh had come down thereon in fire, —and the smoke thereof went up as the smoke of a furnace, and all the mountain trembled exceedingly.
The mount of Sina was altogether on a smoke, because God had descended upon it in fire; and the smoke went up as the smoke of a furnace, and the people were exceedingly amazed.
19 And as oft as the sound of the horn went on and became exceeding loud, Moses, spake and, God, responded to him with a voice.
And the sounds of the trumpet were waxing very much louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with a voice.
20 Thus came Yahweh down upon Mount Sinai unto the top of the mount, —and Yahweh called Moses unto the top of the mount, and Moses went up.
And the Lord came down upon mount Sina on the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21 Then said Yahweh unto Moses, Go down, adjure the people, —lest they press through unto Yahweh to see, and so there fall from among them a multitude.
And God spoke to Moses, saying, Go down, and solemnly charge the people, lest at any time they draw near to God to gaze, and a multitude of them fall.
22 Yea, even the priests who do approach unto Yahweh, must hallow themselves, —lest Yahweh break in upon them.
And let the priests that draw near to the Lord God sanctify themselves, destroy some of them.
23 And Moses said unto Yahweh, The people cannot come up into Mount Sinai, —for, thou thyself, hast adjured us saying: Set bounds to the mountain and hallow it.
And Moses said to God, The people will not be able to approach to the mount of Sina, for you have solemnly charged us, saying, Set bounds to the mountain and sanctify it.
24 And Yahweh said unto him—Away, down, then shalt thou come up, thou and Aaron with thee, —but as for the priests and the people, let it not be that they press through to come up unto Yahweh lest he break in upon them.
And the Lord said to him, Go, descend, and come up you and Aaron with you; but let not the priests and the people force their way to come up to God, lest the Lord destroy some of them.
25 So Moses went down unto the people, —and said [these things] unto them.
And Moses went down to the people, and spoke to them.

< Exodus 19 >