Exodus 19

1  IN THE third month after the Israelites left the land of Egypt, the same day, they came into the Wilderness of Sinai.2  When they had departed from Rephidim and had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, they encamped there before the mountain.3  And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him out of the mountain, Say this to the house of Jacob and tell the Israelites:4  You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.5  Now therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own peculiar possession and treasure from among and above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine.6  And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation [consecrated, set apart to the worship of God]. These are the words you shall speak to the Israelites.7  So Moses called for the elders of the people and told them all these words which the Lord commanded him.8  And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do. And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.9  And the Lord said to Moses, Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you and believe you and remain steadfast forever. Then Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.10  And the Lord said to Moses, Go and sanctify the people [set them apart for God] today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes11  And be ready by the third day, for the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai [in the cloud] in the sight of all the people.12  And you shall set bounds for the people round about, saying, Take heed that you go not up into the mountain or touch the border of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.13  No hand shall touch it [or the offender], but he shall surely be stoned or shot [with arrows]; whether beast or man, he shall not live. When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain. 14  So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified them [set them apart for God], and they washed their clothes.15  And he said to the people, Be ready by the day after tomorrow; do not go near a woman.16  The third morning there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.17  Then Moses brought the people from the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.18  Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, for the Lord descended upon it in fire; its smoke ascended like that of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.19  As the trumpet blast grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with a voice. 20  The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai to the top of the mountain, and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.21  The Lord said to Moses, Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to gaze and many of them perish.22  And also let the priests, who come near to the Lord, sanctify (set apart) themselves [for God], lest the Lord break forth against them.23  And Moses said to the Lord, The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You Yourself charged us, saying, Set bounds about the mountain and sanctify it [set it apart for God].24  Then the Lord said to him, Go, get down and you shall come up, you and Aaron with you; but let not the priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest He break forth against them.25  So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Exodus 19

Israel at Sinai

1 s In the third month after the Israelites went outt from the land of Egypt, on the very day,t they came to the Desert of Sinai.

2 After they journeyedt from Rephidim, they came to the Desert of Sinai, and they camped in the desert; Israel camped there in front of the mountain.s
3 Mosest went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, “Thus you will tell the house of Jacob, and declare to the peoplet of Israel:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I lifted you on eagles’ wingst and brought you to myself.s5 And now, if you will diligently listen to met and keept my covenant, then you will be myt special possessiont out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine,

6 and you will be to met a kingdom of priestst and a holy nation.’t These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites.”
7 So Moses came and summoned the elders of Israel. He set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him,

8 and all the people answered together, “All that the Lord has commanded we will do!”t So Moses brought the words of the people back to the Lord.

9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to comet to you in a dense cloud,t so that the people may hear when I speak with you and so that they will always believe in you.”t And Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.
10 The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify themt today and tomorrow, and make them washt their clothes11 and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.12 You must set boundariest for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heedt to yourselves not to go up on the mountain nor touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death!

13 No hand will touch hims – but he will surely be stoned or shot through, whether a beast or a human being;t he must not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast they mayt go up on the mountain.”
14 Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes.

15 He said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Do not go near your wives.”ts
16 Ont the third day in the morning there was thunder and lightning and a denset cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loudt horn;t all the people who were in the camp trembled.17 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their place at the foot of the mountain.18 Now Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a great furnace,s and the whole mountain shookt violently.

19 When the sound of the horn grew louder and louder,t Moses was speakingt and God was answering him with a voice.t
20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain, and the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.21 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down and solemnly warnt the people, lest they force their way through to the Lord to look, and many of them perish.t

22 Let the priests also, who approach the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break throught against them.”
23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, because you solemnly warned us,t ‘Set boundaries for the mountain and set it apart.’”t24 The Lord said to him, “Go, get down, and come up, and Aaron with you, but do not let the priests and the people force their way through to come up to the Lord, lest he break through against them.”

25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.s