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.
In the third month, after the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.
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.
For they had departed from Rephidim, and they came to the desert of Sinai, and encamped in the wilderness; and Israel encamped there opposite the mount.
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:
And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him from the mount, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel.
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.
Ye have yourselves seen what I have done unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto 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 therefore, if you will truly obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then shall ye be unto me a peculiar treasure above all nations; for all the earth 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.”
And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation; these are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7 Moses went, and calling together those greater by birth among the people, he set forth all the words which the Lord had commanded.
And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the Lord had commanded him.
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,
And all the people answered unanimously, and said, all that the Lord hath spoken will we do; and Moses returned the words of the people unto 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,
And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, I will come unto thee in a thick cloud, for the sake that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and that also in thee they shall believe for ever; and Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.
10 who said to him: “Go to the people, and sanctify them today, and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them 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 they shall be ready against the third day; for on the third day will the Lord come down, before the eyes of all the people, upon mount Sinai.
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.’
And thou shalt set bounds unto the people, round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, nor touch the border of it; whosoever toucheth the mount shall surely be put to death.
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.”
Yet not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live; when the trumpet soundeth long, they may come up to the mount.
14 And Moses came down from the mountain to the people, and he sanctified them. And when they had washed their garments,
And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people: and they washed their clothes.
15 he said to them, “Be prepared on the third day, and do not draw near to your wives.”
And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day; approach not unto 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.
And it came to pass on the third day when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a heavy cloud was upon the mount, and the voice of the cornet was exceedingly loud; so that all the people that were in the camp trembled.
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.
And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they placed themselves at the foot of the mount.
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.
And mount Sinai smoked in every part, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
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.
And the voice of the cornet went on, and waxed louder and louder; Moses spoke, and God answered him with a loud 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,
And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount; and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount, and 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 said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them might perish.
22 Likewise, the priests who approach toward the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them down.”
And the priests also, who come near to the Lord, shall sanctify themselves; lest the Lord break forth among 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.’”
And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai; for thou hast charged us, saying, Set bounds about the mount and sanctify it.
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.”
And the Lord said unto him, Go, get thee down, and then shalt thou come up, thou, and Aaron with thee; but the priests and the people shall not break through to come up unto the Lord, lest he break forth among them.
25 And Moses descended to the people, and he explained everything to them.
So Moses went down unto the people, and spoke unto them.
