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 of the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in this day they have come 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.
and they journey from Rephidim, and enter the wilderness of Sinai, and encamp in the wilderness; and Israel encamps there before 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:
And Moses has gone up to God, and YHWH calls to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you say to the house of Jacob, and declare to the sons 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.
You have seen that which I have done to the Egyptians, and [how] I carry you on eagles’ wings and bring 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.
And now, if you really listen to My voice, then you have kept My covenant, and have been a special treasure to Me more than all the peoples, 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 you are to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation: these [are] the words which you speak to the sons 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 comes, and calls for [the] elderly of the people, and sets before them all these words which YHWH has 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 answer together and say, “All that YHWH has spoken we do”; and Moses returns the words of the people to YHWH.
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 YHWH says to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in the thickness of the cloud, so that the people hear in My speaking with you, and also believe in you for all time”; and Moses declares the words of the people to YHWH.
10 who said to him: “Go to the people, and sanctify them today, and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments.
And YHWH says to Moses, “Go to the people and you have sanctified them today and tomorrow, and they have washed their garments,
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 have been prepared for the third day; for on the third day YHWH comes down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.
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 you have made a border [for] the people all around, saying, Take heed to yourselves, going up into the mountain or coming against its extremity; whoever is coming against the mountain is certainly 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.”
a hand does not come against him, for he is certainly stoned or shot through, whether beast or man—it does not live; in the prolonging of the ram’s horn they go up into the mountain.”
14 And Moses came down from the mountain to the people, and he sanctified them. And when they had washed their garments,
And Moses comes down from the mountain to the people, and sanctifies the people, and they wash their garments;
15 he said to them, “Be prepared on the third day, and do not draw near to your wives.”
and he says to the people, “Be prepared for the third day, do not come near to 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 comes to pass, on the third day, while it is morning, that there are voices, and lightnings, and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very strong horn; and all the people who [are] in the camp tremble.
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 brings out the people from the camp to meet God, and they station themselves at the lower part 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.
and Mount Sinai [is] wholly [in] smoke from the presence of YHWH, who has come down on it in fire, and its smoke goes up as smoke of the furnace, and the whole mountain trembles exceedingly;
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 sound of the horn is going on, and [is] very strong; Moses speaks, and God answers him with a 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 YHWH comes down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and YHWH calls for Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses goes 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 YHWH says to Moses, “Go down, protest to the people, lest they break through to YHWH to see, and many of them have fallen;
22 Likewise, the priests who approach toward the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them down.”
and also the priests who are coming near to YHWH sanctify themselves, lest YHWH break forth on 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 says to YHWH, “The people [are] unable to come up to Mount Sinai, for You have protested to us, saying, Make a border [for] the mountain, then you have sanctified 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 YHWH says to him, “Go, descend, then you have come up, you and Aaron with you; and the priests and the people do not break through to come up to YHWH, lest He break forth on them.”
25 And Moses descended to the people, and he explained everything to them.
And Moses goes down to the people and speaks to them.
