Exodus 19
1 In the third month after the departure of the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they [into] the wilderness of Sinai:
Two months to the day after they left Egypt, the Israelites arrived at the Sinai desert.
2 they departed from Rephidim, and came [into] the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in the wilderness; and Israel encamped there before the mountain.
They had set out from Rephidim, and after they entered the Sinai desert they camped there in front of the mountain.
3 And Moses went up to God, and Jehovah called to him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children 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 Ye have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, and [how] I have borne you on eagles' wings and brought you to 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 And now, if ye will hearken to my voice indeed and keep my covenant, then shall ye be my own possession out of all the peoples — 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 ye shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak to the children of Israel.
for me you will be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.’ This is what you are to tell the Israelites.”
7 And Moses came and called the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which Jehovah had commanded him.
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 answered together, and said, All that Jehovah has spoken will we do! And Moses brought the words of the people back to Jehovah.
Everyone answered, “We promise to do everything the Lord says.” Then Moses took the people's answer back to the Lord.
9 And Jehovah said to Moses, Lo, I will come to thee in the cloud's thick darkness, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee also for ever. And Moses told the words of the people to Jehovah.
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 And Jehovah said to Moses, Go to the people, and hallow them to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their clothes;
The Lord told Moses, “Go back down and prepare them spiritually today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes
11 and let them be ready for the third day; for on the third day Jehovah will come down before the eyes of all the people on 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 set bounds round about the people, saying, Take heed to yourselves, [not] to go up unto the mountain nor touch the border of it: whatever toucheth the mountain shall certainly be put to 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 not a hand shall touch it, but it shall certainly be stoned, or shot through; whether it be a beast or a man, it shall not live. When the long drawn note of the trumpet soundeth, they shall come up to 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 hallowed the people; and they washed their clothes.
Moses went down the mountain and prepared the people spiritually and they washed their clothes.
15 And he said to the people, Be ready for the third day; do not come near [your] wives.
He instructed the people, “Get ready for the third day, and don't be intimate with a woman.”
16 And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and the sound of the trumpet exceeding loud; and the whole people that was in the camp trembled.
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 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
Moses led the people out from the camp to meet God. They stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 And the whole of mount Sinai smoked, because Jehovah descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace; and the whole mountain shook greatly.
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 increased and became exceeding loud; Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.
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 Jehovah came down on mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain; and Jehovah called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
The Lord descended on the top of Mount Sinai, and he called Moses to come up there. So Moses went up,
21 And Jehovah said to Moses, Go down, testify to the people that they break not through to Jehovah to gaze, and many of them 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 And the priests also, who come near to Jehovah, shall hallow themselves, lest Jehovah break forth on them.
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 Jehovah, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai; for thou hast testified to us, saying, Set bounds about the mountain, and hallow 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 Jehovah said to him, Go, descend, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee; but the priests and the people shall not break through to go up to Jehovah, lest he break forth on them.
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 So Moses went down to the people, and told them.
So Moses went down and explained to the people what the Lord had said.
