Exodus 24
1 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Come to me, up [on top of this mountain], you and Aaron and [his sons] Nadab and Abihu. Also [take along] 70 of the Israeli elders/leaders. While you are still some distance [from the top of the mountain], prostrate yourselves [on the ground] and worship me.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders—and you are to worship at a distance.
2 Moses, [I will allow] you alone to come near to me. The others must not come near, and the [rest of the] people must not come up the mountain.”
Moses alone shall approach the LORD, but the others must not come near. And the people may not go up with him.”
3 Moses/I went and told the people everything that Yahweh had said and all that he had commanded. The people all replied together, saying, “We will do everything that Yahweh has told us [to do].”
When Moses came and told the people all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all responded with one voice: “All the words that the LORD has spoken, we will do.”
4 Then Moses/I wrote down everything that Yahweh had commanded. Early the next morning Moses/I built a [stone] altar. He/I also set up twelve stones, one for each of the Israeli tribes.
And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
5 He/I also selected some young men. They burned sacrifices to Yahweh and they also sacrificed some cattle [that they did not burn completely], for the purpose of maintaining fellowship with Yahweh.
Then he sent out some young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.
6 Moses/I took half of the blood of the animals that were slaughtered and put it in bowls. The other half of the blood [he/I] threw/splashed against the altar.
Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar.
7 Then he/I took the scroll on which he/I had written [everything that Yahweh had commanded in] the agreement that he had made, and he/I read it [aloud], while all the people were listening. Then all the people said, “We will do all that Yahweh has told us to do. We will obey [everything].”
Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people, who replied, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”
8 Then Moses/I took the blood [that was in the bowls] and threw/splashed it on the people. He/I said, “This is the blood [that (confirms/puts into effect)] the agreement that Yahweh made with you when he gave you all these commands.”
So Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
9 Then Moses/I, along with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the 70 Israeli elders/leaders, went up [the mountain],
Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,
10 and they/we saw God, the one whom the Israeli people worship. Under his feet was something like a pavement [made of expensive blue stones called] sapphires. They were as clear as the sky is [when there are no clouds].
and they saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was a work like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
11 God did not harm [MTY] those Israeli elders/leaders [because of their having seen him]. They saw God, and they ate and drank together! [Then we all went back down the mountain].
But God did not lay His hand on the nobles of Israel; they saw Him, and they ate and drank.
12 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Come up to me [again] on [top of this] mountain. While you are here, I will give you [two] stone slabs on which I have written all the laws [DOU] that I have given to you to instruct/teach [the people].”
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”
13 So Moses/I told the elders, “Stay here [with the other people] until we return! Do not forget that Aaron and Hur will be with you. So if anyone has a dispute [while I am gone], he can go to those two men.” Then Moses/I went with his/my servant Joshua [part of the way] up the mountain that [was dedicated to] God.
So Moses set out with Joshua his attendant and went up on the mountain of God.
And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute can go to them.”
15 Then Moses/I went the [rest of the way] up the mountain. A cloud covered the mountain.
When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it,
16 The (glory/brilliant light) of Yahweh came down on the mountain and covered it for six days. On the seventh day, Yahweh called to Moses/me from the middle of the cloud.
and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud.
17 When the Israeli people [looked at] the top of the mountain, the glory of Yahweh was like a big fire that was burning [there].
And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites.
18 Moses/I went into the cloud on top of the mountain. He/I was there for 40 days and nights.
Moses entered the cloud as he went up on the mountain, and he remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
