< Exodus 19 >
1 In the third month after the sons of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.
2 And when they were departed from Rephidim, and came to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness, and there Israel encamped before the mount.
3 And Moses went up to God. And Jehovah called to him out of the mountain, saying, Thus thou shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the sons of Israel:
4 Ye 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 ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be my own possession from among all peoples, for all the earth is mine,
6 and ye shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shall speak to the sons of Israel.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Jehovah commanded him.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that Jehovah has spoken we will do. And Moses reported the words of the people to Jehovah.
9 And Jehovah said to Moses, Lo, I come to thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and may also believe thee forever. And Moses told the words of the people to Jehovah.
10 And Jehovah said to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments,
11 and be ready for the third day, for the third day Jehovah will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
12 And thou shall set bounds to the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye not go up onto the mount, or touch the border of it. Whoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death;
13 no hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through, whether it be beast or man, he shall not live. When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mount.
14 And Moses went down from the mount to the people, and sanctified the people, and they washed their garments.
15 And he said to the people, Be ready for the third day. Come not near a woman.
16 And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of an exceedingly loud trumpet. And all the people who were in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the lower part of the mount.
18 And mount Sinai, the whole of it, smoked, because Jehovah descended upon it in fire, and the smoke of it ascended as the smoke of a furnace. And the whole mount quaked greatly.
19 And when the voice of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.
20 And Jehovah came down upon mount Sinai, to the top of the mount. And Jehovah called Moses to the top of the mount, and Moses went up.
21 And Jehovah said to Moses, Go down, command the people, lest they break through to Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish.
22 And let the priests also, who come near to Jehovah, sanctify themselves, lest Jehovah break forth upon them.
23 And Moses said to Jehovah, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai, for thou commanded us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
24 And Jehovah said to him, Go, get thee down. And thou shall come up, thou, and Aaron with thee, but do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to Jehovah, lest he break forth upon them.
25 So Moses went down to the people, and told them.
