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.
Two months to the day after they left Egypt, the Israelites arrived at the Sinai desert.
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.
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 thou shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the sons 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 did to the Egyptians, and how I bore 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 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,
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 shall speak to the sons 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 for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Jehovah 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 we will do. And Moses reported the words of the people 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 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.
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 sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments,
The Lord told Moses, “Go back down and prepare them spiritually today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes
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.
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 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;
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 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.
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 went down from the mount to the people, and sanctified the people, and they washed their garments.
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. Come not near a woman.
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 thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of an exceedingly loud trumpet. And all the people who were 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 forth the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the lower part of the mount.
Moses led the people out from the camp to meet God. They stood at the foot of the mountain.
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.
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 when the voice of the trumpet grew louder and louder, 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 upon mount Sinai, to the top of the mount. And Jehovah called Moses to the top of the mount, 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, command the people, lest they break 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 let the priests also, who come near to Jehovah, sanctify themselves, lest Jehovah break forth upon 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 commanded us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify 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, 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.
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.
