Exodus 24

1 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.

The Lord told Moses, “Come up to the Lord—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders. You are to worship at a distance.

2 Moses alone shall approach the LORD, but the others must not come near. And the people may not go up with him.”

Only Moses may approach the Lord—the others must not come near. The people may not go up the mountain with him.”

3 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.”

Moses went and told the people all the Lord's instructions and regulations. They all responded together: “We will do everything the Lord says!”

4 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.

Moses wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the following morning and built an altar at the bottom of the mountain, and set up twelve pillars for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

5 Then he sent out some young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.

Then he sent out some young Israelite men who went and offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord.

6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar.

Moses put half of the blood into bowls, and sprinkled the other half on the altar.

7 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.”

Then he picked up the Book of the Agreement and read it to the people. They replied, “We will do everything the Lord says. We will obey.”

8 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.”

So Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the agreement that the Lord has made with you following these terms.”

9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders climbed up the mountain,

10 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.

and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a tiled pavement made of lapis lazuli, as clear blue as the sky itself.

11 But God did not lay His hand on the nobles of Israel; they saw Him, and they ate and drank.

But God did not harm the leaders of Israel—they saw him, and they ate and drank a sacred meal.

12 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.”

Then the Lord told Moses, “Come up the mountain to me, and stay here, so I can give you the stone tablets, with the instructions and commands I have written for them to learn.”

13 So Moses set out with Joshua his attendant and went up on the mountain of God.

So Moses left with Joshua his attendant and climbed up the mountain of God.

14 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.”

He told the elders, “Stay here and wait for us to return. Aaron and Hur are with you. If anyone has a problem, they can talk with them.”

15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it,

As Moses climbed up on the mountain, the cloud covered it

16 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.

The Lord's glory came down on Mount Sinai, covering it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud.

17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites.

To the Israelites the Lord's glory looked like a burning fire on the top of the mountain.

18 Moses entered the cloud as he went up on the mountain, and he remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Moses went into the cloud as he climbed up on the mountain, and he stayed on the mountain for forty days and nights.