Exodus 19
1 In the third month of the departure of Israel from the land of Egypt, in that day, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai.
In the third month after the children of Israel went out from Egypt, on the same day, they came into the waste land of Sinai.
2 Thus, setting out from Raphidim, and going directly to the desert of Sinai, they encamped in the same place, and there Israel pitched their tents away from the region of the mountain.
And when they had gone away from Rephidim and had come into the waste land of Sinai, they put up their tents in the waste land before the mountain: there Israel put up its tents.
3 Then Moses ascended to God. And the Lord called to him from the mountain, and he said: “This you shall say to the house of Jacob, and announce to the sons of Israel:
And Moses went up to God, and the voice of the Lord came to him from the mountain, saying, Say to the family of Jacob, and give word to the children of Israel:
4 ‘You have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, in what way I carried you upon the wings of eagles and how I have taken you for myself.
You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I took you, as on eagles' wings, guiding you to myself.
5 If, therefore, you will hear my voice, and you will keep my covenant, you will be to me a particular possession out of all people. For all the earth is mine.
If now you will truly give ear to my voice and keep my agreement, you will be my special property out of all the peoples: for all the earth is mine:
6 And you will be to me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the sons of Israel.”
And you will be a kingdom of priests to me, and a holy nation. These are the words which you are to say to the children of Israel.
7 Moses went, and calling together those greater by birth among the people, he set forth all the words which the Lord had commanded.
And Moses came and sent for the chiefs of the people and put before them all these words which the Lord had given him orders to say.
8 And all the people responded together: “Everything that the Lord has spoken, we shall do.” And when Moses had related the words of the people to the Lord,
And all the people, answering together, said, Whatever the Lord has said we will do. And Moses took back to the Lord the words of the people.
9 the Lord said to him: “Soon now, I will come to you in the mist of a cloud, so that the people may hear me speaking to you, and so that they may believe you continuously.” Therefore, Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord,
And the Lord said to Moses, See, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that what I say to you may come to the ears of the people and they may have belief in you for ever. And Moses gave the Lord word of what the people had said.
10 who said to him: “Go to the people, and sanctify them today, and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments.
And the Lord said to Moses, Go to the people and make them holy today and tomorrow, and let their clothing be washed.
11 And let them be prepared on the third day. For on the third day, the Lord will descend, in the sight of all the people, over Mount Sinai.
And by the third day let them be ready: for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai, before the eyes of all the people.
12 And you will establish limits for the people all around, and you will say to them: ‘Take care not to ascend to the mountain, and that you do not touch its parts. All who touch the mountain, shall die a death.’
And let limits be marked out for the people round the mountain, and say to them, Take care not to go up the mountain or near the sides of it: whoever puts his foot on the mountain will certainly come to his death:
13 Hands shall not touch him, but he shall be crushed with stones, or he shall be pierced through with darts. Whether it be a beast or a man, he shall not live. For when the trumpet begins to sound, perhaps they might go up toward the mountain.”
He is not to be touched by a hand, but is to be stoned or have an arrow put through him; man or beast, he is to be put to death: at the long sounding of a horn they may come up to the mountain.
14 And Moses came down from the mountain to the people, and he sanctified them. And when they had washed their garments,
Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and made the people holy; and their clothing was washed.
15 he said to them, “Be prepared on the third day, and do not draw near to your wives.”
And he said to the people, Be ready by the third day: do not come near a woman.
16 And now, the third day arrived and the morning dawned. And behold, thunders began to be heard, and also lightning flashed, and a very dense cloud covered the mountain, and the noise of the trumpet resounded vehemently. And the people who were in the camp were fearful.
And when morning came on the third day, there were thunders and flames and a thick cloud on the mountain, and a horn sounding very loud; and all the people in the tents were shaking with fear.
17 And when Moses had led them out to meet God, from the place of the camp, they stood at the base of the mountain.
And Moses made the people come out of their tents and take their places before God; and they came to the foot of the mountain,
18 Then all of Mount Sinai was smoking. For the Lord had descended over it with fire, and smoke ascended from it, as from a furnace. And the entire mountain was terrible.
And all the mountain of Sinai was smoking, for the Lord had come down on it in fire: and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a great burning; and all the mountain was shaking.
19 And the sound of the trumpet gradually increased to be louder, and extended to be longer. Moses was speaking, and God was answering him.
And when the sound of the horn became louder and louder, Moses' words were answered by the voice of God.
20 And the Lord descended over Mount Sinai, to the very top of the mountain, and he called Moses to its summit. And when he had ascended there,
Then the Lord came down on to Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and the Lord sent for Moses to come up to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21 he said to him: “Descend, and call the people to witness, lest they might be willing to transgress the limits, so as to see the Lord, and a very great multitude of them might perish.
And the Lord said to Moses, Go down and give the people orders to keep back, for fear that a great number of them, forcing their way through to see the Lord, may come to destruction.
22 Likewise, the priests who approach toward the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them down.”
And let the priests who come near to the Lord make themselves holy, for fear that the Lord may come on them suddenly.
23 And Moses said to the Lord: “The people are not able to ascend to Mount Sinai. For you testified, and you commanded, saying: ‘Set limits around the mountain, and sanctify it.’”
And Moses said to the Lord, The people will not be able to come up the mountain, for you gave us orders to put limits round the mountain, marking it out and making it holy.
24 And the Lord said to him, “Go, descend. And you shall ascend, and Aaron with you. But let not the priests or the people transgress the limits, nor ascend to the Lord, lest perhaps he may put them to death.”
And the Lord said to him, Go down, and you and Aaron may come up; but let not the priests and the people make their way through to the Lord, or he will come on them suddenly.
25 And Moses descended to the people, and he explained everything to them.
So Moses went down to the people and said this to them.
