Exodus 24

1 He also said to Moses: “Ascend to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy elders out of Israel, and adore from a distance.

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 And only Moses will ascend to the Lord, and these shall not approach. Neither shall the people ascend with him.”

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

3 Therefore, Moses went and explained to the people all the words of the Lord, as well as the judgments. And all the people responded with one voice: “We will do all the words of the Lord, which he has spoken.”

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 wrote all the words of the Lord. And rising up in the morning, he built an altar at the base of the mountain, with twelve titles according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

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 And he sent youths from the sons of Israel, and they offered holocausts, and they immolated calves as peace-offerings to the Lord.

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 And so Moses took one half part of the blood, and he put it into bowls. Then the remaining part he poured over the altar.

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

7 And taking up the book of the covenant, he read it in the hearing of the people, who said: “All that the Lord has spoken, we will do, and we will be obedient.”

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 In truth, taking up the blood, he sprinkled it on the people, and he said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has formed with you concerning all these words.”

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 And Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel ascended.

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

10 And they saw the God of Israel. And under his feet was something like a work of sapphire stone, or like the sky, when it is serene.

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 Neither did he lay his hand upon those of the sons of Israel who were at a distance. And they saw God, and they ate and drank.

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

12 Then the Lord said to Moses: “Ascend to me on the mountain, and be there. And I will give to you tablets of stone, and the law and the commandments that I have written. So may you teach them.”

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 Moses rose up, with Joshua his minister. And Moses, ascending on the mountain of God,

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

14 said to the elders: “Wait here, until we return to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you. If any question arises, you shall refer it to them.”

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 And when Moses had ascended, a cloud covered the mountain.

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

16 And the glory of the Lord dwelt upon Sinai, covering it with a cloud for six days. And on the seventh day, he called to him from the middle of the mist.

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 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a burning fire over the summit of the mountain in the sight of the sons of Israel.

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

18 And Moses, entering into the midst of the cloud, ascended the mountain. And he was there for forty days and forty nights.

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