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.

And he said to Moses, Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, and Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the chiefs of Israel; and give me worship from a distance.

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

And Moses only may come near to the Lord; but the others are not to come near, and the people may not come up with them.

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.”

Then Moses came and put before the people all the words of the Lord and his laws: and all the people, answering with one voice, said, Whatever the Lord has said 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.

Then Moses put down in writing all the words of the Lord, and he got up early in the morning and made an altar at the foot of the mountain, 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.

And he sent some of the young men of the children of Israel to make burned offerings and peace-offerings of oxen 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.

And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins; draining out half of the blood over 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.”

And he took the book of the agreement, reading it in the hearing of the people: and they said, Everything which the Lord has said we will do, and we will keep his laws.

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.”

Then Moses took the blood and let it come on the people, and said, This blood is the sign of the agreement which the Lord has made with you in these words.

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

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the chiefs of Israel went up:

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; and under his feet there was, as it seemed, a jewelled floor, clear as the heavens.

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.

And he put not his hand on the chiefs of the children of Israel: they saw God, and took food and drink.

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.”

And the Lord said to Moses, Come up to me on the mountain, and take your place there: and I will give you the stones on which I have put in writing the law and the orders, so that you may give the people knowledge of them.

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

Then Moses and Joshua his servant got up; and Moses went up into 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 chiefs, Keep your places here till we come back to you: Aaron and Hur are with you; if anyone has any cause let him go to them.

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

And Moses went up into the mountain, and it was covered by the cloud.

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 was resting on Mount Sinai, and the cloud was over it for six days; and on the seventh day he said Moses' name out of 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 glory of the Lord was like a flame on the top of the mountain before the eyes of the children of Israel.

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

And Moses went up the mountain, into the cloud, and was there for forty days and forty nights.