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 Yahweh said to Moses, “Come up to me—you, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders, and worship me 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 may come near to me. The others must not come near, nor may the people come 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.”

Moses went and told the people all of Yahweh's words and decrees. All the people answered with one voice and said, “We will do all the words that Yahweh has said.”

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 wrote down all of Yahweh's words. Early in the morning, Moses built an altar at the foot of the mountain and arranged twelve stone pillars, so that the stones would represent 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.

He sent some Israelite young men to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice fellowship offerings of oxen to Yahweh.

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 into basins; he sprinkled the other half onto 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.”

He took the book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. They said, “We will do all that Yahweh has spoken. 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.”

Then Moses took the blood and sprinkled it onto the people. He said, “This is the blood of the covenant that Yahweh has made with you by giving you this promise with all these words.”

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

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

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.

They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was a pavement made of sapphire stone, 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.

God did not lay a hand on the Israelite leaders. They saw God, 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.”

Yahweh said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay there. I will give you the tablets of stone and the law and commandments that I have written, so that you may teach them.”

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

So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua and went up 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.”

Moses had said to the elders, “Stay here and wait for us until we come to you. Aaron and Hur are with you. If anyone has a dispute, let him go to them.”

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

So Moses went up the mountain, and 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.

Yahweh's glory settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he 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.

The appearance of Yahweh's glory was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain 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 and went up the mountain. He was up the mountain for forty days and forty nights.