Exodus 19
1 Two months to the day after they left Egypt, the Israelites arrived at the Sinai desert.
In the third month of the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in this day they have come into the wilderness of Sinai,
2 They had set out from Rephidim, and after they entered the Sinai desert they camped there in front of the mountain.
and they journey from Rephidim, and enter the wilderness of Sinai, and encamp in the wilderness; and Israel encamps there before the mountain.
3 Moses went up the mountain to God. The Lord spoke to Moses from the mountain, and told him, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob, the Israelites:
And Moses has gone up to God, and YHWH calls to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you say to the house of Jacob, and declare to the sons of Israel:
4 ‘You saw for yourselves what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles' wings, how I brought you to myself.
You have seen that which I have done to the Egyptians, and [how] I carry you on eagles’ wings and bring you to Myself.
5 Now if you really obey what I say and keep the agreement with me, then out of all the nations you will be a special people that belong to me. While the whole world is mine,
And now, if you really listen to My voice, then you have kept My covenant, and have been a special treasure to Me more than all the peoples, for all the earth [is] Mine;
6 for me you will be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.’ This is what you are to tell the Israelites.”
and you are to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation: these [are] the words which you speak to the sons of Israel.”
7 So Moses went back down and summoned the elders of the people, and presented to them everything the Lord had ordered him to say.
And Moses comes, and calls for [the] elderly of the people, and sets before them all these words which YHWH has commanded him;
8 Everyone answered, “We promise to do everything the Lord says.” Then Moses took the people's answer back to the Lord.
and all the people answer together and say, “All that YHWH has spoken we do”; and Moses returns the words of the people to YHWH.
9 The Lord told Moses, “Look! I'm going to come to you in a thick cloud so the people will hear me speaking with you and as a result they will always trust you.” Then Moses reported to the Lord what the people had said.
And YHWH says to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in the thickness of the cloud, so that the people hear in My speaking with you, and also believe in you for all time”; and Moses declares the words of the people to YHWH.
10 The Lord told Moses, “Go back down and prepare them spiritually today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes
And YHWH says to Moses, “Go to the people and you have sanctified them today and tomorrow, and they have washed their garments,
11 and be ready on the third day because that is when the Lord will descend upon Mount Sinai in the full view of everyone.
and have been prepared for the third day; for on the third day YHWH comes down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.
12 Set up a boundary for the people all around and warn them, ‘Watch out! Don't try to go up the mountain—don't even touch it! For anyone who touches the mountain will most certainly be killed. Don't touch any person or any animal that has touched the mountain.
And you have made a border [for] the people all around, saying, Take heed to yourselves, going up into the mountain or coming against its extremity; whoever is coming against the mountain is certainly put to death;
13 Make sure they are stoned or shot with arrows—they must not be allowed to live.’ Only when there is a long blast on the ram's horn can the people come up the mountain.”
a hand does not come against him, for he is certainly stoned or shot through, whether beast or man—it does not live; in the prolonging of the ram’s horn they go up into the mountain.”
14 Moses went down the mountain and prepared the people spiritually and they washed their clothes.
And Moses comes down from the mountain to the people, and sanctifies the people, and they wash their garments;
15 He instructed the people, “Get ready for the third day, and don't be intimate with a woman.”
and he says to the people, “Be prepared for the third day, do not come near to a woman.”
16 When morning came on the third day there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud covered the mountain. There was the very loud sound of a ram's horn, and everyone in the camp shook with fear.
And it comes to pass, on the third day, while it is morning, that there are voices, and lightnings, and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very strong horn; and all the people who [are] in the camp tremble.
17 Moses led the people out from the camp to meet God. They stood at the foot of the mountain.
And Moses brings out the people from the camp to meet God, and they station themselves at the lower part of the mountain,
18 Smoke poured out over the whole of Mount Sinai because the Lord's presence had come down like fire. The smoke rose up like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook furiously.
and Mount Sinai [is] wholly [in] smoke from the presence of YHWH, who has come down on it in fire, and its smoke goes up as smoke of the furnace, and the whole mountain trembles exceedingly;
19 As the sound of the ram's horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in a loud, thunderous voice.
and the sound of the horn is going on, and [is] very strong; Moses speaks, and God answers him with a voice.
20 The Lord descended on the top of Mount Sinai, and he called Moses to come up there. So Moses went up,
And YHWH comes down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and YHWH calls for Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses goes up.
21 and the Lord told him, “Go back down, and warn the people not to force their way across the boundary to try to come to the Lord or they will die.
And YHWH says to Moses, “Go down, protest to the people, lest they break through to YHWH to see, and many of them have fallen;
22 Even the priests, who come before the Lord, must prepare themselves spiritually, so that the Lord does not punish them.”
and also the priests who are coming near to YHWH sanctify themselves, lest YHWH break forth on them.”
23 But Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai. You yourself warned us, ‘Set up a boundary around the mountain, and treat it as holy.’”
And Moses says to YHWH, “The people [are] unable to come up to Mount Sinai, for You have protested to us, saying, Make a border [for] the mountain, then you have sanctified it.”
24 The Lord told him, “Go down and bring Aaron back up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way to come up to the Lord, or he will punish them.”
And YHWH says to him, “Go, descend, then you have come up, you and Aaron with you; and the priests and the people do not break through to come up to YHWH, lest He break forth on them.”
25 So Moses went down and explained to the people what the Lord had said.
And Moses goes down to the people and speaks to them.
