Exodus 24

1 The Lord told Moses, “Come up to the Lord—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders. You are to worship at 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 Only Moses may approach the Lord—the others must not come near. The people may not go up the mountain with him.”

Moses alone may come near to me. The others must not come near, nor may the people come up with him.”

3 Moses went and told the people all the Lord's instructions and regulations. They all responded together: “We will do everything the Lord says!”

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 Moses wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the following morning and built an altar at the bottom of the mountain, and set up twelve pillars for each of 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 Then he sent out some young Israelite men who went and offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls 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 Moses put half of the blood into bowls, and sprinkled the other half on the altar.

Moses took half of the blood and put it into basins; he sprinkled the other half onto the altar.

7 Then he picked up the Book of the Agreement and read it to the people. They replied, “We will do everything the Lord says. We will obey.”

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 So Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the agreement that the Lord has made with you following these terms.”

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

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

10 and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a tiled pavement made of lapis lazuli, as clear blue as the sky itself.

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

11 But God did not harm the leaders of Israel—they saw him, and they ate and drank a sacred meal.

God did not lay a hand on the Israelite leaders. They saw God, and they ate and drank.

12 Then the Lord told Moses, “Come up the mountain to me, and stay here, so I can give you the stone tablets, with the instructions and commands I have written for them to learn.”

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 So Moses left with Joshua his attendant and climbed up the mountain of God.

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

14 He told the elders, “Stay here and wait for us to return. Aaron and Hur are with you. If anyone has a problem, they can talk with 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 As Moses climbed up on the mountain, the cloud covered it

So Moses went up the mountain, and the cloud covered it.

16 The Lord's glory came down on Mount Sinai, covering it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud.

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 To the Israelites the Lord's glory looked like a burning fire on the top of the mountain.

The appearance of Yahweh's glory was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the Israelites.

18 Moses went into the cloud as he climbed up on the mountain, and he stayed on the mountain for forty days and nights.

Moses entered the cloud and went up the mountain. He was up the mountain for forty days and forty nights.