Exodus 19
1 The Israeli people then left Rephidim, and exactly two months after leaving Egypt, they/we came to the desert near Sinai [Mountain]. They/We set up their/our tents at the base of the mountain.
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,
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/I climbed up the mountain [to talk with] God. Yahweh called to [him/me] from [the top of] the mountain and said, “This is what I want you to say to the Israeli people, the descendants of Jacob:
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 have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You have seen [what I did for all of you] and how I brought you here to me. It was as though I [lifted you up as] an eagle [carries its young eaglets] on its wings [MET].
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 So now, if you will do what I tell you and obey all that I command you, you will be my own people. All the people-groups on the earth are mine, but you will be (dearer/more special) to me than all the other people-groups.
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 You will be people over whom I will rule, and you will all (be like priests/represent me to other nations as priests represent me to one nation) [MET], and you will be completely dedicated to me.’ That is what you must tell the Israeli people.”
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/I went [down the mountain] and summoned the elders/leaders of the people. He/I told them everything that Yahweh had told him/me to tell them.
And Moses comes, and calls for [the] elderly of the people, and sets before them all these words which YHWH has commanded him;
8 The people all said, “We will do everything that Yahweh has told us to do.” Then Moses/I [climbed back up the mountain and] reported to Yahweh what the people had said.
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 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “[Listen carefully]: I am going to appear to you from inside a thick cloud. When I am speaking to you, the people will hear it, and they will always trust in you.” Then Moses/I went [down the mountain and reported to the people what Yahweh said. Then he/I went back up the mountain and] told Yahweh what the people replied.
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 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Go [back down] to the people [again]. [Tell them to] purify themselves today and tomorrow. [Tell them to] wash their clothes, too.
And YHWH says to Moses, “Go to the people and you have sanctified them today and tomorrow, and they have washed their garments,
11 They must do that to be ready on the day after tomorrow. On that day I will come down to Sinai Mountain to where all the people can see me.
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 You must make a boundary around the base of the mountain, and tell them, ‘Be sure that you do not climb the mountain or even go near it. Anyone who even touches the base of the mountain must be executed.’
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 Do not let anyone touch any person or any animal that touches the mountain. You must [kill any person or animal that touches the mountain] by throwing stones at it or shooting it [with arrows]. But when you hear a long [loud] trumpet sound, the people can come close to the [base of 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 So Moses/I went down the mountain [again] and told the people to purify themselves. They did what Moses/I told them to do, and they also washed their clothes.
And Moses comes down from the mountain to the people, and sanctifies the people, and they wash their garments;
15 Then Moses/I said to the people, “Be ready on the day after tomorrow. And [you men] must not have sex with [EUP] [your wives] until after then.”
and he says to the people, “Be prepared for the third day, do not come near to a woman.”
16 Two days later, during the morning, there was thunder and lightning, and a very dark cloud on the mountain. A trumpet sounded very loudly, with the result that the people in the camp shook/trembled because they [were very afraid].
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 Then Moses/I led the people outside the camp to meet with God. They stood at the base 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 All of Sinai Mountain was covered in smoke, because Yahweh had descended on it, surrounded by a fire. The smoke rose up like the smoke from [the chimney of] a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.
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 trumpet continued to become louder, Moses/I spoke [to Yahweh], and Yahweh answered [him/me] in [a loud voice that sounded like] thunder.
and the sound of the horn is going on, and [is] very strong; Moses speaks, and God answers him with a voice.
20 Then Yahweh came down [again] onto the top of Sinai Mountain, and he summoned Moses/me to come up to the top of the mountain. So Moses/I 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 Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Go down again and warn the people not to cross the boundary in order to look [at me]. If they [do] that, many of them 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 Also, the priests who habitually come near me must purify themselves. If they do not do that, I will punish them.”
and also the priests who are coming near to YHWH sanctify themselves, lest YHWH break forth on them.”
23 Then Moses/I said to Yahweh, “The people will not climb the mountain, because you commanded them, saying, ‘Set a boundary around the mountain, to make it sacred/taboo.’”
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 Yahweh replied, “Go down the mountain, and bring Aaron back up with you. But do not allow the priests or other people to cross the boundary to come up to me. If they cross it, I 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/I went down the mountain [again] and told the people [what Yahweh had said].
And Moses goes down to the people and speaks to them.
