< Exodus 24 >
1 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Come to me, up [on top of this mountain], you and Aaron and [his sons] Nadab and Abihu. Also [take along] 70 of the Israeli elders/leaders. While you are still some distance [from the top of the mountain], prostrate yourselves [on the ground] and worship me.
And he said to Moses: Come up to the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abiu, and seventy of the ancients of Israel, and you shall adore afar off.
2 Moses, [I will allow] you alone to come near to me. The others must not come near, and the [rest of the] people must not come up the mountain.”
And Moses alone shall come up to the Lord, but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people come up with him.
3 Moses/I went and told the people everything that Yahweh had said and all that he had commanded. The people all replied together, saying, “We will do everything that Yahweh has told us [to do].”
So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice: We will do all the words of the Lord, which he hath spoken.
4 Then Moses/I wrote down everything that Yahweh had commanded. Early the next morning Moses/I built a [stone] altar. He/I also set up twelve stones, one for each of the Israeli tribes.
And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord: and rising in the morning he built an altar at the foot of the mount, and twelve titles according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
5 He/I also selected some young men. They burned sacrifices to Yahweh and they also sacrificed some cattle [that they did not burn completely], for the purpose of maintaining fellowship with Yahweh.
And he sent young men of the children of Israel, and they offered holocausts, and sacrificed pacific victims of calves to the Lord.
6 Moses/I took half of the blood of the animals that were slaughtered and put it in bowls. The other half of the blood [he/I] threw/splashed against the altar.
Then Moses took half of the blood, and put it into bowls: and the rest he poured upon the altar.
7 Then he/I took the scroll on which he/I had written [everything that Yahweh had commanded in] the agreement that he had made, and he/I read it [aloud], while all the people were listening. Then all the people said, “We will do all that Yahweh has told us to do. We will obey [everything].”
And taking the book of the covenant, he read it in the hearing of the people: and they said: All things that the Lord hath spoken we will do, we will be obedient.
8 Then Moses/I took the blood [that was in the bowls] and threw/splashed it on the people. He/I said, “This is the blood [that (confirms/puts into effect)] the agreement that Yahweh made with you when he gave you all these commands.”
And he took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people, and he said: This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.
9 Then Moses/I, along with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the 70 Israeli elders/leaders, went up [the mountain],
Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abiu, and seventy of the ancients of Israel went up:
10 and they/we saw God, the one whom the Israeli people worship. Under his feet was something like a pavement [made of expensive blue stones called] sapphires. They were as clear as the sky is [when there are no clouds].
And they saw the God of Israel: and under his feet as it were a work of sapphire stone, and as the heaven, when clear.
11 God did not harm [MTY] those Israeli elders/leaders [because of their having seen him]. They saw God, and they ate and drank together! [Then we all went back down the mountain].
Neither did he lay his hand upon those of the children of Israel, that retired afar off, and they saw God, and they did eat and drink.
12 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Come up to me [again] on [top of this] mountain. While you are here, I will give you [two] stone slabs on which I have written all the laws [DOU] that I have given to you to instruct/teach [the people].”
And the Lord said to Moses: Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and the law, and the commandments which I have written: that thou mayst teach them.
13 So Moses/I told the elders, “Stay here [with the other people] until we return! Do not forget that Aaron and Hur will be with you. So if anyone has a dispute [while I am gone], he can go to those two men.” Then Moses/I went with his/my servant Joshua [part of the way] up the mountain that [was dedicated to] God.
Moses rose up, and his minister Josue: and Moses going up into the mount of God,
Said to the ancients: Wait ye here till we return to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you: if any question shall arise, you shall refer it to them.
15 Then Moses/I went the [rest of the way] up the mountain. A cloud covered the mountain.
And when Moses was gone up, a cloud covered the mount.
16 The (glory/brilliant light) of Yahweh came down on the mountain and covered it for six days. On the seventh day, Yahweh called to Moses/me from the middle of the cloud.
And the glory of the Lord dwelt upon Sinai, covering it with a cloud six days: and the seventh day he called him out of the midst of the cloud.
17 When the Israeli people [looked at] the top of the mountain, the glory of Yahweh was like a big fire that was burning [there].
And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like a burning fire upon the top of the mount, in the eyes of the children of Israel.
18 Moses/I went into the cloud on top of the mountain. He/I was there for 40 days and nights.
And Moses, entering into the midst of the cloud, went up into the mountain: and he was there forty days, and forty nights.