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Israel at Mount Sinai

¹ On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they ^(a)came into the wilderness of Sinai. ² They set out from ^(b)Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before ^(c)the mountain, ³ while ^(d)Moses went up to God. ^(e)The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ^4 (f)‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how ^(g)I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. ⁵ Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be ^(h)my treasured possession among all peoples, for ⁽ⁱ⁾all the earth is mine; ⁶ and you shall be to me a ^(j)kingdom of priests and ^(k)a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."

⁷ So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. ^8 (l)All the people answered together and said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do." And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. ⁹ And the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I am coming to you ^(m)in a thick cloud, that ⁽ⁿ⁾the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also ^(o)believe you forever."

When Moses told the words of the people to the Lord, ¹⁰ the Lord said to Moses, "Go to the people and ^(p)consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them ^(q)wash their garments ¹¹ and be ready for the third day. For on the third day ^(r)the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ¹² And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. ^(s)Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death. ¹³ No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot;^[a] whether beast or man, he shall not live.' When ^(t)the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain." ¹⁴ So Moses ^(u)went down from the mountain to the people and ^(v)consecrated the people; ^(w)and they washed their garments. ¹⁵ And he said to the people, "Be ready for the ^(x)third day; ^(y)do not go near a woman."

¹⁶ On the morning of the ^(z)third day there were ^(aa)thunders and lightnings and ^(ab)a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud ^(ac)trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp ^(ad)trembled. ¹⁷ Then ^(ae)Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸ Now ^(af)Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and ^(ag)the whole mountain trembled greatly. ¹⁹ And as the ^(ah)sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and ^(ai)God answered him in thunder. ²⁰ The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

²¹ And the Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord ^(aj)to look and many of them perish. ²² Also let the priests who come near to the Lord ^(ak)consecrate themselves, lest the Lord ^(al)break out against them." ²³ And Moses said to the Lord, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ^(am)‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.'" ²⁴ And the Lord said to him, "Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people ^(an)break through to come up to the Lord, lest he break out against them." ²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.