1 In the third month
that the children of Israel
had
come out of Egypt,
on that very day,
they came to the wilderness of Sinai.
2 And they pulled up from Rephidim,
and came to the wilderness of Sinai,
and camped in the wilderness,
and Israel camped there
before the mountain.
3 Then Moses went up to God.
Then Yahweh called to him
from the mountain, saying,
“Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob,
and tell to the children of Israel.
4 You saw what I did to Egypt,
and how I bore you on eagle's wings,
and brought you to myself.
5 And now,
if you shall surely listen to my voice,
and keep my covenant,
then you will be for me a treasure
greater than all the people,
for all the earth is mine."
6 "And you shall be for me
a kingdom of priests,
and a holy nation."
"These are the words you shall speak
to the children of Israel.”
7 Then Moses went and called
the elders of of the people,
and laid before them all these words
which Yahweh commanded him.
8 And all the people answered together
and said,
"All which Yahweh has spoken we will do."
Then Moses returned the words
of the people to Yahweh.
9 And Yawheh said to Moses,
"Behold, I am coming to you
in a thick cloud,
that the people might hear
when I speak with you,
and also might believe in you forever."
Then Moses told the words
of the people to Yahweh.
10 And Yahweh said to Moses,
"Go to the people and sanctify them
today and tomorrow,
and have them wash their clothes.
11 And be ready on day three,
For on day three Yahweh will come down
in the eyes of all the people
on Mount Sinai."
12 "But you shall set boundaries
around the people, saying,
'Take heed for yourselves
in going up the mountain
and in touching the border of it.
All who touch the mountain
will surely die.'"
13 "'Not a hand shall touch it,
for he shall surely be stoned,
or surely shot—
whether beast or man—
he will not live.
But when the jubilee sounds long,
they will come up on the mountain.'"
14 So Moses came down
from the mountain to the people,
and sanctified the people,
and had them wash their clothes.
15 Then he said to the people,
"Be ready for the third day.
You shall not go near your wife."
16 And it happened on day three,
when they were there in the morning,
and there were thunders and lightnings,
and a cloud of glory upon the mountain,
and the sound of a shofar very loud.
And all the people that were
in the camp quaked.
17 And Moses brought the people
that were in the camp
to meet God outside the camp,
but they stayed at the foot of the mountain.
18 And Mount Sinai was smokey all over,
the presence Yahweh had come down
upon it in fire.
And the smoke of it went up
as the smoke of a furnace.
And the mountain quaked greatly.
19 And the sound of the shofar kept going,
and was very loud.
Moses spoke,
and God answered by voice.
20 Then Yahweh came down
upon
Mount Sinai,
on the top of the mountain.
And Yahweh called Moses
to the top of the mountain,
so Moses went up.
21 Then Yahweh said to Moses,
"Go down and warn the people,
lest they break through to look at Yahweh,
and many of them drop dead.
22 And also, the priests
who come near to Yahweh
have them sanctify themselves,
lest Yahweh breaks out against them."
23 But Moses said to Yahweh,
"The people will not be able to come up
upon Mount Sinai.
For you have warned us, saying,
'Set a boundary for the mountain
and keep it holy.'"
24 So Yahweh said to him,
“Go on, go down,
and you come up with Aaron with you,
but the priests and the people
should not break through
to come up to Yahweh,
lest he breaks out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people
and spoke to them.