Exodus 19
1In the third month of the departure of Israel from the land of Egypt, in that day, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai.
2Thus, setting out from Raphidim, and going directly to the desert of Sinai, they encamped in the same place, and there Israel pitched their tents away from the region of the mountain.
3Then Moses ascended to God. And the Lord called to him from the mountain, and he said: “This you shall say to the house of Jacob, and announce to the sons of Israel:
4‘You have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, in what way I carried you upon the wings of eagles and how I have taken you for myself.
5If, therefore, you will hear my voice, and you will keep my covenant, you will be to me a particular possession out of all people. For all the earth is mine.
6And you will be to me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the sons of Israel.”
7Moses went, and calling together those greater by birth among the people, he set forth all the words which the Lord had commanded.
8And all the people responded together: “Everything that the Lord has spoken, we shall do.” And when Moses had related the words of the people to the Lord,
9the Lord said to him: “Soon now, I will come to you in the mist of a cloud, so that the people may hear me speaking to you, and so that they may believe you continuously.” Therefore, Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord,
10who said to him: “Go to the people, and sanctify them today, and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments.
11And let them be prepared on the third day. For on the third day, the Lord will descend, in the sight of all the people, over Mount Sinai.
12And you will establish limits for the people all around, and you will say to them: ‘Take care not to ascend to the mountain, and that you do not touch its parts. All who touch the mountain, shall die a death.’
13Hands shall not touch him, but he shall be crushed with stones, or he shall be pierced through with darts. Whether it be a beast or a man, he shall not live. For when the trumpet begins to sound, perhaps they might go up toward the mountain.”
14And Moses came down from the mountain to the people, and he sanctified them. And when they had washed their garments,
15he said to them, “Be prepared on the third day, and do not draw near to your wives.”
16And now, the third day arrived and the morning dawned. And behold, thunders began to be heard, and also lightning flashed, and a very dense cloud covered the mountain, and the noise of the trumpet resounded vehemently. And the people who were in the camp were fearful.
17And when Moses had led them out to meet God, from the place of the camp, they stood at the base of the mountain.
18Then all of Mount Sinai was smoking. For the Lord had descended over it with fire, and smoke ascended from it, as from a furnace. And the entire mountain was terrible.
19And the sound of the trumpet gradually increased to be louder, and extended to be longer. Moses was speaking, and God was answering him.
20And the Lord descended over Mount Sinai, to the very top of the mountain, and he called Moses to its summit. And when he had ascended there,
21he said to him: “Descend, and call the people to witness, lest they might be willing to transgress the limits, so as to see the Lord, and a very great multitude of them might perish.
22Likewise, the priests who approach toward the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them down.”
23And Moses said to the Lord: “The people are not able to ascend to Mount Sinai. For you testified, and you commanded, saying: ‘Set limits around the mountain, and sanctify it.’ ”
24And the Lord said to him, “Go, descend. And you shall ascend, and Aaron with you. But let not the priests or the people transgress the limits, nor ascend to the Lord, lest perhaps he may put them to death.”
25And Moses descended to the people, and he explained everything to them.
1In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
2For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
3And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
5Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.
8And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.
9And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.
10And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
12And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
13There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
14And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
15And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
16And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
20And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
21And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.
22And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.
23And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
24And the Lord said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Lord, lest he break forth upon them.
25So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.