Exodus 19 (New American Standard)

Moses on Sinai

1 ¹In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, ^aon that very day they came into the wilderness of ²Sinai. 2 When they set out from ³Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness ; and there Israel camped in front of ⁴the mountain. 3 Moses went up to God, and ⁵the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel : 4 '⁶You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on ⁷eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 'Now then, ⁸if you will indeed obey My voice and ⁹keep My covenant, then you shall be ¹⁰My ^bown possession among all the peoples, for ¹¹all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me ¹²a kingdom of priests and ¹³a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel." 7 ¹⁴So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD had commanded him. 8 ¹⁵All the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do !" And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. 9 The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will come to you in ¹⁶a thick cloud, so that the ¹⁷people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever." Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD. 10 The LORD also said to Moses, "Go to the people and ¹⁸consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them ¹⁹wash their garments ; 11 and let them be ready for the third day, for on ²⁰the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 "You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, '^cBeware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; ²¹whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 'No hand shall touch him, but ²²he shall surely be stoned or ^dshot through ; whether beast or man, he shall not live.' When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to ²³the mountain." 14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people, and they washed their garments. 15 He said to the people, "Be ready for the third day ; do not go near a woman." 16 ²⁴So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were ^ethunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the ^ffoot of the mountain.

The LORD Visits Sinai

18 ²⁵Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it ²⁶in fire ; and its smoke ascended like ²⁷the smoke of a furnace, and ²⁸the whole mountain ^gquaked violently. 19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and ²⁹God answered him with ^hthunder. 20 ³⁰The 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 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down, ⁱwarn the people, so that ³¹they do not break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them ^jperish. 22 "Also let the ³²priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, or else the LORD will break out against them." 23 Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You ^kwarned us, saying, '³³Set bounds about the mountain and consecrate it.' " 24 Then the LORD said to him, "^lGo down and come up again, ³⁴you and Aaron with you; but do not let the ³⁵priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, or He will break forth upon them." 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.