Exodus 19:8-18

8 All the people answered together, "We will do everything he has said." Then Moses took their answer back to the Lord.
9 And the Lord said to Moses, "I will come to you in a thick cloud and speak to you. The people will hear me speaking with you and will always trust you." Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10 The Lord said to Moses, "Go to the people and have them spend today and tomorrow preparing themselves. They must wash their clothes
11 and be ready by the day after tomorrow. On that day I, the Lord, will come down on Mount Sinai, and all the people will see me.
12 But you must set a limit around the mountain that the people are not to cross. Tell them not to go up on the mountain and not to touch the foot of it. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death
13 with stones or shot with arrows. No one is allowed to touch him. Whether it is a person or an animal, he will not live. But the trumpet will make a long blast, and only then may the people go up on the mountain."
14 After Moses went down from the mountain to the people, he made them prepare themselves for service to God, and they washed their clothes.
15 Then Moses said to the people, "Be ready in three days. Do not have sexual relations during this time."
16 On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning with a thick cloud on the mountain. There was a very loud blast from a trumpet, and all the people in the camp trembled.
17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lordcame down on it in fire. The smoke rose from the mountain like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook wildly.

Exodus 19:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 19

In this chapter we have an account of the coming of the children of Israel to Mount Sinai, Ex 19:1,2, of the covenant made with them there, the proposal on the part of God, and their acceptance of it, Ex 19:3-8, the previous notice God gave three days before of his appearance on the mount, the orders for their preparation to meet him, and the execution of them, Ex 19:9-15, the awful and tremendous appearance of God upon the mount, Ex 19:6-20 and the strict charge given, that neither people nor priests should come near and gaze, only Moses and Aaron with him were to come up, bounds being set to prevent the rest, Ex 19:21-24, and the chapter is closed with observing, that Moses went down from the mount, and delivered to the people what the Lord spoke to and by him, Ex 19:25.

Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.