EXODUS 19

Three months to the day after the departure of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, they came into the desert of Sinai. 2 And they set out from Rephidim, and came into the desert of Sinai, and camped in the desert; and Israel camped there before the mountain. 3 And Moses went up to God, and Yehowah called to him from the mountain, and said, Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob, and declare to the sons of Israel: 4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you up on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself. 5 And now, if you will obey my voice faithfully and keep my covenant, you shall be my personal possession above all peoples; for all the earth is mine. 6 And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the sons of Israel.

7 Then Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Yehowah had commanded him. 8 And all the people answered as one, and said, We will do all that Yehowah has said. And Moses reported the people's words to Yehowah. 9 And Yehowah said to Moses, See, I come to you in the obscurity of a cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe in you for ever. And Moses told the people's words to Yehowah. 10 Then Yehowah said to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow; and let them wash their clothes, 11 and let them be prepared by the third day; for on the third day Yehowah will come down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people. 12 And you shall set bounds all round for the people, and say, Take good care not to go on the mountain or touch its borders; whoever touches the mountain must be put to death. 13 Not a hand shall touch it, or he shall certainly be stoned, or shot with arrows; whether an animal or a man, he shall not live. Only when the trumpet sounds a long blast shall they go on the mountain. 14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. 15 And he said to the people, Be prepared by the third day; do not go near any woman.

16 Then on the third day when it was morning, there were thunderings and lightnings, and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and a very loud blast of a trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they took their stand on the lower part of the mountain. 18 And the whole of Mount Sinai was enveloped in smoke, because Yehowah descended on it in fire; and its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked very much. 19 And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. 20 And Yehowah descended on Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain; and Yehowah called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses climbed up. 21 And Yehowah said to Moses, Go down and warn the people, or else they will break through to Yehowah to gaze, and many of them will perish. 22 And also make the priests who come near to Yehowah sanctify themselves, or else Yehowah will break out upon them. 23 But Moses said to Yehowah, The people cannot come on Mount Sinai; for thou didst warn us, saying, Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it. 24 Then Yehowah said to him, Go, get down, and then come up and bring Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people break through to climb up to Yehowah, or else he will break out upon them. 25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.