Exodus 19:1-25
19 At new moon of the third month of the coming of the sons of Israel out of Egypt, this day they came to the wilderness of Sinai.
2 And they marched from Rephidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and the Israelites camped there before the mountain.
3 And Moses went up to God, and God called to him out of the mountain “You will say to the house of Jacob, and tell the sons of Israel,
4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
5 And now if you obey me and keep my covenant you shall be my own special reserve out of all the nations—for all the earth is mine—
6 and I will have you for a kingdom of priests, a sacred nation. These are the words you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
7 And Moses came and called the elders of the people and said before them all these things that Jehovah had charged him to.
8 And all the people answered together “We will do just as Jehovah has said”; and Moses took the people’s answer back to Jehovah.
9 And Jehovah said to Moses “I am going to come to you in thick cloud, for the sake of having the people hear when I speak with you, and believe in you too forever”; and Moses reported the people’s words to Jehovah,
10 and Jehovah said to Moses “Go to the people and hallow them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their cloaks
11 and be ready for day after tomorrow, because day after tomorrow Jehovah will come down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.
12 * And set bounds for the people on all sides, telling them ‘Beware of going up on the mountain and of touching its edge; anyone who touches the mountain shall be put to death.
13 No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ At the winding of the bugle they shall come up on the mountain.”
14 And Moses came down from the mountain to the people and hallowed the people, and they washed their cloaks;
15 and he said to the people “Be ready for day after tomorrow; do not come near a woman.”
16 And on the third day, when morning came, there were noises and lightnings and a heavy cloud over. the mountain, and a very powerful sound of a horn, and all the people in the camp were frightened.
17 And Moses brought the people out from the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the bottom of the mountain.
18 * And Mount Sinai was smoking all over because Jehovah had come down on it in fire, and the smoke from it went up like the smoke from a kiln; and all the people were greatly frightened.
19 And the sound of the horn grew more and more powerful, Moses speaking and God answering him with sound.
20 And Jehovah came down on Mount Sinai, on the summit of the mountain, and Jehovah called Moses to the summit of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21 And Jehovah said to Moses “Go down and warn the people, lest they should break through to Jehovah to see, and many of them fall;
22 and let the priests too who approach Jehovah hallow themselves for fear Jehovah should scathe them.”
23 And Moses said to Jehovah “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, because you warned us yourself ‘Set bounds for the mountain and hallow it.’”
24 And Jehovah said to him “Go on down, and come up yourself and Aaron with you; but let the priests and the people not break through to come up to Jehovah, for fear Jehovah should scathe them.”
25 And Moses went down to the people and told them.
Footnotes
^ 19:12 Var. set bounds round the mountain, saying
^ 19:18 Var. all the mountain shuddered (unc.) greatly
