Exodus 19

¹ In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.

² When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain.

³ Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:

⁴ ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself.

⁵ Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among 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 children of Israel.”

⁷ Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD commanded him.

⁸ All the people answered together, and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.

⁹ The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.

¹⁰ The LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments,

¹¹ and be ready for the third day; for on the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai.

¹² You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.

¹³ No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.”

¹⁴ Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

¹⁵ He said to the people, “Be ready by the third day. Don’t have sexual relations with a woman.”

¹⁶ On the third day, when it was morning, there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.

¹⁷ Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain.

¹⁸ All of Mount Sinai smoked, because the LORD descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.

¹⁹ When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.

²⁰ The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. The LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

²¹ The LORD said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.

²² Let the priests also, who come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break out on them.”

²³ Moses said to the LORD, “The people can’t come up to Mount Sinai, for you warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.’”

²⁴ The LORD said to him, “Go down! You shall bring Aaron up with you, but don’t let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest he break out against them.”

²⁵ So Moses went down to the people, and told them.

¹ IIn the third month of the departure of Israel out of the land of Egypt, on this day they came into the wilderness of Sinai:

² For departing out of Raphidim, and coming to the desert of Sinai, they camped in the same place, and there Israel pitched their tents over against the mountain.

³ And Moses went up to God; and the Lord called unto him from the mountain, and said: Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:

⁴ You have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, how I have carried you upon the wings of eagles, and have taken you to myself.

⁵ If therefore you will hear my voice, and keep my covenant, you shall be my peculiar possession above all people: for all the earth is mine.

⁶ And you shall be to me a priestly kingdom, and a holy nation. These are the words thou shalt speak to the children of Israel.

⁷ Moses came; and calling together the elders of the people, he declared all the words which the Lord had commanded.

⁸ And all the people answered together: All that the Lord hath spoken, we will do. And when Moses had related the people’s words to the Lord,

⁹ The Lord said to him: Lo, now will I come to thee in the darkness of a cloud, that the people may hear me speaking to thee, and may believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.

¹⁰ And he said to him: Go to the people, and sanctify them to day, and to morrow, and let them wash their garments.

¹¹ And let them be ready against the third day; for on the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people, upon Mount Sinai.

¹² And thou shalt appoint certain limits to the people round about, and thou shalt say to them: Take heed ye go not up into the mount, and that ye touch not the borders thereof: every one that toucheth the mount, dying he shall die.

¹³ No hands shall touch him, but he shall be stoned to death, or he shall be shot through with arrows: whether it be beast, or man, he shall not live. When the trumpet shall begin to sound, then let them go up into the mount.

¹⁴ And Moses came down from the mount to the people, and sanctified them. And when they had washed their garments,

¹⁵ He said to them: Be ready against the third day, and come not near your wives.

¹⁶ And now the third day was come, and the morning appeared: and behold thunders began to be heard, and lightning to flash, and a very thick cloud to cover the mount, and the noise of the trumpet sounded exceeding loud; and the people that was in the camp, feared.

¹⁷ And when Moses had brought them forth to meet God, from the place of the camp, they stood at the bottom of the mount.

¹⁸ And all Mount Sinai was on a smoke: because the Lord was come down upon it in fire, and the smoke arose from it as out of a furnace: and all the mount was terrible.

¹⁹ And the sound of the trumpet grew by degrees louder and louder, and was drawn out to a greater length: Moses spoke, and God answered him.

²⁰ And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, in the very top of the mount, and he called Moses unto the top thereof. And when he was gone up thither,

²¹ He said unto him: Go down, and charge the people; lest they should have a mind to pass the limits to see the Lord, and a very great multitude of them should perish.

²² The priests also that come to the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them.

²³ And Moses said to the Lord: The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai: for thou didst charge, and command, saying: Set limits about the mount, and sanctify it.

²⁴ And the Lord said to him: Go, get thee down; and thou shalt come up, thou and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people pass the limits, nor come up to the Lord, lest he kill them.

²⁵ And Moses went down to the people and told them all.