Exodus, 19

1. In the third month after their departure from the land of Egypt, on its first day, the Israelites came to the desert of Sinai.

1. Three months to the day after leaving Egypt, the Israelites reached the desert of Sinai.

2. After the journey from Rephidim to the desert of Sinai, they pitched camp. While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain,

2. Setting out from Rephidim, they reached the desert of Sinai and pitched camp in the desert; there, facing the mountain, Israel pitched camp.

3. Moses went up the mountain to God. Then the LORD called to him and said, "Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob;

3. Moses then went up to God, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, 'Say this to the House of Jacob! Tell the Israelites,

4. tell the Israelites: You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagle wings and brought you here to myself.

4. "You have seen for yourselves what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you away on eagle's wings and brought you to me.

5. Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine.

5. So now, if you are really prepared to obey me and keep my covenant, you, out of all peoples, shall be my personal possession, for the whole world is mine.

6. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. That is what you must tell the Israelites."

6. For me you shall be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation." Those are the words you are to say to the Israelites.'

7. So Moses went and summoned the elders of the people. When he set before them all that the LORD had ordered him to tell them,

7. So Moses went and summoned the people's elders and acquainted them with everything that Yahweh had bidden him,

8. the people all answered together, "Everything the LORD has said, we will do." Then Moses brought back to the LORD the response of the people.

8. and the people all replied with one accord, 'Whatever Yahweh has said, we will do.' Moses then reported to Yahweh what the people had said.

9. The LORD also told him, "I am coming to you in a dense cloud, so that when the people hear me speaking with you, they may always have faith in you also." When Moses, then, had reported to the LORD the response of the people,

9. Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Look, I shall come to you in a dense cloud so that the people will hear when I speak to you and believe you ever after.' Moses then told Yahweh what the people had said.

10. the LORD added, "Go to the people and have them sanctify themselves today and tomorrow. Make them wash their garments

10. Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Go to the people and tell them to sanctify themselves today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes

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

11. and be ready for the day after tomorrow; for the day after tomorrow, in the sight of all the people, Yahweh will descend on Mount Sinai.

12. Set limits for the people all around the mountain, and tell them: Take care not to go up the mountain, or even to touch its base. If anyone touches the mountain, he must be put to death.

12. You will mark out the limits of the mountain and say, "Take care not to go up the mountain or to touch the edge of it. Anyone who touches the mountain will be put to death.

13. No hand shall touch him; he must be stoned to death or killed with arrows. Such a one, man or beast, must not be allowed to live. Only when the ram's horn resounds may they go up to the mountain."

13. No one may lay a hand on him: he must be stoned or shot by arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live." When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they must go up the mountain.'

14. Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and had them sanctify themselves and wash their garments.

14. So Moses came down from the mountain to the people; he made the people sanctify themselves and they washed their clothes.

15. He warned them, "Be ready for the third day. Have no intercourse with any woman."

15. He then said to the people, 'Be ready for the day after tomorrow; do not touch a woman.'

16. On the morning of the third day there were peals of thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.

16. Now at daybreak two days later, there were peals of thunder and flashes of lightning, dense cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast; and, in the camp, all the people trembled.

17. But Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stationed themselves at the foot of the mountain.

17. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they took their stand at the bottom of the mountain.

18. Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke, for the LORD came down upon it in fire. The smoke rose from it as though from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently.

18. Mount Sinai was entirely wrapped in smoke, because Yahweh had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke rose like smoke from a furnace and the whole mountain shook violently.

19. The trumpet blast grew louder and louder, while Moses was speaking and God answering him with thunder.

19. Louder and louder grew the trumpeting. Moses spoke, and God answered him in the thunder.

20. When the LORD came down to the top of Mount Sinai, he summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up to him.

20. Yahweh descended on Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain, and Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain; and Moses went up.

21. Then the LORD told Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to break through toward the LORD in order to see him; otherwise many of them will be struck down.

21. Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Go down and warn the people not to break through to look at Yahweh, or many of them will perish.

22. The priests, too, who approach the LORD must sanctify themselves; else he will vent his anger upon them."

22. Even the priests, who do have access to Yahweh, must sanctify themselves, or Yahweh may burst out against them.'

23. Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot go up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us to set limits around the mountain to make it sacred."

23. Moses said to Yahweh, 'The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since you yourself warned us to mark out the limits of the mountain and declare it sacred.'

24. The LORD repeated, "Go down now! Then come up again along with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the LORD; else he will vent his anger upon them."

24. Yahweh said, 'Away with you! Go down! Then come back bringing Aaron with you. But do not allow the priests and people to break through to come up to Yahweh, or he may burst out against them.'

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

25. So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.