Israel Comes to Mount Sinai

¹In 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.

²When 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.

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

⁴Y’all have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried y’all on eagles’ wings, and brought y’all to myself.

⁵Now therefore, if y’all will listen-listen to my voice and keep my covenant, then y’all will be my own possession from among all peoples. Although all the earth is mine,

⁶y’all will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you are to say to the children of Israel.”

⁷Moses came and summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which YHWH commanded him.

⁸All the people answered together, and said, “All that YHWH has spoken we will do.”

Moses reported the words of the people to YHWH.

⁹YHWH said to Moses, “Look, I am going to come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” Moses told the words of the people to YHWH.

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

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

¹²You are to are to set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Y’all be careful not to go up onto the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain must be executed-executed.

¹³No hand is to touch them, but instead they must be stoned-stoned or shot-shot. Whether it is animal or human, they must not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they may come up to the mountain.”

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

¹⁵He said to the people, “Y’all be ready for the third day. Y’all must not have sexual relations with a woman.”

¹⁶On 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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