Exodus 19

Modern

Literal

Israel at Mount Sinai

¹In the third month, on the same day of the month^a that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai.

¹In the third month of the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, on that day, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai.

²After they had set out from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.

²And they journeyed from Rephidim and entered the Wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness. And Israel camped there before the mountain.

³Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, “This is what you are to tell the house of Jacob and explain to the sons of Israel:

³And Moses went up to God, and YHWH called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and you shall tell to the sons of Israel:

⁴‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.

⁴‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and I bore you up on wings of eagles, and I brought you to Myself.

⁵Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.

⁵And now if you will listen carefully to My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be to Me a treasured possession from among all the peoples—for all the earth belongs to Me.

⁶And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”

⁶And you—you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

⁷So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.

⁷And Moses came and called for the elders of the people and he set before their faces all these words that YHWH commanded him.

⁸And all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the LORD has spoken.”

So Moses brought their words back to the LORD.

⁸And all the people answered together and said, “All that YHWH has spoken, we will do.” And Moses brought back the words of the people to YHWH.

⁹The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in you.”

And Moses relayed to the LORD what the people had said.

⁹And YHWH said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in the thick cloud, so that the people may hear in My speaking with you, and also put their trust in you forever.” And Moses told the words of the people to YHWH.

¹⁰Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes

¹⁰And YHWH said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and they shall wash their clothes,

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

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

¹²And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

¹²And you shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Guard yourselves from going up on the mountain and touching on its base. Everyone who touches on the mountain must surely be put to death.

¹³No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows—whether man or beast, he must not live.’^a

Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”^b

¹³A hand shall not touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or he shall be shot through, whether beast or man—he shall not live.’ At the drawing out of the horn, they shall go up on the mountain.”

¹⁴When Moses came down from the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.

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

¹⁵“Be prepared for the third day,” he said to the people. “Do not draw near to a woman.”

¹⁵And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Do not draw near to a woman.”

The LORD Visits Sinai

¹⁶On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the ram’s horn went out, so that all the people in the camp trembled.

¹⁶And it came to pass on the third day, when it was the morning, that there were voices and lightnings, and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and the voice of the shofar was very mighty. And all the people who were in the camp trembled.

¹⁷Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

¹⁷And Moses brought the people out from the camp to meet God, and they stood at the bottom of the mountain.

¹⁸Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.

¹⁸And Mount Sinai smoked—all of it—because YHWH descended on it in the fire. And its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and all the mountain trembled greatly.

¹⁹And as the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.

¹⁹And the voice of the shofar was going on, and was very strong. Moses spoke, and God answered him with a voice.

²⁰The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the summit. So Moses went up,

²⁰And YHWH descended upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And YHWH called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses ascended.

²¹and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish.

²¹And YHWH said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to YHWH to see, and many from them fall.

²²Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”

²²And also let the priests who draw near to YHWH shall sanctify themselves, lest YHWH break out against them.”

²³But Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, for You solemnly warned us, ‘Put a boundary around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”

²³And Moses said to YHWH, “The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, for You yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain and sanctify it.’”

²⁴And the LORD replied, “Go down and bring Aaron with you. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the LORD, or He will break out against them.”

²⁴And YHWH said to him, “Go, descend, and you shall come up, you and Aaron with you. And the priests and the people, do not let them break through to come up to YHWH, lest He break out against them.”

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

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