1 On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they ^pcame into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 They set out from ^qRephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before ^rthe mountain, 3 while ^sMoses went up to God. ^tThe Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 ^u‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how ^vI bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be ^wmy treasured possession among all peoples, for ^xall the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a ^ykingdom of priests and ^za holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8 ^aAll the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. 9 And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you ^bin a thick cloud, that ^cthe people may hear when I speak with you, and may also ^dbelieve you forever.”

When Moses told the words of the people to the Lord, 10 the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and ^econsecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them ^fwash their garments 11 and be ready for the third day. For on the third day ^gthe Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. ^hWhoever touches the mountain shall be put to death. 13 No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot;¹ whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When ⁱthe trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.” 14 So Moses ^jwent down from the mountain to the people and ^econsecrated the people; ^fand they washed their garments. 15 And he said to the people, “Be ready for the ^kthird day; ^ldo not go near a woman.”

16 On the morning of the ^kthird day there were ^mthunders and lightnings and ⁿa thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud ^otrumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp ^ptrembled. 17 Then ^qMoses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now ^rMount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and ^sthe whole mountain trembled greatly. 19 And as the ^osound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and ^tGod answered him in thunder. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

21 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord ^uto look and many of them perish. 22 Also let the priests who come near to the Lord ^vconsecrate themselves, lest the Lord ^wbreak out against them.” 23 And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ^x‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’” 24 And the Lord said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people ^ybreak 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 Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, ^uNadab, and Abihu, and ^vseventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. 2 Moses ^walone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”

3 Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and ^xall the rules.¹ And all the people answered with one voice and said, ^y“All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” 4 And ^zMoses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve ^apillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. 6 And ^bMoses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, ^x“All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” 8 ^cAnd Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and ^dseventy of the elders of Israel ^ewent up, 10 and they ^fsaw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of ^gsapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ^hate and drank.

12 The Lord said to Moses, ⁱ“Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the ^jtablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant ^kJoshua, and Moses went up ^linto the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and ^mHur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”

15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and ⁿthe cloud covered the mountain. 16 ^oThe glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a ^pdevouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses ^qwas on the mountain forty days and forty nights.