1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone
forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the
wilderness of Sinai.
2 For
they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the
desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped
before the mount.
3 And
Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying,
Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4 Ye
have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and
brought you unto myself.
5 Now
therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall
be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And
ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the
words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7 And
Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces
all these words which the LORD commanded him.
8 And
all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we
will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
9 And
the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the
people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses
told the words of the people unto the LORD.
10 And
the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to
morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11 And
be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in
the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
12 And
thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to
yourselves, that ye go not up
into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall
be surely put to death:
13 There
shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through;
whether it be beast
or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up
to the mount.
14 And
Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and
they washed their clothes.
15 And
he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
16 And
it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and
lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet
exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17 And
Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood
at the nether part of the mount.
18 And
mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in
fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole
mount quaked greatly.
19 And
when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses
spake, and God answered him by a voice.
20 And
the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD
called Moses up to the
top of the mount; and Moses went up.
21 And
the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through
unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
22 And
let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest
the LORD break forth upon them.
23 And
Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou
chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
24 And
the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and
Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come
up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.
