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19 In the chodesh hashelishi (third new moon), after the Bnei Yisroel had their exodus from Eretz Mitzrayim, on that very day they came into the Midbar Sinai.

For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to Midbar Sinai, and had encamped in the midbar; and there Yisroel camped before HaHar.

And Moshe went up to HaElohim, and Hashem called out unto him from HaHar, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the Bais Ya’akov, and declare unto the Bnei Yisroel;

You yourselves have seen what I did unto the Mitzrayim, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself.

Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice very carefully, and be shomer over My brit, then ye shall be a segullah (treasured possession) unto Me above all people; for kol ha’aretz is Mine;

And ye shall be unto Me a mamlechet kohanim, and a goy kadosh. These are the words which thou shalt recount unto the Bnei Yisroel.

And Moshe came and summoned the Ziknei HaAm, and set authoritatively before their faces all these words just as Hashem commanded him.

And kol HaAm answered together, and said, All that Hashem hath spoken we will do. And Moshe brought back the words of HaAm unto Hashem.

And Hashem said unto Moshe, Hinei, I am coming unto thee in a thick cloud, that HaAm may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee l’olam. Then Moshe told the words of HaAm unto Hashem.

10 So Hashem said unto Moshe, Go unto HaAm, and set them apart as kodesh today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothing,

11 And be ready by Yom HaShelishi; for Yom HaShelishi Hashem will come down in the sight of kol HaAm upon Mt. Sinai.

12 And thou shalt set boundaries unto HaAm all around, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into HaHar, or touch the edge of it; whosoever toucheth HaHar shall be surely put to death;

13 There shall no yad touch him, but he shall surely be stoned, or surely mortally shot; whether it be behemah or ish, it shall not live; when the yovel soundeth long, they shall come up to HaHar.

14 So Moshe came down from HaHar unto HaAm, and set apart as kodesh HaAm; and they washed their clothes.

15 Then he said to HaAm, Be ready by Sheloshet Yamim; come not into your isha.

16 And it came to pass on the Yom HaShelishi when the boker was breaking, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a heavy cloud upon HaHar, and the blast of the shofar exceeding loud; so that kol HaAm that was in the machaneh trembled with terror.

17 And Moshe led HaAm forth out of the machaneh to encounter HaElohim; and they stood at the foot of HaHar.

18 And Mt. Sinai was altogether smoking, because Hashem descended upon it in eish; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of the furnace, and kol HaHar shook violently.

19 And when the sound of the shofar was moving [closer], and grew louder and louder, Moshe spoke, and HaElohim answered him in thunder.

20 And Hashem came down upon Mt. Sinai, onto the top of HaHar; and Hashem summoned Moshe up to the top of HaHar; and Moshe went up.

21 And Hashem said unto Moshe, Go down, warn HaAm, lest they push through toward Hashem to gaze, and many of them fall perishing.

22 And let the kohanim also, which come near to Hashem, set themselves apart as kodesh, lest Hashem break forth upon them.

23 And Moshe said unto Hashem, HaAm cannot come up to Mt. Sinai; for You Yourself charged us, saying, Establish boundaries for HaHar, and set it apart as kodesh.

24 And Hashem said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aharon with thee; but let not the kohanim and HaAm push through to come up unto Hashem, lest He break forth upon them.

25 So Moshe went down unto HaAm and told them.

At Mount Sinai

19 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt(A)—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai.(B) After they set out from Rephidim,(C) they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.(D)

Then Moses went up to God,(E) and the Lord called(F) to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,(G) and how I carried you on eagles’ wings(H) and brought you to myself.(I) Now if you obey me fully(J) and keep my covenant,(K) then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.(L) Although the whole earth(M) is mine, you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests(N) and a holy nation.’(O) These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

So Moses went back and summoned the elders(P) of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak.(Q) The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.”(R) So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,(S) so that the people will hear me speaking(T) with you and will always put their trust(U) in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.

10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate(V) them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes(W) 11 and be ready by the third day,(X) because on that day the Lord will come down(Y) on Mount Sinai(Z) in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits(AA) for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned(AB) or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn(AC) sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”(AD)

14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.(AE) 15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain(AF) from sexual relations.”

16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder(AG) and lightning, with a thick cloud(AH) over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.(AI) Everyone in the camp trembled.(AJ) 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.(AK) 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,(AL) because the Lord descended on it in fire.(AM) The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,(AN) and the whole mountain[b] trembled(AO) violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice(AP) of God answered(AQ) him.[c]

20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai(AR) and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see(AS) the Lord and many of them perish.(AT) 22 Even the priests, who approach(AU) the Lord, must consecrate(AV) themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”(AW)

23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai,(AX) because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits(AY) around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”

24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron(AZ) up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”(BA)

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

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 19:6 Or possession, for the whole earth is mine. You
  2. Exodus 19:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint and all the people
  3. Exodus 19:19 Or and God answered him with thunder