Exodus 19:1-25 NIV
At Mount Sinai
1On the
first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very
day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2After
they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped
there in the desert in front of the mountain.
3Then
Moses went up to God, and the Lord called 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: 4‘You yourselves
have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and
brought you to Myself. 5Now if you obey
Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured
possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, 6youa will be for Me a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
7So
Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all
the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8The
people all responded together, “We
will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought
their answer back to the Lord.
9The Lord said to Moses,
“I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will
hear Me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.”
Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10And the Lord said to Moses,
“Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them
wash their clothes 11and be ready by
the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the
sight of all the people. 12
Put limits 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 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 sounds a long blast may they
approach the mountain.”
14After
Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they
washed their clothes. 15Then he
said to the people,
“Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual
relations.”
16On the
morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud
over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp
trembled. 17Then
Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot
of the mountain. 18Mount
Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke
billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountainb trembled violently. 19As the
sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God
answered him.c
20The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai
and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21and the Lord said to him,
“Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through
to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves,
or the Lord will break out against them.”
23Moses
said to the Lord,
“The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned
us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’ ”
24The Lord replied,
“Go down and bring Aaron 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.”
25So
Moses went down to the people and told them.
In this chapter we
have an account of the coming of the children of Israel to Mount Sinai, Exodus 19:1, of the
covenant made with them there, the proposal on the part of God, and their
acceptance of it, Exodus 19:3,
the previous notice God gave three days before of his appearance on the mount,
the orders for their preparation to meet him, and the execution of them, Exodus 19:9, the awful and
tremendous appearance of God upon the mount, Exodus 19:6 and the strict charge
given, that neither people nor priests should come near and gaze, only Moses
and Aaron with him were to come up, bounds being set to prevent the rest, Exodus 19:21, and the
chapter is closed with observing, that Moses went down from the mount, and
delivered to the people what the Lord spoke to and by him, Exodus 19:25.
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