Israel at Mount Sinai 1 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: In the third month, on the same day of the month that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai.
2 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: After they had set out from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
3 AKJV And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; BSB BSB: Then 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:
4 AKJV You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. BSB BSB: ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
5 AKJV Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure to me above all people: for all the earth is mine: BSB BSB: Now 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.
6 AKJV And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel. BSB BSB: And 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.”
7 AKJV And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. BSB BSB: So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.
8 AKJV And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD has spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people to the LORD. BSB BSB: And all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the LORD has spoken.” So Moses brought their words back to the LORD.
9 AKJV And the LORD said to Moses, See, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you for ever. And Moses told the words of the people to the LORD. BSB BSB: The 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.
10 AKJV And the LORD said to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes
11 AKJV And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people on mount Sinai. BSB BSB: and 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.
12 AKJV And you shall set bounds to the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that you go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death: BSB BSB: And 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.
13 AKJV 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 sounds long, they shall come up to the mount. BSB BSB: No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows—whether man or beast, he must not live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
14 AKJV And Moses went down from the mount to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. BSB BSB: When Moses came down from the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.
15 AKJV And he said to the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives. BSB BSB: “Be prepared for the third day,” he said to the people. “Do not draw near to a woman.”
The LORD Visits Sinai 16 AKJV And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightning, and a thick cloud on the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. BSB BSB: On 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.
17 AKJV And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. BSB BSB: Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 AKJV And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. BSB BSB: Mount 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.
19 AKJV And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. BSB BSB: And as the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.
20 AKJV And the LORD came down on mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. BSB BSB: The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the summit. So Moses went up,
21 AKJV And the LORD said to Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. BSB BSB: and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish.
22 AKJV And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth on them. BSB BSB: Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
23 AKJV And Moses said to the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for you charged us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it. BSB BSB: But 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.’”
24 AKJV And the LORD said to him, Away, get you down, and you shall come up, you, and Aaron with you: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest he break forth on them. BSB BSB: And 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.”
25 AKJV So Moses went down to the people, and spoke to them. BSB BSB: So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.