Israel at Mount Sinai 1 WBS In the third month, when the children of Israel had gone forth from the land of Egypt, the same day they came 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 WBS For they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped 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 WBS And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou 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 WBS Ye 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 WBS Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye 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 WBS And ye shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt 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 WBS 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 WBS 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 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 WBS And the LORD said to Moses, Lo, I come to 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 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 WBS 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 WBS And be ready against the third day: for on the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon 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 WBS And thou shalt set bounds to the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up upon the mount, or touch the border of it: whoever toucheth 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 WBS There shall not a 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. 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 WBS 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 WBS 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 WBS 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 were 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 WBS 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 WBS And mount Sinai was altogether in a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke of it ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount trembled 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 WBS And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and grew 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 WBS And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses 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 WBS 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 WBS And let the priests also who come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them. BSB BSB: Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
23 WBS And Moses said to the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst 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 WBS And the LORD said to him, Away, go down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: But let not the priests and the people break through, to come up to the LORD, lest he break forth upon 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 WBS So Moses went down to the people, and spoke to them. BSB BSB: So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.