19:1 In the third month after the Israelites went out¹ from the land of Egypt, on the very day,² they came to the Desert of Sinai. 19:2 After they journeyed³ from Rephidim they came to the Desert of Sinai, and they camped in the desert; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain.⁴

19:3 Moses⁵ went up to God, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you will say to the house of Jacob, and declare to the people⁶ of Israel: 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I lifted you up on eagles’ wings⁷ and brought you to myself.⁸ 19:5 And now, if you will diligently obey me,⁹ and keep¹⁰ my covenant, then you will be my¹¹ special possession¹² out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine. 19:6 And you will be my¹³ kingdom of priests¹⁴ and a holy nation.’¹⁵ These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites.

19:7 And Moses came and summoned the elders of Israel; and he set before them all these words which Yahweh had commanded him. 19:8 And all the people answered together and said, “All that Yahweh has commanded we will do.”¹⁶ So Moses brought the words of the people back to Yahweh.

19:9 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “I am going to come¹⁷ to you in a dense cloud,¹⁸ that the people may hear when I speak with you, and will always believe in you.”¹⁹ And Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh.

19:10 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them²⁰ today and tomorrow, and make them wash²¹ their clothes 19:11 and be ready by the third day, for on the third day Yahweh will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 19:12 And you will set boundaries²² for the people all around, saying, “Take heed²³ to yourselves not to go up on the mountain, neither touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death. 19:13 No hand will touch him²⁴—but he will surely be stoned or shot through, whether a beast or a human;²⁵ he must not live. When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast they may²⁶ come up on the mountain.”

19:14 Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. 19:15 And he said to the people, “Be ready by the third day. Do not go near your wives.”²⁷

19:16 And²⁸ on the third day in the morning there were thunders and lightning and a dense²⁹ cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud³⁰ horn;³¹ and all the people who were in the camp trembled. 19:17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their place at the lower end of the mountain. 19:18 Now Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because Yahweh had descended on it in fire; and its smoke went up like the smoke of a great furnace,³² and the whole mountain shook³³ greatly. 19:19 When the sound of the horn grew louder and louder,³⁴ Moses was speaking³⁵ and God was answering him with a voice.³⁶

19:20 And Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain; and Yahweh summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 19:21 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Go down and solemnly warn³⁷ the people, lest they force their way through to Yahweh to look, and many of them perish.³⁸ 19:22 And let the priests also, who draw near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break through³⁹ against them.”

19:23 And Moses said to Yahweh, “The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, because you solemnly warned us,⁴⁰ saying, ‘Set boundaries for the mountain and set it apart’.”⁴¹ 19:24 And Yahweh said to him, “Go, get down. And you will come up, and Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people force their way through to come up to Yahweh, lest he break through against them.” 19:25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.⁴²