19 The Israelis entered the Sinai wilderness in the third month after exiting Egypt. 2 After they had departed from Refidim, they had entered the Sinai wilderness and camped there at the base of the mountain. 3 Yahweh called Mosheh from the mountain, so he climbed up and God gave him this message and asked him to pass it on to Yacob’s descendants, the Israelis:

4 “You yourselves saw what I did to the Egyptians—how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you all here to myself. 5 And now, if you all carefully listen to my words and keep my agreement, then your nation will be my possession, separate from all the others, because all the earth is mine,[ref] 6 So you all will be my kingdom of priests and a nation dedicated to me.” (That’s the message to pass on to the Israelis.)[ref] 7 So Mosheh descended again and summoned the Israeli elders, then he passed on that message just as Yahweh had commanded him, 8 and all the people responded together, agreeing, “We’ll do everything that Yahweh has said.” Then Mosheh took the people’s response back to Yahweh 9 and Yahweh told him, “Look, I’ll come to you in a thick cloud so that the people will be able to hear when I speak with you so they’ll also continue to trust you.”

Then Mosheh told Yahweh the people’s words 10 and Yahweh responded, “Go down to the people and purify them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be prepared for the third day, because on the third day I will come down to Mount Sinai while all the people watch. 12 Set boundaries for the people all around, and tell them, ‘Don’t climb on the mountain or touch its edge, because anyone who does will definitely be executed.[ref] 13 Anyone who touches the mountain mustn’t be touched by anyone else—they must be executed by throwing rocks at them or shooting them with a bow. No person or animal who touches the mountain can stay alive.’ Only after a long trumpet blast should they start to climb the mountain.” 14 So Mosheh went down the mountain to the people. He purified them and they all washed their clothes, 15 and he told them, “Abstain from sexual relations, and be ready by the third day.”

16 So on the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud on the mountain, and an extremely loud horn blast, and all the people in the camp were trembling.[ref] 17 Then Mosheh led the people out of the camp to go and meet God, and they stationed themselves at the foot of the mountain. 18 Yahweh descended onto Mount Sinai surrounded by fire and the entire mountain smoked. Its smoke went up like the smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. 19 Then it happened after the sound of the horn got extremely loud, that Mosheh was speaking and God was answering him in a voice. 20 Yahweh had descended onto the top of Mount Sinai, and he called Mosheh up to the top of the mountain, so Mosheh ascended. 21 But Yahweh told him, “Go back down and warn the people in case they force their way through to look at me and many of them perish. 22 Also, the priests who come nearer to me, they must be very careful to purify themselves in case I suddenly punish them.” 23 But Mosheh questioned Yahweh, “The people aren’t able to come up on Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us,[ref] ‘Set boundaries all around the mountain to keep it sacred.’ ” 24 “Go back down,” Yahweh responded, “and bring Aharon back up with you. However, the priests and the people must not cross the boundary to come up to me, in case I suddenly punish them.” 25 So Mosheh went down and spoke to the people.