Exodus 15:19-24:11

New International Version

¹⁹ When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen^[a] went into the sea,^(A) the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.^{(B) 20} Then Miriam^(C) the prophet,^(D) Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels^(E) and dancing.^{(F) 21} Miriam sang^(G) to them:

The Waters of Marah and Elim

²² Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert^(J) of Shur.^(K) For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.^{(L) 23} When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.^[b](M)) ²⁴ So the people grumbled^(N) against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”^(O)

²⁵ Then Moses cried out^(P) to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw^(Q) it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.^{(R) 26} He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep^(S) all his decrees,^(T) I will not bring on you any of the diseases^(U) I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals^(V) you.”

²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped^(W) there near the water.

Manna and Quail

16 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin,^(X) which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt.^{(Y) 2} In the desert the whole community grumbled^(Z) against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!^(AA) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food^(AB) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”^(AC)

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven^(AD) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test^(AE) them and see whether they will follow my instructions. ⁵ On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice^(AF) as much as they gather on the other days.”

⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt,^{(AG) 7} and in the morning you will see the glory^(AH) of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling^(AI) against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?”^{(AJ) 8} Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling^(AK) against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”^(AL)

⁹ Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”

¹⁰ While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory^(AM) of the Lord appearing in the cloud.^(AN)

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “I have heard the grumbling^(AO) of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”^(AP)

¹³ That evening quail^(AQ) came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew^(AR) around the camp. ¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost^(AS) on the ground appeared on the desert floor. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know^(AT) what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread^(AU) the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer^[c](AV) for each person you have in your tent.’”

¹⁷ The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. ¹⁸ And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.^(AW) Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

¹⁹ Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”^(AX)

²⁰ However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.^(AY) So Moses was angry^(AZ) with them.

²¹ Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. ²² On the sixth day, they gathered twice^(BA) as much—two omers^[d] for each person—and the leaders of the community^(BB) came and reported this to Moses. ²³ He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath^(BC) to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’”

²⁴ So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. ²⁵ “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. ²⁶ Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath,^(BD) there will not be any.”

²⁷ Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. ²⁸ Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you^[e] refuse to keep my commands^(BE) and my instructions? ²⁹ Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” ³⁰ So the people rested on the seventh day.

³¹ The people of Israel called the bread manna.^[f](BF) It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. ³² Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’”

³³ So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna^(BG) in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come.”

³⁴ As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law,^(BH) so that it might be preserved. ³⁵ The Israelites ate manna^(BI) forty years,^(BJ) until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.^(BK)

³⁶ (An omer^(BL) is one-tenth of an ephah.)^(BM)

Water From the Rock

17 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin,^(BN) traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim,^(BO) but there was no water^(BP) for the people to drink. ² So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water^(BQ) to drink.”^(BR)

Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”^(BS)

³ But the people were thirsty^(BT) for water there, and they grumbled^(BU) against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die^(BV) of thirst?”

⁴ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone^(BW) me.”

⁵ The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff^(BX) with which you struck the Nile,^(BY) and go. ⁶ I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb.^(BZ) Strike^(CA) the rock, and water^(CB) will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷ And he called the place Massah^[g](CC) and Meribah^[h](CD) because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

The Amalekites Defeated

⁸ The Amalekites^(CE) came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.^{(CF) 9} Moses said to Joshua,^(CG) “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff^(CH) of God in my hands.”

¹⁰ So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur^(CI) went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning,^(CJ) but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ¹² When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.^{(CK) 13} So Joshua overcame the Amalekite^(CL) army with the sword.

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write^(CM) this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out^(CN) the name of Amalek^(CO) from under heaven.”

¹⁵ Moses built an altar^(CP) and called^(CQ) it The Lord is my Banner. ¹⁶ He said, “Because hands were lifted up against^[i] the throne of the Lord,^[j] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites^(CR) from generation to generation.”^(CS)

Jethro Visits Moses

18 Now Jethro,^(CT) the priest of Midian^(CU) and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.^(CV)

² After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,^(CW) his father-in-law Jethro received her ³ and her two sons.^(CX) One son was named Gershom,^[k] for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;^{(CY) 4} and the other was named Eliezer,^[l](CZ) for he said, “My father’s God was my helper;^(DA) he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

⁵ Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain^(DB) of God. ⁶ Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

⁷ So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down^(DC) and kissed^(DD) him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. ⁸ Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships^(DE) they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved^(DF) them.

⁹ Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things^(DG) the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ He said, “Praise be to the Lord,^(DH) who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹¹ Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods,^(DI) for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”^{(DJ) 12} Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law,^(DK) brought a burnt offering^(DL) and other sacrifices^(DM) to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal^(DN) with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence^(DO) of God.

¹³ The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. ¹⁴ When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

¹⁵ Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.^{(DP) 16} Whenever they have a dispute,^(DQ) it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”^(DR)

¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.^{(DS) 19} Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.^(DT) You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes^(DU) to him. ²⁰ Teach them his decrees and instructions,^(DV) and show them the way they are to live^(DW) and how they are to behave.^{(DX) 21} But select capable men^(DY) from all the people—men who fear^(DZ) God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain^(EA)—and appoint them as officials^(EB) over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. ²² Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case^(EC) to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share^(ED) it with you. ²³ If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. ²⁵ He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders^(EE) of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.^{(EF) 26} They served as judges^(EG) for the people at all times. The difficult cases^(EH) they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.^(EI)

²⁷ Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.^(EJ)

At Mount Sinai

19 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt^(EK)—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai.^{(EL) 2} After they set out from Rephidim,^(EM) they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.^(EN)

³ Then Moses went up to God,^(EO) and the Lord called^(EP) 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,^(EQ) and how I carried you on eagles’ wings^(ER) and brought you to myself.^{(ES) 5} Now if you obey me fully^(ET) and keep my covenant,^(EU) then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.^(EV) Although the whole earth^(EW) is mine, ⁶ you^[m] will be for me a kingdom of priests^(EX) and a holy nation.’^(EY) These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

⁷ So Moses went back and summoned the elders^(EZ) of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak.^{(FA) 8} The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.”^(FB) So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,^(FC) so that the people will hear me speaking^(FD) with you and will always put their trust^(FE) in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.

¹⁰ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate^(FF) them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes^{(FG) 11} and be ready by the third day,^(FH) because on that day the Lord will come down^(FI) on Mount Sinai^(FJ) in the sight of all the people. ¹² Put limits^(FK) 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^(FL) 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^(FM) sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”^(FN)

¹⁴ After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.^{(FO) 15} Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain^(FP) from sexual relations.”

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder^(FQ) and lightning, with a thick cloud^(FR) over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.^(FS) Everyone in the camp trembled.^{(FT) 17} Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.^{(FU) 18} Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,^(FV) because the Lord descended on it in fire.^(FW) The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,^(FX) and the whole mountain^[n] trembled^(FY) violently. ¹⁹ As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice^(FZ) of God answered^(GA) him.^[o]

²⁰ The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai^(GB) and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up ²¹ and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see^(GC) the Lord and many of them perish.^{(GD) 22} Even the priests, who approach^(GE) the Lord, must consecrate^(GF) themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”^(GG)

²³ Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai,^(GH) because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits^(GI) around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”

²⁴ The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron^(GJ) 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.”^(GK)

²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.

The Ten Commandments^(GL)

20 And God spoke^(GM) all these words:^(GN)

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet^(HP) and saw the mountain in smoke,^(HQ) they trembled with fear.^(HR) They stayed at a distance ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak^(HS) to us or we will die.”^(HT)

²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.^(HU) God has come to test^(HV) you, so that the fear^(HW) of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”^(HX)

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness^(HY) where God was.

Idols and Altars

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:^{(HZ) 23} Do not make any gods to be alongside me;^(IA) do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.^(IB)

²⁴ “‘Make an altar^(IC) of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings^(ID) and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name^(IE) to be honored, I will come to you and bless^(IF) you. ²⁵ If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool^(IG) on it. ²⁶ And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts^(IH) may be exposed.’

21 “These are the laws^(II) you are to set before them:

Hebrew Servants^(IJ)(IK)

² “If you buy a Hebrew servant,^(IL) he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free,^(IM) without paying anything. ³ If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. ⁴ If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

⁵ “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’^{(IN) 6} then his master must take him before the judges.^[q](IO) He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce^(IP) his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.^(IQ)

⁷ “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. ⁸ If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself,^[r] he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. ⁹ If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. ¹⁰ If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.^{(IR) 11} If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

Personal Injuries

¹² “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.^{(IS) 13} However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place^(IT) I will designate. ¹⁴ But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately,^(IU) that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.^(IV)

¹⁵ “Anyone who attacks^[s] their father or mother is to be put to death.

¹⁶ “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death,^(IW) whether the victim has been sold^(IX) or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

¹⁷ “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.^(IY)

¹⁸ “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist^[t] and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, ¹⁹ the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

²⁰ “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, ²¹ but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.^(IZ)

²² “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely^[u] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands^(JA) and the court allows. ²³ But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life,^{(JB) 24} eye for eye, tooth for tooth,^(JC) hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

²⁶ “An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. ²⁷ And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.

²⁸ “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death,^(JD) and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. ²⁹ If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up^(JE) and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. ³⁰ However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.^{(JF) 31} This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. ³² If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels^[v](JG) of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.

³³ “If anyone uncovers a pit^(JH) or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, ³⁴ the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.

³⁵ “If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. ³⁶ However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up,^(JI) the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.

Protection of Property

22 ^[w]“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back^(JJ) five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

² “If a thief is caught breaking in^(JK) at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;^{(JL) 3} but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.

“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution,^(JM) but if they have nothing, they must be sold^(JN) to pay for their theft. ⁴ If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession^(JO)—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.^(JP)

⁵ “If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution^(JQ) from the best of their own field or vineyard.

⁶ “If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks^(JR) of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.^(JS)

⁷ “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping^(JT) and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.^{(JU) 8} But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges,^(JV) and they must^[x] determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. ⁹ In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.^[y](JW) The one whom the judges declare^[z] guilty must pay back double to the other.

¹⁰ “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping^(JX) and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, ¹¹ the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath^(JY) before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. ¹² But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution^(JZ) must be made to the owner. ¹³ If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.^(KA)

¹⁴ “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution.^{(KB) 15} But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.^(KC)

Social Responsibility

¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin^(KD) who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price,^(KE) and she shall be his wife. ¹⁷ If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

¹⁸ “Do not allow a sorceress^(KF) to live.

¹⁹ “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal^(KG) is to be put to death.

²⁰ “Whoever sacrifices to any god^(KH) other than the Lord must be destroyed.^[aa](KI)

²¹ “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,^(KJ) for you were foreigners^(KK) in Egypt.

²² “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.^{(KL) 23} If you do and they cry out^(KM) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.^{(KN) 24} My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.^(KO)

²⁵ “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.^{(KP) 26} If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,^(KQ) return it by sunset, ²⁷ because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?^(KR) When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.^(KS)

²⁸ “Do not blaspheme God^[ab](KT) or curse^(KU) the ruler of your people.^(KV)

²⁹ “Do not hold back offerings^(KW) from your granaries or your vats.^[ac]

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.^{(KX) 30} Do the same with your cattle and your sheep.^(KY) Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.^(KZ)

³¹ “You are to be my holy people.^(LA) So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;^(LB) throw it to the dogs.

Laws of Justice and Mercy

23 “Do not spread false reports.^(LC) Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.^(LD)

² “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice^(LE) by siding with the crowd,^{(LF) 3} and do not show favoritism^(LG) to a poor person in a lawsuit.

⁴ “If you come across your enemy’s^(LH) ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it.^{(LI) 5} If you see the donkey^(LJ) of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

⁶ “Do not deny justice^(LK) to your poor people in their lawsuits. ⁷ Have nothing to do with a false charge^(LL) and do not put an innocent^(LM) or honest person to death,^(LN) for I will not acquit the guilty.^(LO)

⁸ “Do not accept a bribe,^(LP) for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

⁹ “Do not oppress a foreigner;^(LQ) you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

Sabbath Laws

¹⁰ “For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, ¹¹ but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused.^(LR) Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

¹² “Six days do your work,^(LS) but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.^(LT)

¹³ “Be careful^(LU) to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods;^(LV) do not let them be heard on your lips.^(LW)

The Three Annual Festivals

¹⁴ “Three times^(LX) a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.

¹⁵ “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread;^(LY) for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv,^(LZ) for in that month you came out of Egypt.

“No one is to appear before me empty-handed.^(MA)

¹⁶ “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest^(MB) with the firstfruits^(MC) of the crops you sow in your field.

“Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering^(MD) at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.^(ME)

¹⁷ “Three times^(MF) a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.

¹⁸ “Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast.^(MG)

“The fat of my festival offerings must not be kept until morning.^(MH)

¹⁹ “Bring the best of the firstfruits^(MI) of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.^(MJ)

God’s Angel to Prepare the Way

²⁰ “See, I am sending an angel^(MK) ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.^{(ML) 21} Pay attention to him and listen^(MM) to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive^(MN) your rebellion,^(MO) since my Name^(MP) is in him. ²² If you listen carefully to what he says and do^(MQ) all that I say, I will be an enemy^(MR) to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. ²³ My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites,^(MS) and I will wipe them out. ²⁴ Do not bow down before their gods or worship^(MT) them or follow their practices.^(MU) You must demolish^(MV) them and break their sacred stones^(MW) to pieces. ²⁵ Worship the Lord your God,^(MX) and his blessing^(MY) will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness^(MZ) from among you, ²⁶ and none will miscarry or be barren^(NA) in your land. I will give you a full life span.^(NB)

²⁷ “I will send my terror^(NC) ahead of you and throw into confusion^(ND) every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run.^{(NE) 28} I will send the hornet^(NF) ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites^(NG) out of your way. ²⁹ But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals^(NH) too numerous for you. ³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession^(NI) of the land.

³¹ “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea^[ad] to the Mediterranean Sea,^[ae] and from the desert to the Euphrates River.^(NJ) I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out^(NK) before you. ³² Do not make a covenant^(NL) with them or with their gods. ³³ Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare^(NM) to you.”

The Covenant Confirmed

24 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron,^(NN) Nadab and Abihu,^(NO) and seventy of the elders^(NP) of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, ² but Moses alone is to approach^(NQ) the Lord; the others must not come near. And the people may not come up with him.”

³ When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws,^(NR) they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.”^{(NS) 4} Moses then wrote^(NT) down everything the Lord had said.

He got up early the next morning and built an altar^(NU) at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars^(NV) representing the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵ Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings^(NW) and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings^(NX) to the Lord. ⁶ Moses^(NY) took half of the blood^(NZ) and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed^(OA) against the altar. ⁷ Then he took the Book of the Covenant^(OB) and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”^(OC)

⁸ Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people^(OD) and said, “This is the blood of the covenant^(OE) that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

⁹ Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders^(OF) of Israel went up ¹⁰ and saw^(OG) the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli,^(OH) as bright blue as the sky.^{(OI) 11} But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw^(OJ) God, and they ate and drank.^(OK)