¹⁰ The Lord also said to Moses, “Go to the people and ^(A)consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them ^(B)wash their garments; ¹¹ and have them ready for the third day, for on ^(C)the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ¹² But you shall set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘^[a]Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; ^(D)whoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death. ¹³ No hand shall touch him, but ^(E)he shall certainly be stoned or ^[b]shot through; whether animal or person, the violator shall not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to ^(F)the mountain.”

²⁰ Then ^(A)the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. ²¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down, ^[a]warn the people, so that ^(B)they do not break through to the Lord to stare, and many of them ^[b]perish. ²² Also have the ^(C)priests who approach the Lord consecrate themselves, or else the Lord will break out against them.” ²³ And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You ^[c]warned us, saying, ‘^(D)Set boundaries around the mountain and consecrate it.’” ²⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “^[d]Go down and come up again, ^(E)you and Aaron with you; but do not let the ^(F)priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, or He will break out against them.” ²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.

²¹ So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached ^(A)the thick darkness where God was.