Exodus 19
King James Version
19 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.
8 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 unto the Lord.
9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto 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 unto the Lord.
10 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
13 There shall not an 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.
14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
16 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 was in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
20 And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
21 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.
22 And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.
23 And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
24 And the Lord said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Lord, lest he break forth upon them.
25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.
Exodus 19
The Message
Mount Sinai
19 1-2 Three months after leaving Egypt the Israelites entered the Wilderness of Sinai. They followed the route from Rephidim, arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai, and set up camp. Israel camped there facing the mountain.
3-6 As Moses went up to meet God, God called down to him from the mountain: “Speak to the House of Jacob, tell the People of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to me. If you will listen obediently to what I say and keep my covenant, out of all peoples you’ll be my special treasure. The whole Earth is mine to choose from, but you’re special: a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.’
“This is what I want you to tell the People of Israel.”
7 Moses came back and called the elders of Israel together and set before them all these words which God had commanded him.
8 The people were unanimous in their response: “Everything God says, we will do.” Moses took the people’s answer back to God.
* * *
9 God said to Moses, “Get ready. I’m about to come to you in a thick cloud so that the people can listen in and trust you completely when I speak with you.” Again Moses reported the people’s answer to God.
10-13 God said to Moses, “Go to the people. For the next two days get these people ready to meet the Holy God. Have them scrub their clothes so that on the third day they’ll be fully prepared, because on the third day God will come down on Mount Sinai and make his presence known to all the people. Post boundaries for the people all around, telling them, ‘Warning! Don’t climb the mountain. Don’t even touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain dies—a certain death. And no one is to touch that person, he’s to be stoned. That’s right—stoned. Or shot with arrows, shot to death. Animal or man, whichever—put to death.’
“A long blast from the horn will signal that it’s safe to climb the mountain.”
14-15 Moses went down the mountain to the people and prepared them for the holy meeting. They gave their clothes a good scrubbing. Then he addressed the people: “Be ready in three days. Don’t sleep with a woman.”
16 On the third day at daybreak, there were loud claps of thunder, flashes of lightning, a thick cloud covering the mountain, and an ear-piercing trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp shuddered in fear.
17 Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God. They stood at attention at the base of the mountain.
18-20 Mount Sinai was all smoke because God had come down on it as fire. Smoke poured from it like smoke from a furnace. The whole mountain shuddered and heaved. The trumpet blasts grew louder and louder. Moses spoke and God answered in thunder. God descended to the peak of Mount Sinai. God called Moses up to the peak and Moses climbed up.
21-22 God said to Moses, “Go down. Warn the people not to break through the barricades to get a look at God lest many of them die. And the priests also, warn them to prepare themselves for the holy meeting, lest God break out against them.”
23 Moses said to God, “But the people can’t climb Mount Sinai. You’ve already warned us well telling us: ‘Post boundaries around the mountain. Respect the holy mountain.’”
24 God told him, “Go down and then bring Aaron back up with you. But make sure that the priests and the people don’t break through and come up to God, lest he break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people. He said to them:
Exodus 19
21st Century King James Version
19 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the Wilderness of Sinai.
2 For they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the desert of Sinai and had pitched camp in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:
4 ‘Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you unto Myself.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
6 And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.
8 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 unto the Lord.
9 And the Lord said unto Moses, “Lo, I come unto 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 unto the Lord.
10 And the Lord said unto Moses, “Go unto the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes
11 and be ready against the third day; for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai.
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount or touch the border of it. Whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death.
13 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.”
14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
15 And he said unto the people, “Be ready against the third day. Come not at your wives.”
16 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 who were in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18 And Mount Sinai was altogether in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long and waxed louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.
20 And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mount; and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount, and Moses went up.
21 And the Lord said unto Moses, “Go down. Charge the people, lest they break through to gaze unto the Lord, and many of them perish.
22 And let the priests also, who come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.”
23 And Moses said unto the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for Thou charged us, saying, ‘Set bounds about the mount and sanctify it.’”
24 And the Lord said unto him, “Away! Get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou and Aaron with thee; but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Lord, lest He break forth upon them.”
25 So Moses went down unto the people and spoke unto them.
Exodus 19
New Life Version
Moses Meets God on Mount Sinai
19 In the third month after the people of Israel left Egypt, they came to the Sinai Desert on the same day. 2 They had left Rephidim and had come to the Sinai Desert. There Israel set up their tents in front of the mountain. 3 And Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Say this to the house of Jacob and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now then, if you will obey My voice and keep My agreement, you will belong to Me from among all nations. For all the earth is Mine. 6 You will be to Me a nation of religious leaders, a holy nation.’ These are the words you will speak to the people of Israel.”
7 So Moses came and called the leaders of the people. He told them all these words which the Lord had told him. 8 And all the people answered together and said, “We will do all that the Lord has said!” Then Moses went to tell the Lord what the people had said. 9 The Lord said to Moses, “See, I will come to you in a thick cloud. So the people may hear when I speak with you, and may believe you forever.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. 10 The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people. Today and tomorrow set them apart to be holy. Have them wash their clothes. 11 And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day people will see the Lord come down on Mount Sinai. 12 Let the people know the places all around that they must not pass. Tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up on the mountain or touch any place around it. Whoever touches the mountain will be put to death. 13 No hand will touch him. But he will be killed with stones or arrows. If he be animal or man, he will not live.’ When a long sound from a horn is heard, they may come up to the mountain.”
14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He set the people apart to be holy, and they washed their clothes. 15 He said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Do not go near a woman.”
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning. A cloud covered the mountain, and a very loud horn sounded. All the people among the tents shook with fear. 17 Then Moses brought the people from among the tents to meet God. They stood at the base of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord came down upon it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a stove. And the whole mountain shook. 19 The sound of the horn became louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. 20 Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. The Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. 21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and tell the people not to break through to look at the Lord. For then many of them would be destroyed. 22 Have the religious leaders who come near to the Lord set themselves apart to be holy. Or the Lord will go against them.” 23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. For You told us, ‘Set places around the mountain that must not be passed, and set it apart as holy.’” 24 Then the Lord said to him, “Go down, and then come up with Aaron. But do not let the religious leaders and the people break through to come up to the Lord, or He will go against them.” 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.
Exodus 19
Wycliffe Bible
19 In the third month of the going of Israel out of the land of Egypt, in this day they came into the wilderness of Sinai; (In the third month of Israel going out of the land of Egypt, on this day they came into the Sinai Desert;)
2 for they went forth from Rephidim, and came till into the desert of Sinai, and they setted tents in the same place; and there Israel setted tents, even against the hill (and Israel pitched their tents there, opposite the mountain).
3 Forsooth Moses went up into the hill to God; and the Lord called him from the mount, and said, Thou shalt say these things to the house of Jacob, and thou shalt tell to the sons of Israel, (And Moses went up the mountain to meet with God/And Moses went up God’s mountain; and the Lord called to him from the mount, and said, Thou shalt say these things to the house of Jacob, and thou shalt tell it to the Israelites,)
4 Ye yourselves have seen what things I have done to [the] Egyptians, how I bare you on the wings of eagles, and took you to me (and brought you here to me).
5 Therefore if ye shall hear my voice, and shall keep my covenant, ye shall be to me into a specialty of all peoples (ye shall be special to me out of all peoples), that is, a thing loved excellently; for all the earth is mine;
6 and ye shall be to me into a realm of priesthood, and an holy folk; these be the words which thou shalt speak to the sons of Israel. (and ye shall be my kingdom of priests, and my holy nation; these be the words which thou shalt say to the Israelites.)
7 Moses came, and when the greater men in birth of the people were called together, he expounded all the words which the Lord commanded him. (Moses came back down, and when the men of great age, that is, the elders, of the people were called together, he expounded all the words which the Lord commanded him to say.)
8 And all the people answered together, (and said,) We shall do all [the] things which the Lord hath spoken. And when Moses had told the words of the people to the Lord,
9 the Lord said to him, Right now I shall come to thee in the darkness of a cloud, (so) that the people hear me speaking to thee, and believe to thee [into] without end (and then they shall always believe thee). Therefore Moses told the words of the people to the Lord,
10 which said to Moses (who said to Moses), Go thou (back) to the people, and make them holy today and tomorrow, and wash they their clothes,
11 and be they ready into the third day; for in the third day the Lord shall come down before all the people on the hill of Sinai. (and be they ready by the third day; for on the third day the Lord shall come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.)
12 And thou shalt set terms to the people, by compass; and thou shalt say to them, Be ye ware, that ye go not up into the hill, neither touch ye the ends thereof; each man that shall touch the hill, shall die by death. (And thou shalt set a boundary for the people, all around the mountain; and thou shalt say to them, Beware, that ye go not up onto the mountain, nor even touch its edges; for anyone who shall touch the mountain, shall die.)
13 Hands shall not touch him, but he shall be oppressed with stones, or he shall be pierced with darts; whether it shall be a beast, or a man, it shall not live; (but) when a clarion shall begin to sound, then go they up into the hill. (No hands shall touch him, but he shall be thrown down with stones, or shall be pierced with arrows; whether it be a beast, or a person, they shall not live; but when the trumpet shall begin to sound, then the people can come up onto the mountain.)
14 And Moses came down from the hill to the people, and hallowed it (And so Moses came down from the mountain to the people, and hallowed them); and when they had washed their clothes,
15 he said to them, Be ye ready into the third day (Be ye ready by the third day); nigh ye not to your wives.
16 And now the third day was come, and the morrowtide was clear; and, lo! thunders began to be heard, and lightnings to shine, and a most thick cloud to cover the mountain; and the sounding of a clarion made noise full greatly, and the people dreaded, that was in the tents (and the sounding of a trumpet made a very great noise, and the people in their tents had great fear).
17 And when Moses had led them out into the coming of God, from the place of the tents, they stood at the roots of the hill. (And when Moses had led them out from the place of the tents to meet with God, they stood at the foot of the mountain.)
18 Forsooth all the hill of Sinai smoked, for the Lord had come down thereon in fire; and the smoke thereof went up as of a furnace, and all the hill was fearful; (And all of Mount Sinai smoked, for the Lord had come down on it in fire; and its smoke went up like that of a furnace, and all the mountain fearfully shook;)
19 and the sound of a clarion increased little and little, and it was holden forth longer (and longer). (And) Moses spake, and the Lord answered him (with a clap of thunder/by a voice),
20 and the Lord came down on the hill of Sinai, in that top of the hill (and the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, onto the top of the mountain), and he called Moses (up) to the top thereof. And when he had gone up thither,
21 the Lord said to him, Go thou down, and witness thou to the people, lest peradventure it will pass [over] the terms to see the Lord (lest they pass over the boundary to see the Lord), and [a] full great multitude thereof perish;
22 and [the] priests, that nigh to the Lord, be they hallowed, lest I smite them (or I shall strike them down).
23 And Moses said to the Lord, The common people may not go up into the hill of Sinai; for thou hast witnessed, and hast commanded, saying, Set thou terms about the hill, and hallow it. (And Moses said to the Lord, The common people cannot come up onto Mount Sinai; for thou hast witnessed, and hast commanded, saying, Set thou a sacred boundary all around the mountain, and hallow it, and they have heard thee.)
24 To whom the Lord said, Go thou down, and (then) thou shalt go up, and (bring) Aaron with thee; forsooth the priests and the people pass not (over) the terms, neither go they up to the Lord, lest peradventure he slay them. (To whom the Lord said, Go thou down, and then come back up, and bring Aaron with thee; but the priests and the people must not pass over the boundary, nor let them come up to the Lord, lest I kill them.)
25 (And so) Moses went down to the people, and told all (these) things to them.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
2001 by Terence P. Noble