Exodus 19:9-25

New American Standard Bible

⁹ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in ^(A)a thick cloud, so that the ^(B)people may hear when I speak with you and may also trust in you forever.” Then Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.

¹⁰ The Lord also said to Moses, “Go to the people and ^(C)consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them ^(D)wash their garments; ¹¹ and have them ready for the third day, for on ^(E)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; ^(F)whoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death. ¹³ No hand shall touch him, but ^(G)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 ^(H)the mountain.” ¹⁴ So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people, and they washed their garments. ¹⁵ He also said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman.”

^16 (I)So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were ^[c]thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud over the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. ¹⁷ And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the ^[d]foot of the mountain.

The Lord Visits Sinai

^18 (J)Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it ^(K)in fire; and its smoke ascended like ^(L)the smoke of a furnace, and ^(M)the entire mountain ^[e]quaked violently. ¹⁹ When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and ^(N)God answered him with ^[f]thunder. ²⁰ Then ^(O)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, ^[g]warn the people, so that ^(P)they do not break through to the Lord to stare, and many of them ^[h]perish. ²² Also have the ^(Q)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 ^[i]warned us, saying, ‘^(R)Set boundaries around the mountain and consecrate it.’” ²⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “^[j]Go down and come up again, ^(S)you and Aaron with you; but do not let the ^(T)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.