⁴ ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,^(A) and how I carried you on eagles’ wings^(B) and brought you to myself.^{(C) 5} Now if you obey me fully^(D) and keep my covenant,^(E) then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.^(F) Although the whole earth^(G) is mine, ⁶ you^[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests^(H) and a holy nation.’^(I) These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

The Covenant Confirmed

24 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron,^(A) Nadab and Abihu,^(B) and seventy of the elders^(C) of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, ² but Moses alone is to approach^(D) 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,^(E) they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.”^{(F) 4} Moses then wrote^(G) down everything the Lord had said.

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

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

⁹ Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know^(A) what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

¹⁰ Samuel told^(B) all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. ¹¹ He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take^(C) your sons and make them serve^(D) with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.^{(E) 12} Some he will assign to be commanders^(F) of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your^(G) fields and vineyards^(H) and olive groves and give them to his attendants.^{(I) 15} He will take a tenth^(J) of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. ¹⁶ Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle^[a] and donkeys he will take for his own use. ¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. ¹⁸ When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer^(K) you in that day.^(L)”

¹⁹ But the people refused^(M) to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want^(N) a king^(O) over us. ²⁰ Then we will be like all the other nations,^(P) with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

²¹ When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated^(Q) it before the Lord. ²² The Lord answered, “Listen^(R) to them and give them a king.”

Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”

⁴ Then the glory of the Lord^(A) rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord.