The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,(A) so that the people will hear me speaking(B) with you and will always put their trust(C) 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(D) them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes(E) 11 and be ready by the third day,(F) because on that day the Lord will come down(G) on Mount Sinai(H) in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits(I) 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(J) 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(K) sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”(L)

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

16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder(O) and lightning, with a thick cloud(P) over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.(Q) Everyone in the camp trembled.(R) 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.(S) 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,(T) because the Lord descended on it in fire.(U) The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,(V) and the whole mountain[a] trembled(W) violently.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 19:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint and all the people

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

20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.(F) God has come to test(G) you, so that the fear(H) of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”(I)

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

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