在西奈山立約

24 耶和華又指示摩西說:「你和亞倫、拿答、亞比戶及以色列的七十位長老上我這裡來,遠遠地敬拜我。 只有你可以靠近我,其他人,包括全體百姓,都不得走近。」

摩西下山把耶和華的話和法令都告訴百姓,百姓齊聲回答:「我們願意遵行耶和華的一切吩咐。」 摩西把耶和華的這些話記錄下來。第二天清晨,摩西在山腳築了一座壇,立了十二根柱子代表以色列的十二支派。 他又吩咐以色列的青年去給耶和華獻燔祭,又獻上公牛作平安祭。 摩西把祭牲的血一半放在盆裡,一半灑在壇上。 他又把約書念給百姓聽,百姓聽了都說:「我們願意遵行耶和華的一切吩咐,我們願意順服。」 摩西便把盆中的血灑在百姓身上,說:「這是立約的血,是耶和華按所說的話與你們立約的憑據。」

之後,摩西、亞倫、拿答、亞比戶及七十位長老便上了山。 10 他們都看見了以色列的上帝,祂的腳下好像是一片藍寶石,像天一樣明淨。 11 上帝沒有伸手殺這些以色列的首領,允許他們看見祂,在祂面前吃喝。

12 耶和華對摩西說:「你上山到我這裡來,留在這裡,我要把寫著律法和誡命的石版賜給你,你可以用來教導百姓。」 13 於是,摩西帶著他的助手約書亞動身上了上帝的山。 14 離開之前,摩西吩咐長老說:「你們在這裡等候我們回來。亞倫和戶珥跟你們在一起,百姓當中有什麼訴訟的事情,可以交給他們處理。」

15 摩西上了山,密雲遮蓋著整座山。 16 耶和華的榮耀停留在西奈山上,密雲遮蓋了山六天。第七天,耶和華在雲中召喚摩西。 17 在以色列人眼中,耶和華的榮耀在山上好像烈火。 18 摩西上到山上,走進雲中,在那裡停留了四十晝夜。

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, but Moses alone is to approach(D) the Lord; the others must not come near. And the people may not come up with him.”

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) 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. Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings(J) and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings(K) to the Lord. Moses(L) took half of the blood(M) and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed(N) against the altar. 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)

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.”

Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders(S) of Israel went up 10 and saw(T) the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli,(U) as bright blue as the sky.(V) 11 But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw(W) God, and they ate and drank.(X)

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone(Y) with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

13 Then Moses set out with Joshua(Z) his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain(AA) of God. 14 He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur(AB) are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute(AC) can go to them.”

15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud(AD) covered it, 16 and the glory(AE) of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai.(AF) For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud.(AG) 17 To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire(AH) on top of the mountain. 18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty(AI) days and forty nights.(AJ)

Israel Affirms the Covenant

24 Now He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, (A)Nadab and Abihu, (B)and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. And Moses alone shall come near the Lord, but they shall not come near; nor shall the people go up with him.”

So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the [a]judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, (C)“All the words which the Lord has said we will do.” And Moses (D)wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve (E)pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered (F)burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses (G)took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Then he (H)took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient.” And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is (I)the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.”

On the Mountain with God

Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and they (J)saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of (K)sapphire stone, and it was like the (L)very[b] heavens in its clarity. 11 But on the nobles of the children of Israel He (M)did not [c]lay His hand. So (N)they saw God, and they (O)ate and drank.

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, (P)“Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you (Q)tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.”

13 So Moses arose with (R)his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed, Aaron and (S)Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them.” 15 Then Moses went up into the mountain, and (T)a cloud covered the mountain.

16 Now (U)the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 The sight of the glory of the Lord was like (V)a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And (W)Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 24:3 ordinances
  2. Exodus 24:10 Lit. substance of heaven
  3. Exodus 24:11 stretch out His

The Covenant Confirmed

24 Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, (A)Nadab, and Abihu, and (B)seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. Moses (C)alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”

Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and (D)all the rules.[a] And all the people answered with one voice and said, (E)“All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And (F)Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve (G)pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And (H)Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, (I)“All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” (J)And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and (K)seventy of the elders of Israel (L)went up, 10 and they (M)saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of (N)sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and (O)ate and drank.

12 The Lord said to Moses, (P)“Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the (Q)tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant (R)Joshua, and Moses went up (S)into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and (T)Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”

15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and (U)the cloud covered the mountain. 16 (V)The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a (W)devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses (X)was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 24:3 Or all the just decrees