Israel at Mount Sinai

19 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, ^(A)they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. ² For they had departed from ^(B)Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before ^(C)the mountain.

³ And ^(D)Moses went up to God, and the Lord ^(E)called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ^4 (F)‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how ^(G)I ^[a]bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. ⁵ Now ^(H)therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and ^(I)keep My covenant, then ^(J)you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is ^(K)Mine. ⁶ And you shall be to Me a ^(L)kingdom of priests and a ^(M)holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

⁷ So Moses came and called for the ^(N)elders of the people, and ^[b]laid before them all these words which the Lord commanded him. ⁸ Then ^(O)all the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord.

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. ² And Moses alone shall come near the Lord, but they shall not come near; nor shall the people go up with him.”

³ 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.” ⁴ 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. ⁵ Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered ^(F)burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. ⁶ And Moses ^(G)took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. ⁷ 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.” ⁸ 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.”

The Sabbath Law

¹² And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹³ “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ^(A)‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who ^(B)sanctifies^[a] you. ^14 (C)You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who ^[b]profanes it shall surely be put to death; for ^(D)whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. ¹⁵ Work shall be done for ^(E)six days, but the ^(F)seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. ¹⁶ Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. ¹⁷ It is ^(G)a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for ^(H)in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”

¹² Moreover I also gave them My ^(A)Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

^20 (A)hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’