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16 And now the third day was come, and the morrowtide was clear; and, lo! thunders began to be heard, and lightnings to shine, and a most thick cloud to cover the mountain; and the sounding of a clarion made noise full greatly, and the people dreaded, that was in the tents (and the sounding of a trumpet made a very great noise, and the people in their tents had great fear).

17 And when Moses had led them out into the coming of God, from the place of the tents, they stood at the roots of the hill. (And when Moses had led them out from the place of the tents to meet with God, they stood at the foot of the mountain.)

18 Forsooth all the hill of Sinai smoked, for the Lord had come down thereon in fire; and the smoke thereof went up as of a furnace, and all the hill was fearful; (And all of Mount Sinai smoked, for the Lord had come down on it in fire; and its smoke went up like that of a furnace, and all the mountain fearfully shook;)

19 and the sound of a clarion increased little and little, and it was holden forth longer (and longer). (And) Moses spake, and the Lord answered him (with a clap of thunder/by a voice),

20 and the Lord came down on the hill of Sinai, in that top of the hill (and the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, onto the top of the mountain), and he called Moses (up) to the top thereof. And when he had gone up thither,

21 the Lord said to him, Go thou down, and witness thou to the people, lest peradventure it will pass [over] the terms to see the Lord (lest they pass over the boundary to see the Lord), and [a] full great multitude thereof perish;

22 and [the] priests, that nigh to the Lord, be they hallowed, lest I smite them (or I shall strike them down).

23 And Moses said to the Lord, The common people may not go up into the hill of Sinai; for thou hast witnessed, and hast commanded, saying, Set thou terms about the hill, and hallow it. (And Moses said to the Lord, The common people cannot come up onto Mount Sinai; for thou hast witnessed, and hast commanded, saying, Set thou a sacred boundary all around the mountain, and hallow it, and they have heard thee.)

24 To whom the Lord said, Go thou down, and (then) thou shalt go up, and (bring) Aaron with thee; forsooth the priests and the people pass not (over) the terms, neither go they up to the Lord, lest peradventure he slay them. (To whom the Lord said, Go thou down, and then come back up, and bring Aaron with thee; but the priests and the people must not pass over the boundary, nor let them come up to the Lord, lest I kill them.)

25 (And so) Moses went down to the people, and told all (these) things to them.

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16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder(A) and lightning, with a thick cloud(B) over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.(C) Everyone in the camp trembled.(D) 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.(E) 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,(F) because the Lord descended on it in fire.(G) The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,(H) and the whole mountain[a] trembled(I) violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice(J) of God answered(K) him.[b]

20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai(L) and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see(M) the Lord and many of them perish.(N) 22 Even the priests, who approach(O) the Lord, must consecrate(P) themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”(Q)

23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai,(R) because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits(S) around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”

24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron(T) up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”(U)

25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 19:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint and all the people
  2. Exodus 19:19 Or and God answered him with thunder