^16 (A)So it happened on the third day, when it was morning, that there were ^[a]thunder and lightning flashes and a ^[b]thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. ¹⁷ And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the ^[c]foot of the mountain.

Yahweh Descends on Mount Sinai

^18 (B)Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because Yahweh descended upon it ^(C)in fire; and its smoke ascended like ^(D)the smoke of a furnace, and ^(E)the whole mountain trembled violently. ¹⁹ And the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder; then Moses spoke and ^(F)God answered him with ^[d]thunder. ^20 (G)And Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. ²¹ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go down, ^[e]warn the people, lest ^(H)they break through to Yahweh to see, and many of them ^[f]perish. ²² Also let the ^(I)priests who come near to Yahweh set themselves apart as holy, lest Yahweh break out against them.” ²³ And Moses said to Yahweh, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You ^[g]warned us, saying, ‘^(J)Set bounds about the mountain, and set it apart as holy.’” ²⁴ Then Yahweh said to him, “^[h]Go down and come up again, ^(K)you and Aaron with you; but do not let the ^(L)priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest He break out against them.” ²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.