The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy

18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;(A) 19 to a trumpet blast(B) or to such a voice speaking words(C) that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,(D) 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”[a](E) 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”[b](F)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:20 Exodus 19:12,13
  2. Hebrews 12:21 See Deut. 9:19.

18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

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Then Moses went up to God,(A) and the Lord called(B) to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,(C) and how I carried you on eagles’ wings(D) and brought you to myself.(E) Now if you obey me fully(F) and keep my covenant,(G) then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.(H) Although the whole earth(I) is mine, you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests(J) and a holy nation.’(K) These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

So Moses went back and summoned the elders(L) of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak.(M) The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.”(N) So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,(O) so that the people will hear me speaking(P) with you and will always put their trust(Q) 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(R) them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes(S) 11 and be ready by the third day,(T) because on that day the Lord will come down(U) on Mount Sinai(V) in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits(W) 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(X) 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(Y) sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”(Z)

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

16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder(AC) and lightning, with a thick cloud(AD) over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.(AE) Everyone in the camp trembled.(AF) 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.(AG) 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,(AH) because the Lord descended on it in fire.(AI) The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,(AJ) and the whole mountain[b] trembled(AK) violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice(AL) of God answered(AM) him.[c]

20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai(AN) 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(AO) the Lord and many of them perish.(AP) 22 Even the priests, who approach(AQ) the Lord, must consecrate(AR) themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”(AS)

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 19:6 Or possession, for the whole earth is mine. You
  2. Exodus 19:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint and all the people
  3. Exodus 19:19 Or and God answered him with thunder

And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.

10 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,

11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

20 And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

21 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.

22 And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.

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22 But you have come to Mount Zion,(A) to the city(B) of the living God,(C) the heavenly Jerusalem.(D) You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn,(E) whose names are written in heaven.(F) You have come to God, the Judge of all,(G) to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,(H) 24 to Jesus the mediator(I) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood(J) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.(K)

25 See to it that you do not refuse(L) him who speaks.(M) If they did not escape when they refused him who warned(N) them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?(O) 26 At that time his voice shook the earth,(P) but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”[a](Q) 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken(R)—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,(S) let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,(T) 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”[b](U)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:26 Haggai 2:6
  2. Hebrews 12:29 Deut. 4:24

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God is a consuming fire.

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