Exodus 19
Big idea: Three months out of Egypt they arrive at the mountain, and God makes the offer the whole rescue was aimed at. He begins with what he has already done — you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself — and then the terms: if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession out of all the peoples, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The people answer together: all that Yahweh has spoken we will do. Then three days of preparation, boundaries set around the mountain on pain of death, and on the third morning thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, a very loud trumpet, smoke like a furnace, and the whole mountain trembling — while the trumpet grows louder and louder and Moses speaks and God answers him by a voice.
Chapter 19 gets Israel to the foot of a mountain wrapped in fire, with a trumpet growing louder. Chapter 20 is what the voice says: ten words, spoken by God to the whole nation at once.
19:1–8 — A kingdom of priests
In the third month after leaving Egypt, on that same day, they come to the wilderness of Sinai and camp before the mountain. Moses goes up to God, and Yahweh calls from the mountain: tell the house of Jacob — you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine. And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Moses sets the words before the elders, and all the people answer together: all that Yahweh has spoken we will do.
1 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. 3 Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” 7 Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Yahweh commanded him. 8 All the people answered together, and said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to Yahweh.
19:9–15 — Three days of preparation
Yahweh tells Moses he will come in a thick cloud, so the people may hear when he speaks with Moses and believe him forever. Moses is to go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow; they are to wash their garments and be ready for the third day, when Yahweh will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Bounds are to be set around the mountain: whoever touches it shall surely be put to death — no hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot through; whether animal or man, he shall not live. When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain. Moses goes down, sanctifies the people, they wash their garments, and he tells them to be ready by the third day.
9 Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh. 10 Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, 11 and be ready for the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai. 12 You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death. 13 No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.” 14 Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. 15 He said to the people, “Be ready by the third day. Don’t have sexual relations with a woman.”
19:16–25 — The mountain in fire and smoke
On the third morning there are thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet — and all the people in the camp tremble. Moses leads them out to meet God, and they stand at the foot of the mountain. All Mount Sinai smokes because Yahweh has descended on it in fire; the smoke goes up like the smoke of a furnace and the whole mountain trembles greatly. The trumpet grows louder and louder; Moses speaks, and God answers him by a voice. Yahweh comes down to the top and calls Moses up, then sends him back down to warn the people not to break through to gaze, and to have the priests sanctify themselves. Moses protests that the people cannot come up because of the bounds already set — and is sent down again anyway, with Aaron.
16 On the third day, when it was morning, there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain. 18 All of Mount Sinai smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. 20 Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 Yahweh said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish. 22 Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break out on them.” 23 Moses said to Yahweh, “The people can’t come up to Mount Sinai, for you warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.’” 24 Yahweh said to him, “Go down! You shall bring Aaron up with you, but don’t let the 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.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).