1 In the third month after the children of Israel left the land of Egypt, on that same day, they came to the wilderness of Sinai.
2 They had set out from Rephidim and entered the wilderness of Sinai, and they camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
3 Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain: "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of Israel:
4 'You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.
5 So now, if you will truly listen to my voice and keep my covenant, you will be my own special possession out of all the peoples, for the whole earth is mine.
6 You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the children of Israel."
7 So Moses came and summoned the elders of the people and laid before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.
8 All the people answered as one, "We will do everything the LORD has spoken." And Moses took the people's answer back to the LORD.
9 The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will trust you from then on." Then Moses reported the people's words to the LORD.
10 The LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes
11 and be ready by the third day, because on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
12 Set a boundary for the people all around and tell them, 'Be careful not to go up the mountain or even touch its edge. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death.
13 No hand is to touch him; he must be stoned or shot with arrows. Whether animal or man, he must not live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain."
14 Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.
15 He told the people, "Be ready by the third day. Do not go near a woman."
16 On the third day, when morning came, there were thunderclaps and flashes of lightning, a heavy cloud on the mountain and a very loud blast of the ram's horn, and all the people in the camp shook with fear.
17 Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD had come down on it in fire. The smoke rose from it like smoke from a kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently.
19 As the sound of the ram's horn grew louder and louder, Moses would speak, and God would answer him with a voice.
20 The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, onto the top of the mountain. The LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21 The LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to force their way through to the LORD to look, or many of them will fall dead.
22 Even the priests, who come near to the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them."
23 Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Set a boundary around the mountain and make it holy.'"
24 The LORD said to him, "Go down, and then come back up, you and Aaron 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."
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.