Exodus 19:1-25
Israel Comes to Mount Sinai
Exactly three months after the people of Israel left Egypt, they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they started out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai. They camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
Then Moses went up to God. The Lord called out to him from the mountain. He said, “Here is what I want you to say to my people, who belong to Jacob’s family. Tell the Israelites, ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt. You saw how I carried you on the wings of eagles and brought you to myself. Now obey me completely. Keep my covenant. If you do, then out of all the nations you will be my special treasure. The whole earth is mine. But you will be a kingdom of priests to serve me. You will be my holy nation.’ That is what you must tell the Israelites.”
So Moses went back. He sent for the elders of the people. He explained to them everything the Lord had commanded him to say. All the people answered together. They said, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “I am going to come to you in a thick cloud. The people will hear me speaking with you. They will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people. Today and tomorrow set them apart for me. Have them wash their clothes. Have the people ready by the third day. On that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai. Everyone will see it. Put limits for the people around the mountain. Tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go near the mountain. Do not even touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain must be put to death. Do not lay a hand on any of them. Kill them with stones or shoot them with arrows. Whether they are people or animals, do not let them live.’ They may go near the mountain only when the ram’s horn gives out a long blast.”
Moses went down the mountain to the people. After he set them apart for the Lord, they washed their clothes. Then he spoke to the people. He said, “Get ready for the third day. Don’t have sex.”
On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud covered the mountain. A trumpet gave out a very loud blast. Everyone in the camp trembled with fear. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God. They stood at the foot of the mountain. Smoke covered Mount Sinai, because the Lord came down on it in fire. The smoke rose up from it like smoke from a furnace. The whole mountain trembled and shook. The sound of the trumpet got louder and louder. Then Moses spoke. And the voice of God answered him.
The Lord came down to the top of Mount Sinai. He told Moses to come to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up. The Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people. They must not force their way through to see the Lord. If they do, many of them will die. The priests approach the Lord when they serve him. But even they must set themselves apart for the Lord. If they do not, his anger will break out against them.”
Moses said to the Lord, “The people can’t come up Mount Sinai. You yourself warned us. You said, ‘Put limits around the mountain. Set it apart as holy.’ ”
The Lord replied, “Go down. Bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through. They must not come up to the Lord. If they do, his anger will break out against them.”
So Moses went down to the people and told them.
Exodus 20:1-26
God Gives His People the Ten Commandments
Here are all the words God spoke. He said,
“I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt. That is the land where you were slaves.
“Do not put any other gods in place of me.
“Do not make for yourself statues of gods that look like anything in the sky. They may not look like anything on the earth or in the waters either. Do not bow down to them or worship them. I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I cause the sins of the parents to affect their children. I will cause the sins of those who hate me to affect even their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But for all time to come I show love to all those who love me and keep my commandments.
“Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will find guilty anyone who misuses his name.
“Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy. Do all your work in six days. But the seventh day is a sabbath to honor the Lord your God. Do not do any work on that day. The same command applies to your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and your animals. It also applies to any outsiders who live in your towns. In six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them. But he rested on the seventh day. So the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
“Do not murder.
“Do not commit adultery.
“Do not steal.
“Do not be a false witness against your neighbor.
“Do not want to have anything your neighbor owns. Do not want to have your neighbor’s house, wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey.”
The people saw the thunder and lightning. They heard the trumpet. They saw the mountain covered with smoke. They trembled with fear and stayed a long way off. They said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself. Then we’ll listen. But don’t let God speak to us. If he does, we’ll die.”
Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. God has come to test you. He wants you to have respect for him. That will keep you from sinning.”
Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. But the people remained a long way off.
Worship the Lord
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Here is what you must tell the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘You have seen for yourselves what I said to you from heaven. Do not put any other gods in place of me. Do not make silver or gold statues of them for yourselves.
“ ‘Make an altar out of dirt for me. Sacrifice your burnt offerings and friendship offerings on it. Sacrifice your sheep, goats and cattle on it. I will come to you and bless you everywhere I cause my name to be honored. If you make an altar out of stones to honor me, do not build it with blocks of stone. You will make it “unclean” if you use a tool on it. Do not walk up steps to my altar. If you do, someone might see your naked body under your robes.’
