Exodus 23:1-33
Laws About Mercy and Fairness
“Do not spread reports that are false. Do not help a guilty person by telling lies in court.
“Do not follow the crowd when they do what is wrong. When you are a witness in court, do not turn what is right into what is wrong. Do not go along with the crowd. Do not show favor to a poor person in court.
“Suppose you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering away. Then be sure to return it. Suppose you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has fallen down under its load. Then do not leave it there. Be sure you help them with it.
“Be fair to your poor people in their court cases. Do not have anything to do with a false charge. Do not put to death people not guilty of doing anything wrong. I will not let guilty people go free.
“Do not take money from people who want special favors. It makes you blind to the truth. It twists the words of good people.
“Do not treat outsiders badly. You yourselves know how it feels to be outsiders. Remember, you were outsiders in Egypt.
Sabbath Laws
“For six years plant your fields and gather your crops. But during the seventh year do not plow your land or use it. Then the poor people among you can get food from it. The wild animals can eat what is left over. Do the same thing with your vineyards and your groves of olive trees.
“Do all your work in six days. But do not do any work on the seventh day. Then your oxen and donkeys can rest. The slaves born in your house can be renewed. And so can the outsiders who live among you.
“Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not speak the names of other gods. Do not even let them be heard on your lips.
Laws About Celebrating the Three Main Feasts
“Three times a year you must celebrate a feast in my honor.
“Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days, eat bread made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Do it at the appointed time in the month of Aviv. You came out of Egypt in that month.
“You must not come to worship me with your hands empty.
“Celebrate the Feast of Weeks. Bring the first share of your crops from your fields.
“Celebrate the Feast of Booths. Hold it in the fall when you gather in your crops from your fields.
“Three times a year all your men must come to worship me. I am your Lord and King.
“Do not include anything made with yeast when you offer me the blood of a sacrifice.
“Suppose the fat from sacrifices is left over from my feasts. Then do not keep it until morning.
“Bring the best of the first share of your crops to my house. I am the Lord your God.
“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.
God’s Angel Will Prepare the Way
“I am sending an angel ahead of you. He will guard you along the way. He will bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him. Listen to what he says. Do not refuse to obey him. He will not forgive you if you turn against him. He has my full authority. Listen carefully to what he says. Do everything I say. Then I will be an enemy to your enemies. I will fight against those who fight against you. My angel will go ahead of you. He will bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites. I will wipe them out. Do not do what they do. Do not bow down to their gods or worship them. You must destroy the statues of their gods. You must break their sacred stones to pieces. Worship the Lord your God. Then he will bless your food and water. I, the Lord, will take away any sickness you may have. In your land no woman will give birth to a dead baby. Every woman will be able to have children. I will give you a long life.
“I will send my terror ahead of you. I will throw every nation you meet into a panic. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run away. I will send hornets ahead of you. They will drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in just one year. If I did, the land would be deserted. There would be too many wild animals for you. I will drive them out ahead of you little by little. I will do that until there are enough of you to take control of the land.
“I will make your borders secure from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. They will go from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will hand over to you the people who live in the land. You will drive them out to make room for yourselves. Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. Do not let them live in your land. If you do, they will cause you to sin against me. If you worship their gods, that will certainly be a trap for you.”
Exodus 24:1-18
The Blood of the Covenant
The Lord said to Moses, “You and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel must come to worship the Lord. Do not come close when you worship. Only Moses can come close to me. The others must not come near. And the people may not go up with him.”
Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws. They answered with one voice. They said, “We will do everything the Lord has told us to do.” Then Moses wrote down everything the Lord had said.
Moses got up early the next morning. He built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He set up 12 stone pillars. They stood for the 12 tribes of Israel. Then he sent young Israelite men to sacrifice burnt offerings. They also sacrificed young bulls as friendship offerings to the Lord. Moses put half of the blood in bowls. He splashed the other half against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They answered, “We will do everything the Lord has told us to do. We will obey him.”
Then Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people. He said, “This is the blood that puts the covenant into effect. The Lord has made this covenant with you in keeping with all these words.”
Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the 70 elders of Israel went up. They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a street made out of lapis lazuli. It was as bright blue as the sky itself. But God didn’t destroy those Israelite leaders when they saw him. They ate and drank.
The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain. Stay here. I will give you the stone tablets. They contain the law and commandments I have written to teach the people.”
Then Moses and Joshua, his helper, started out. Moses went up on the mountain of God. He said to the elders, “Wait for us here until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you. Anyone who has a problem can go to them.”
Moses went up on the mountain. Then the cloud covered it. The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. The cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called out to Moses from inside the cloud. The people of Israel saw the glory of the Lord. It looked like a fire burning on top of the mountain. Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. He stayed on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights.
