Israel Comes to Mount Sinai
1Exactly three months after the people of Israel left Egypt, they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2After they started out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai. They camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
3Then 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, 4‘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. 5Now 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. 6But you will be a kingdom of priests to serve me. You will be my holy nation.’ That is what you must tell the Israelites.”
7So Moses went back. He sent for the elders of the people. He explained to them everything the Lord had commanded him to say. 8All the people answered together. They said, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
9The 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.
10The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people. Today and tomorrow set them apart for me. Have them wash their clothes. 11Have the people ready by the third day. On that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai. Everyone will see it. 12Put 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. 13Do 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.”
14Moses went down the mountain to the people. After he set them apart for the Lord, they washed their clothes. 15Then he spoke to the people. He said, “Get ready for the third day. Don’t have sex.”
16On 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. 17Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God. They stood at the foot of the mountain. 18Smoke 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. 19The sound of the trumpet got louder and louder. Then Moses spoke. And the voice of God answered him.
20The Lord came down to the top of Mount Sinai. He told Moses to come to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up. 21The 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. 22The 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.”
23Moses 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.’ ”
24The 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.”
25So Moses went down to the people and told them.
Waisraeli Kwenye Mlima Sinai
119:1 Kut 6:6; Hes 3:14; 33:15Mnamo mwezi wa tatu baada ya Waisraeli kuondoka Misri, siku kama iyo hiyo, wakafika katika Jangwa la Sinai. 219:2 Kut 17:1; 36:1; Kum 5:2-4Baada ya kuondoka Refidimu, waliingia katika Jangwa la Sinai na Israeli wakapiga kambi pale jangwani mbele ya mlima.
319:3 Kut 20:21; 3:4; 25:22; Mdo 7:38Kisha Mose akakwea kwenda kwa Mungu, naye Bwana akamwita kutoka kwenye ule mlima akasema, “Hivi ndivyo utakavyosema na nyumba ya Yakobo na utakachowaambia watu wa Israeli: 419:4 Kum 29:2; Yos 24:7; Kum 32:11; Za 103:5; Isa 40:31; Yer 4:13; 48:40; Ufu 12:14; Kum 33:12; Isa 31:5; Eze 16:6‘Ninyi wenyewe mmeona nililofanya huko Misri, jinsi nilivyowabeba kwenye mbawa za tai na kuwaleta kwangu. 519:5 Kut 15:26; Kum 6:3; Za 78:10; Yer 7:23; Mwa 17:9; Kut 3:1; 8:22; 34:9; Kum 1:8; Tit 2:14; Kut 9:29; 1Kor 10:26Sasa kama mkinitii kikamilifu na kutunza Agano langu, basi ninyi mtakuwa mali yangu ya thamani kubwa miongoni mwa mataifa yote. Ijapokuwa dunia yote ni mali yangu, 619:6 Isa 61:6; 66; 21; 1Pet 2:5; Mwa 18:19; Law 11:45; Kum 4:27; 7:6; 26:19; 28:9; 29:13; 33:3; Isa 4:3; 62:12; Yer 2:3; Amo 3:2ninyi mtakuwa kwangu ufalme wa makuhani na taifa takatifu.’ Haya ndiyo maneno utakayosema kwa wana wa Israeli.”
719:7 Kut 18:12; Law 4:15; 9:1; Hes 16:25; Kut 4:30; Isa 8:10Kwa hiyo Mose akarudi, akawaita wazee wa watu na kuwaambia maneno yote ambayo Bwana alikuwa amemwamuru ayaseme. 819:8 Kut 24:3-7; Kum 5:27; 26:17Watu wote wakajibu kwa pamoja, “Tutafanya kila kitu Bwana alichokisema.” Naye Mose akarudisha majibu yao kwa Bwana.
919:9 Kut 20:21; 24:15-16; 33:9; 34:5; Kum 4:11; 2Sam 22:10-12; 2Nya 6:1; Kut 4:5; Za 18:11; 97:2; 99:7; Mt 17:5; Kum 4:12, 36; Yn 12:29-30Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Nitakujia katika wingu zito, ili watu wanisikie nikinena nawe na kila mara waweke tumaini lao kwako.” Kisha Mose akamwambia Bwana yale ambayo watu walikuwa wamesema.
1019:10 Law 11:44; Hes 11:18; Isa 16:5; Yoe 2:16; Ebr 10:22; Mwa 35:2; Ufu 22:14Naye Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Nenda kwa watu ukawaweke wakfu leo na kesho. Waambie wafue nguo zao 1119:11 Mwa 11:5; Kut 3:1; 24:16; 31:18; 34:2-4, 29-32; Law 7:38; 26:46; 27:34; Hes 3:1; Dan 10:5; Neh 9:13; Gal 4:24-25na wawe tayari siku ya tatu, kwa sababu siku hiyo, Bwana atashuka juu ya mlima Sinai machoni pa watu wote. 12Weka mipaka kuzunguka mlima kwa ajili ya watu, uwaambie, ‘Mwe waangalifu, msije mkapanda mlimani au kuugusa. Yeyote atakayeugusa mlima hakika atauawa. 1319:13 Ebr 12:20; Yos 6:4; 1Nya 15:28; Za 81:3; 98:6; Kut 34:3Hakika atapigwa mawe au kupigwa mishale; mkono wa mtu hautamgusa. Akiwa mwanadamu au mnyama, hataruhusiwa kuishi.’ Ila tu wakati baragumu itakapopigwa kwa mfululizo, ndipo watu wote watakapopanda mlimani.”
1419:14 Mwa 35:2Baada ya Mose kushuka kutoka mlimani akawaendea watu na kuwaweka wakfu, wakafua nguo zao. 1519:15 1Sam 21:4; 1Kor 7:5Kisha akawaambia watu, “Jitayarisheni kwa ajili ya siku ya tatu. Mwanaume yeyote asimkaribie mwanamke.”
1619:16 1Sam 2:10; Isa 29:6; Ebr 12:18-19; Ufu 4:1; Mwa 3:10; 1Sam 13:7; 14:15; 28:5; Za 99:1; Ebr 12:21Asubuhi ya siku ya tatu kulikuwa na ngurumo na radi pamoja na wingu nene juu ya mlima na mlio mkubwa sana wa tarumbeta. Kila mmoja aliyekuwa kambini akatetemeka. 1719:17 Kum 4:11Kisha Mose akawaongoza watu kutoka kambini kukutana na Mungu, nao wakasimama chini ya mlima. 1819:18 Kut 20:18; Za 104:32; Isa 6:4; Ufu 15:8; Kut 3:2; 24:17; Law 9:24; Kum 4:11, 24, 33; 5:4; 9:3; 1Fal 18:24, 38; 1Nya 21:26; 2Nya 7:1; Za 18:8; Ebr 12:18; Mwa 19:28; Ufu 9:2; Amu 5:5; 2Sam 22:8; Za 68:8; Isa 2:19; 5:25; 41:15; 64:1; Yer 4:24; 10:10; Mik 1:4; Nah 1:5; Hab 3:6-10; Hag 2:6Mlima Sinai ulikuwa umefunikwa na moshi, kwa sababu Bwana alishuka juu yake katika moto. Moshi wa moto huo ulipanda juu kama moshi kutoka kwenye tanuru kubwa na mlima wote ukatetemeka kwa nguvu nyingi, 1919:19 Kum 4:33; Neh 9:13; Za 81:7nayo sauti ya tarumbeta ikawa kubwa zaidi na zaidi. Kisha Mose akazungumza na sauti ya Bwana ikamjibu.
20Bwana akashuka juu ya Mlima Sinai na akamwita Mose apande juu mlimani. Kwa hiyo Mose akapanda juu, 2119:21 Kut 24:10-11; Hes 4:20; 1Sam 6:19naye Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Shuka ukawaonye watu ili wasijipenyeze kutafuta kumwona Bwana na wengi wao wakafa. 2219:22 Law 10:3; 1Sam 16:5; 2Nya 29:5; Yoe 2:16; 2Sam 6:7Hata makuhani, watakaomkaribia Bwana ni lazima wajiweke wakfu, la sivyo Bwana atawaadhibu.”
23Mose akamwambia Bwana, “Watu hawawezi kupanda mlima Sinai kwa sababu wewe mwenyewe ulituonya ukisema, ‘Wekeni mipaka kuuzunguka mlima na kuutenga kama patakatifu.’ ”
2419:24 Kut 24:1, 9Bwana akajibu, “Shuka ukamlete Aroni pamoja nawe. Lakini makuhani pamoja na watu wasije wakalazimisha kuja kwa Bwana, nisije nikawaadhibu.”
25Basi Mose akashuka kwa watu na kuwaambia lile aliloambiwa.
