At Mount Sinai
1On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
3Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6you19:5,6 Or possession, 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 Israelites.”
7So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
9The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
14After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”
16On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain19:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint and all the people trembled violently. 19As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.19:19 Or and God answered him with thunder
20The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”
23Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’ ”
24The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up 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.”
25So Moses went down to the people and told them.
Pa Phiri la Sinai
1Ana a Israeli aja anafika ku chipululu cha Sinai pa tsiku loyamba la mwezi wachitatu chichokere mʼdziko la Igupto. 2Atachoka ku Refidimu, anafika ku Sinai, ndipo Aisraeli anamangako misasa yawo moyangʼanana ndi phirilo.
3Mose anakwera ku phiri kukakumana ndi Mulungu ndipo Yehova anamuyitana nati, “Ukawuze zidzukulu za Yakobo, ana onse a Israeli kuti, 4‘Inu eni munaona zimene ndinawachitira Aigupto ndiponso mmene ndinakunyamulirani, monga mmene chiwombankhanga chimanyamulira ana ake pa mapiko,’ ndikukubweretsani kwa Ine. 5Tsopano, ngati mumveradi mawu anga ndi kusunga pangano langa, mudzakhala chuma changa chapamtima pakati pa mitundu yonse. Ngakhale kuti dziko lonse lapansi ndi langa, 6inu mudzakhala ansembe achifumu ndi mtundu woyera mtima. Awa ndi mawu amene uyenera kuwawuza Aisraeli.”
7Ndipo Mose anabwerera ndi kuyitanitsa akuluakulu. Atabwera anawafotokozera mawu amene Yehova anamulamulira kuti adzanene. 8Anthu onse anayankha pamodzi kuti, “Ife tidzachita zonse zimene Yehova wanena.” Choncho Mose anabweza yankho lawo kwa Yehova.
9Yehova anati kwa Mose, “Ine ndibwera kwa iwe mu mtambo wakuda kuti anthu adzandimve ndikuyankhula ndi iwe. Choncho adzakukhulupirira nthawi zonse.” Kenaka Mose anawuza Yehova zimene anthu ananena.
10Ndipo Yehova anati kwa Mose, “Pita kwa anthu onse ndi kuwayeretsa lero ndi mawa. Achape zovala zawo 11ndipo akhale atakonzeka pofika tsiku lachitatu, chifukwa tsiku limenelo Yehova adzatsika pa phiri la Sinai anthu onse akuona. 12Uwalembere malire anthuwo kuzungulira phirilo ndipo uwawuze kuti, ‘Samalani musakwere phirilo kapena kukhudza tsinde lake. Aliyense wokhudza phiri adzaphedwa ndithu. 13Aliyense wokhudza phiri adzaphedwa ndi miyala kapena kumulasa ndi mivi. Palibe amene adzamukhudze. Palibe munthu amene adzaloledwa kukhala ndi moyo ngakhale nyama. Iwo adzayenera kuphedwa.’ Koma anthu adzapita ku phirilo akadzamva kulira kwa lipenga la nyanga yankhosa.”
14Tsono Mose anatsika phiri lija nafika kwa anthu aja ndi kuwayeretsa. Iwo anachapa zovala zawo. 15Kenaka iye anati kwa anthu, “Konzekerani tsiku lachitatu, musagone pamodzi ndi mkazi.”
16Mʼmamawa wa tsiku lachitatu kunali mabingu, ziphaliwali ndi mtambo wakuda umene unaphimba phiri, ndiponso lipenga lolira kwambiri. Aliyense ku misasa kuja ananjenjemera ndi mantha. 17Ndipo Mose anatsogolera anthu kutuluka mʼmisasa kukakumana ndi Mulungu, ndipo anayima mʼmunsi mwa phiri. 18Phiri la Sinai linakutidwa ndi utsi, chifukwa Yehova anatsika ndi moto pa phiripo. Utsi unakwera ngati wochokera mʼngʼanjo yamoto ndipo phiri lonse linagwedezeka kwambiri. 19Liwu la lipenga linkakulirakulira. Tsono Mose anayankhula ndipo Yehova anamuyankha ndi mabingu.
20Yehova anatsika nafika pamwamba pa phiri la Sinai, ndipo anayitana Mose kuti apite pa phiripo. Choncho Mose anakwera, 21ndipo Yehova anati kwa iye, “Tsika ukawachenjeze anthu kuti asayesere kudutsa malire kuti adzandione chifukwa ambiri a iwo adzafa. 22Ngakhale ansembe amene amatumikira pamaso pa Yehova ayenera kudziyeretsa kuopa kuti ndingadzawalange.”
23Mose anati kwa Yehova, “Anthu sangakwere phiri la Sinai chifukwa inu munatichenjeza. Lembani malire kuzungulira phiri ndipo mulipatule kuti likhale loyera.”
24Yehova anayankha, “Tsika ukamutenge Aaroni. Koma ansembe ndi anthu asayesere kubzola malire kuti abwere kwa Yehova chifukwa Iye adzawalanga.”
25Ndipo Mose anatsika ndi kukawawuza anthuwo.
