At Mount Sinai
1-2 The Israelites left Rephidim and arrived at the desert. Then two months after leaving Egypt, they arrived at the desert near Mount Sinai, where they set up camp at the foot of the mountain. This was two months after they had left Egypt.
3 Moses went up the mountain to meet with the Lord God, who told him to say to the people:
4 You saw what I did in Egypt, and you know how I brought you here to me, just as a mighty eagle carries its young. 5 Now if you will faithfully obey me, you will be my very own people. The whole world is mine, 6 but you will be my holy nation and serve me as priests.
Moses, that is what you must tell the Israelites.
7 After Moses went back, he reported to the leaders what the Lord had said, 8 and they all promised, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.” So Moses told the Lord about this.
9 The Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud and let the people hear me speak to you. Then they will always trust you.” Again Moses reported to the Lord what the people had said.
10 Once more the Lord spoke to Moses:
Go back and tell the people that today and tomorrow they must get themselves ready to meet me. They must wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the day after tomorrow, when I will come down to Mount Sinai, where all of them can see me.
12 Warn the people that they are forbidden to touch any part of the mountain. Anyone who does will be put to death, 13 either with stones or arrows, and no one must touch the body of the person being put to death in this way. Even an animal that touches this mountain must be put to death. You may go up the mountain only after a signal is given on the trumpet.
14 After Moses went down the mountain, he gave orders for the people to wash their clothes and make themselves acceptable to worship God. 15 He told them to be ready in three days and not to have sex in the meantime.
The Lord Comes to Mount Sinai
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud covered the mountain, a loud trumpet blast was heard, and everyone in camp trembled with fear. 17 Moses led them 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 in a flaming fire. Smoke poured out of the mountain just like a furnace, and the whole mountain shook. 19 The trumpet blew louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder.
20 The Lord came down to the top of Mount Sinai and told Moses to meet him there. 21 Then he said, “Moses, go and warn the people not to cross the boundary that you set at the foot of the mountain. They must not cross it to come and look at me, because if they do, many of them will die. 22 Only the priests may come near me, and they must obey strict rules before I let them. If they don't, they will be punished.”
23 Moses replied, “The people cannot come up the mountain. You warned us to stay away because it is holy.”
24 Then the Lord told Moses, “Go down and bring Aaron back here with you. But the priests and people must not try to push their way through, or I will rush at them like a flood!”
25 After Moses had gone back down, he told the people what the Lord had said.
Israēlieši nonāk pie Sīnaja kalna
1 Trešā mēneša pirmajā dienā pēc Israēla dēlu iziešanas no Ēģiptes viņi nonāca Sīnaja tuksnesī. 2 Viņi devās ceļā no Refidīmas un nonāca Sīnaja tuksnesī, apmetās tuksnesī, un tur Israēls uzcēla nometni kalna pakājē. 3 Tad Mozus kāpa pie Dieva, un Kungs sauca uz viņu no kalna: “Tā saki Jēkaba namam, stāsti Israēla dēliem: 4 jūs redzējāt, ko es darīju ēģiptiešiem, ka es jūs nesu uz ērgļa spārniem un atvedu pie sevis! 5 Un tagad – ja jūs man klausīt klausīsiet un turēsiet manu derību, tad no visām tautām jūs būsiet mans īpašums, jo mana ir visa zeme! 6 Jūs man būsiet priesteru valsts un svēta tauta! – saki šos vārdus Israēla dēliem!”
7 Tad Mozus gāja, sasauca tautas vecajos un stāstīja tiem visu, ko Kungs viņam bija pavēlējis. 8 Un visa tauta atbildēja: “Mēs darīsim visu, ko Kungs teicis!” Mozus atstāstīja Kungam, ko tauta bija teikusi. 9 Un Kungs teica Mozum: “Redzi, es nākšu pie tevis biezā mākonī, lai tauta dzirdētu, kad es runāšu ar tevi, un lai tie tev ticētu mūžam!” Mozus pastāstīja Kungam, ko tauta bija teikusi. 10 Un Kungs teica Mozum: “Ej pie tautas un svētī tos šodien un rīt, un lai tie mazgā savas drānas! 11 Lai tie ir gatavi trešajai dienai, jo trešajā dienā Kungs visas tautas acu priekšā nolaidīsies Sīnaja kalnā. 12 Noliec visapkārt robežas tautas priekšā un saki: sargieties, ka jūs nekāptu kalnā un neskartu tā pakāji; ikviens, kas pieskarsies kalnam, mirtin mirs! 13 Roka to neskars, bet tas tiks nomētāts akmeņiem vai nošauts bultām – cilvēks vai lops, tam nedzīvot! Kad atskanēs rags, tad lai tie kāpj augšā kalnā!” 14 Mozus nokāpa no kalna pie tautas, svētīja tautu, un tie mazgāja savas drānas. 15 Un viņš teica tautai: “Esiet gatavi trešajai dienai, netuvojieties sievietei!” 16 Un trešajā dienā, kad pienāca rīts, pār kalnu bija pērkoni, zibeņi, biezs mākonis un jo stipra raga skaņa – visa tauta, kas bija nometnē, trīcēja. 17 Mozus izveda tautu no nometnes pretī Dievam, un tauta nostājās kalna pakājē. 18 Viss Sīnaja kalns bija dūmos, jo Kungs bija nolaidies ugunī, no tās cēlās dūmi kā no lietuves, un viss kalns varen trīcēja. 19 Raga skaņa dārdēja jo stipri! Mozus runāja, un Dievs viņam atbildēja pērkonā. 20 Kungs nolaidās Sīnaja kalnā, kalna virsotnē, un Kungs pasauca Mozu uz kalna virsotni, un Mozus uzkāpa. 21 Kungs teica Mozum: “Kāp lejā, brīdini tautu, lai neraujas redzēt Kungu, ka nekrīt daudzi no viņiem! 22 Un arī priesteri, kas tuvojas Kungam, lai svētās, ka Kungs tos nesatriec!” 23 Mozus teica Kungam: “Tauta nekāps Sīnaja kalnā, jo tu pats mūs brīdināji, sacīdams: norobežojiet kalnu un svētiet to!” 24 Bet Kungs viņam teica: “Kāp lejā, un lai Ārons nāk kopā ar tevi, bet priesteri un tauta lai neraujas kāpt pie Kunga, ka viņš tos nesatriec!” 25 Un Mozus nokāpa pie tautas un teica to viņiem.
