Exodus 19

Read Exodus 19.

In the third month after the Israelites had left Egypt, they arrived at the wilderness of Sinai and camped at the base of the mountain. Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, delivering a message for the people of Israel. The LORD reminded them of how he had carried them out of Egypt on eagles' wings and brought them to Himself. He then offered them an agreement: If they would obey His voice and keep His covenant, they would be His treasured possession among all peoples, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.

Moses descended and gathered the elders of the people, laying before them all that the LORD had commanded. The people responded with one voice, pledging that they would do everything the LORD had spoken. Moses brought their answer back to the LORD. The LORD then told Moses that He would come to him in a thick cloud so that the people would hear God speaking with Moses and would believe in Moses permanently. The LORD also instructed Moses to return to the people and have them consecrate themselves for two days—washing their garments and abstaining from sexual relations — so that they would be ready for the third day, when God would come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

The LORD set strict boundaries around the mountain, warning that anyone who touched it — whether person or animal — would be put to death. No one was to go up the mountain or even touch it.

On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud trumpet blast. All the people in the camp trembled. Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire, and the whole mountain quaked. As the trumpet blast grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the LORD answered him.

The LORD came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to come up. There, God again warned Moses to go back down and instruct the people not to break through to look at Him, or they would die. Even the priests who came near were required to consecrate themselves. When Moses pointed out that the people couldn't come up because God had already warned them to set limits around the mountain, the LORD instructed him to go down and bring Aaron up with him — but the priests and the people were not to break through to come up. Moses went back down and spoke to the people.