Exodus 19

In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.

1It was the third month after Israel left Egypt. On that same day they reached the Sinai desert.

2For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.

2They had left a place called Rephidim. Now they came into the Sinai desert and set up camp. Israel camped right in front of the mountain.

3And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

3Moses climbed up toward God. The LORD called to him from the mountain. He said, "Tell this to the family of Jacob, the people of Israel."

4Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.

4"You saw what I did to the Egyptians. I carried you the way an eagle carries its young. I brought you to myself."

5Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

5"So obey my voice and keep our agreement. Then out of all peoples you will be my own special treasure. The whole earth belongs to me."

Note"Peculiar treasure" in the old English means a treasure that belongs to one owner alone. It does not mean odd or strange.

6And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

6"You will be a kingdom of priests for me. Priests are people who help others come close to God. You will be a holy nation, set apart for me. Tell all this to the people of Israel."

7And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.

7Moses went back and called for the elders, the older leaders of the people. He told them everything the LORD had said.

8And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.

8All the people answered together, "We will do everything the LORD said." Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.

9And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.

9The LORD said to Moses, "I am coming to you in a thick cloud. The people will hear me speaking with you. Then they will always trust you." And Moses told the LORD what the people had said.

10And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,

10Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people. Make them ready for me today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes."

11And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

11"Have them ready for the third day. On that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai. Everyone will see it."

12And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

12"Mark a line all around the mountain. Tell the people, 'Be careful. Do not go up the mountain. Do not even touch its edge. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death.'"

13There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

13"No one may lay a hand on that person. He must be killed with stones or with arrows. Whether it is an animal or a person, it must not live. Only when the horn blows one long blast may they come up to the mountain."

NoteThe old wording sounds like no hand may touch the mountain. It really means no hand may touch the guilty person. People threw stones or shot arrows from far away instead.

14And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

14Moses came down the mountain to the people. He got them ready for God, and they washed their clothes.

15And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

15He said to the people, "Be ready on the third day. Do not go near your wives."

16And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

16On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud sat on the mountain. A horn blew very loud. Everyone in the camp shook with fear.

NoteThe trumpet here is a ram's horn, an animal horn blown like a loud bugle.

17And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

17Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God. They stood at the bottom of the mountain.

18And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

18Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD came down on it in fire. The smoke rose like smoke from a hot oven. The whole mountain shook hard.

19And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

19The horn blew longer and grew louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with a voice like thunder.

20And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

20The LORD came down onto the top of Mount Sinai. He called Moses to come up to the top. So Moses went up.

21And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.

21The LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people. They must not push past the line to look at the LORD. If they do, many of them will die."

22And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.

22"Even the priests who come near the LORD must make themselves ready. If they do not, the LORD will break out against them."

23And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.

23Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai. You already warned us to mark a line around it and keep it holy."

24And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.

24The LORD said, "Go down now. Then come back up, and bring Aaron with you. But the priests and the people must not push past to come up. If they do, he will break out against them."

25So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.

25So Moses went down to the people and told them everything.