Exodus 19

19 ¹ In the third month after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came to the wilderness of Sinai. ² They set out from Rephidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai, and they camped in the wilderness. There Israel camped in front of the mountain.

³ Moses went up to our Father, and our Father called to him from the mountain, saying, "This is what you shall say to the house of Jacob and 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." ⁵ "Now therefore, if you will truly obey my voice and keep my covenant, you will be my treasured possession out of all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; ¹ 1 v5 Our Father calls his people his "treasured possession" — language of deep affection, the way a father cherishes a beloved child. ⁶ and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.

⁷ So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that our Father had commanded him. ⁸ And all the people answered together and said, "We will do everything our Father has said." And Moses brought back the words of the people to our Father.

⁹ Our Father said to Moses, "I am coming to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also trust you forever." Then Moses told our Father what the people had said. ¹⁰ Our Father said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothes, ¹¹ and be ready for the third day; for on the third day I will come down on Mount Sinai with all the people watching." ¹² "Mark off a boundary for the people all around, saying, 'Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will certainly be put to death.'" ¹³ "No one may touch him; instead, he must be stoned or shot with an arrow. Whether animal or human, he must be put to death." When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they may come up to the mountain.

¹⁴ So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ And he said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; have no sexual relations."

Our Father Descends on the Mountain

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud blast of a trumpet, so that all the people in the camp trembled. ¹⁷ Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet our Father, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸ Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because our Father had descended on it in fire. The smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. ¹⁹ And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and our Father answered him in thunder. ²⁰ Our Father came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And our Father called Moses up to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

²¹ And our Father said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to look at me, or many of them will die." ²² "The priests who come near to me must also consecrate themselves, or I may break out against them."

²³ And Moses said to our Father, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, 'Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.'"

²⁴ And our Father said to him, "Go down, and then come up, bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to me, or I will break out against them."

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