Exodus 19:1-19

Exactly three months after the Israelites had left Egypt, they reached the Desert of Sinai. When they left Rephidim, they came to the Desert of Sinai and camped in the desert in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up on the mountain to God. The LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “Say this to the family of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘Every one of you has seen what I did to the people of Egypt. You saw how I carried you out of Egypt, as if on eagle’s wings. And I brought you here to me. So now if you obey me and keep my agreement, you will be my own possession, chosen from all nations. Even though the whole earth is mine, you will be my kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ You must tell the Israelites these words.” So Moses went down and called the elders of the people together. He told them all the words the LORD had commanded him to say. All the people answered together, “We will do everything he has said.” Then Moses took their answer back to the LORD. And the LORD said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud and speak to you. The people will hear me speaking with you and will always trust you.” Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said. The LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and have them spend today and tomorrow preparing themselves. They must wash their clothes and be ready by the day after tomorrow. On that day I, the LORD, will come down on Mount Sinai, and all the people will see me. But you must set a limit around the mountain that the people are not to cross. Tell them not to go up on the mountain and not to touch the foot of it. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death with stones or shot with arrows. No one is allowed to touch him. Whether it is a person or an animal, he will not live. But the trumpet will make a long blast, and only then may the people go up on the mountain.” After Moses went down from the mountain to the people, he made them prepare themselves for service to God, and they washed their clothes. Then Moses said to the people, “Be ready in three days. Do not have sexual relations during this time.” On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning with a thick cloud on the mountain. There was a very loud blast from a trumpet, and all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD came down on it in fire. The smoke rose from the mountain like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook wildly. The sound from the trumpet became louder. Then Moses spoke, and the voice of God answered him.