Exodus 19

1 In the third month, on the same day [this specific day, at this exact time] of the month that the Israelites [sons of Jacob, God’s chosen people] had left [gone out, departed from] the land [earth, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], they came [arrived, entered] to the Wilderness [desert, open field] of Sinai [a mountain where God’s law was given]. word study 2 After they had set out [departed, journeyed] from Rephidim [a place of resting], they entered [came to, approached] the Wilderness [desert, open field] of Sinai [the mountain where God gave the Law], and Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] camped [pitched their tents, encamped] there [in that place, at that time] in front of [before, in the presence of] the mountain [a high point]. word study 3 Then Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] went up [ascended, to a higher place] to God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], and the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] called [summoned, spoke to] to him from the mountain [a hill], “This is what you are to tell [declare, speak to] the house [family, dwelling place] of Jacob [the son of Isaac and Rebekah] and explain [make known, reveal] to the sons [descendants, children] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants]: word study 4 ‘You [the ones I am addressing] have seen [experienced, witnessed] for yourselves what I did [made, accomplished] to Egypt [the land of the Egyptians], and how I carried [lifted, bore] you on eagles’ [large birds of prey] wings [the extremities] and brought [led, guided] you to Myself [towards My presence]. word study 5 Now [at this time, in this moment] if you will indeed obey [listen and heed] My voice [the sound of My speaking, My command] and keep [guard, protect, and obey] My covenant [agreement, promise, and pledge], you will be [exist as, become] My treasured possession [valuable treasure, special people] out of [from among, above] all the nations [peoples, tribes]—for [because, since] the whole earth [land, world] is Mine [belongs to Me, under My authority]. word study 6 And unto Me [as your Lord and King] you shall be a kingdom [a dominion, a realm] of priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] and a holy [set apart, sacred] nation [a people chosen by God].’ These [specific, appointed] are the words [messages, teachings] that you are to speak [declare, proclaim] to the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people].” word study 7 So Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] went back and summoned [called out to, gathered] the elders [old, elderly, respected leaders] of the people [a nation, community] and set [placed, presented, laid] before them all [everything, the whole] these words [things, matters, teachings] that the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had commanded [given orders, appointed] him. word study 8 And all [the entire nation, every individual] the people answered together [unitedly, in one voice], “We will do [obey, fulfill, carry out] everything [all that has been commanded, every word] that the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has spoken [declared, commanded].” So Moses [the leader, prophet, and mediator] brought their words back [returned, reported] to the LORD [Yehovah, the sovereign God]. word study 9 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “Behold [look, see], I will come to you in a dense [thick, dark] cloud, so that the people [the nation of Israel] will hear [listen, obey] when I speak [communicate, command] with you, and they will always [forever, continually] put their trust [faith, belief] in you [have confidence, rely on].” And Moses relayed [told, declared] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] what the people [the nation, the community] had said. word study 10 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses [the Israelite leader], “Go [to walk, to move from one place to another] to the people [a nation, Amaw] and consecrate [to set apart as holy, to sanctify] them today [a literal 24-hour period] and tomorrow [a future time, the next day]. They must wash [to clean, to purify] their clothes [garments, apparel] word study 11 and be prepared [made ready, established] by the third day [a period of three days, a time of waiting], for on the third day [a day of divine visitation] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] will come down [descend, go down] on Mount Sinai [a mountain of divine revelation] in the sight [before the eyes, in full view] of all [every single one, the entire nation] the people [a multitude, a congregation]. word study 12 And you are to set up [mark out, establish] a boundary [a clear limit, a border] for the people [a nation, a community] around [surrounding, encompassing] the mountain [a spiritual high point, a place of divine encounter] and tell them, ‘Be careful [take heed, watch out] not to go up [ascend, climb] on the mountain [the mountain of God] or touch [reach out to, come into contact with] its base [the edge, the border]. Whoever [any person who] touches [reaches out to, comes into contact with] the mountain shall surely [certainly, without exception] be put to death [die, suffer the penalty of death]. word study 13 No [human] hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be [executed by] stoned [to death] or shot with arrows—whether [it be] man [a male person] or beast [a large quadruped mammal], he must not [be allowed to] live [or have life].’ Only when the ram’s horn [jubilee horn, a trumpet] sounds a long blast may they approach [go up to] the mountain [a hill].” word study 14 When Moses [the Israelite leader] came down [to go down, descend] from the mountain [a hill] to the people [a nation, a tribe], he consecrated [set apart as holy, sanctified] them, and they washed [cleaned, purified] their clothes [garments, apparel]. word study 15 “Be prepared [get ready, make yourselves ready] for the third [a period of waiting] day,” he said to the people [Amaw, a nation or group]. “Do not [refrain from, abstain] draw near [approach, come close] to a woman [wife, female companion].” word study 16 On the third [two days later] day, when morning [the break of day, a new beginning] came, there was thunder [voices, sounds] and lightning [flashing, a bright and powerful force of nature]. A thick [heavy, severe] cloud [a cloudy, heavenly presence] was upon the mountain [a hill], and a very loud [exceedingly, greatly] blast of the ram’s horn [a trumpet, a signal of importance] went out, so that all [everything, every person] the people [a nation, a group of individuals] in the camp [an encampment, a group of people] trembled [with fear, anxiety]. word study 17 Then Moses [the Israelite leader] brought the people [a nation or group] out of the camp [a group of people or army] to meet with God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], and they stood [to stand or place themselves firmly] at the foot [lower part or base] of the mountain [hill]. word study 18 Mount [the mountain of God’s presence] Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke [a thick cloud, a sign of God’s glory], because the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] had descended [come down, appeared] on it in fire [burning, flame]. And the smoke [a cloud of glory] rose like the smoke of a furnace [a kiln, a hot oven], and the whole mountain [all of Sinai] quaked [trembled, shook violently] violently. word study 19 And as the sound [voice, noise] of the ram’s horn [trumpet] grew louder [stronger, more powerful] and louder, Moses [the Israelite leader] spoke [to communicate, to declare] and God [Elohim, the supreme Being] answered him [responded, replied] in the thunder [a loud, thunderous voice]. word study 20 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] descended [came down, went down to] to the top of Mount [a high mountain] Sinai [the mountain where Moses received the Law] and called [summoned, invited] Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] to the summit [the top, the highest point]. So Moses [the leader of the Exodus] went up [ascended, rose up], word study 21 and the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to him, “Go down [descend to a lower place] and warn the people [a nation or tribe] not to break through [overthrow or destroy the boundary] to see [gaze upon or look after] the LORD [the supreme God], lest [beware that] many [a great multitude] of them perish [fall or be defeated]. word study 22 Even the priests [who serve as mediators] who approach [draw near to, worship] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] must consecrate [set apart, sanctify] themselves [as holy, dedicated to God], or [lest, beware that] the LORD [the supreme God] will break out [burst forth, forcefully intervene] against them.” word study 23 But Moses [the Israelite leader] said to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], “The people [a nation, a group of individuals] cannot come up [to ascend, to rise] Mount Sinai [a mountain where God revealed Himself], for You [in Your divine authority] solemnly warned us [commanded, testified to us], ‘Put a boundary [a border, a limit] around the mountain [a hill] and set it apart [consecrate, make holy] as holy [sacred, devoted to God].’” word study 24 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] replied, “Go down [descend, to a lower place] and bring Aaron [the brother of Moses and the first high priest] with you [together, in accompaniment]. But the priests [those who serve God and lead others in worship] and the people [a nation, the Israelites] must not break through [overthrow, force their way] to come up to the LORD [toward God, in His presence], or He will break out [burst out, punish] against them [in judgment, as a consequence].” word study 25 So Moses [the Israelite leader] went down [to a lower place, descended] to the people [a nation, a community] and spoke [told, commanded] to them [toward the crowd, addressing them directly]. word study