1 And He said to Moses, “Go up to the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Lawgiver}, you, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall bow down {hishtachavitem: prostrate in worship} from a distance.”
2 And Moses alone {levado: by himself} shall approach the LORD {YHWH, Lawgiver}; but they shall not approach and the people shall not go up with him.
3 And Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Lawgiver} and all the judgments {mishpatim: binding rulings}. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do.”
4 And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD {YHWH, Law Giver}. Then he rose early in the morning and built an altar {mizbeach: place of sacrifice} at the foot of the mountain, and he set up twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
5 And Moses sent the young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings {olot: ascending sacrifices} and sacrificed bulls as peace offerings to the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Recipient}.
6 Moses took half of the blood {dam: life essence} and put it in the bowls, while the other half he splashed upon the altar {mizbeach: sacrificial platform}.
7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read from it so the people could hear. And they said, “All that the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Maker} has spoken {diber: divine command}, we will do and we will obey.”
8 And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people. Then he declared, "See, the blood of the covenant {berit: binding agreement} that the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Maker} has cut with you concerning all these words."
9 And Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy {shiv'im: designated delegation} of the elders of Israel {Yisrael: God-wrestler} went up.
10 And they saw the God of Israel {Elohei Yisrael, Divine Witness}, and beneath His feet was a pavement of sapphire {sappir: brilliant blue stone}, like the very substance of the heavens for clarity.
11 And God {Elohim, Majestic Presence} did not stretch out His hand against the nobles {atsilei: chief men} of the sons of Israel; they saw God and they ate and they drank.
12 And the LORD {YHWH, Lawgiver} said to Moses, “Ascend to me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the tablets {luchot: inscribed slabs} of stone, the law, and the commandment that I have written, so that you may teach them.”
13 And Moses arose with Joshua his attendant, and he went up to the mountain {har: divine meeting ground} of God {Elohim, Divine Encounter}.
14 And to the elders he said, “Sit here {bazeh: this location} for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you—whoever has matters {devarim: disputes} may approach them.”
15 And Moses {mosheh: Covenant Mediator} went up to the mountain, and the cloud {heanan: visible divine presence} covered the mountain.
16 And the glory of the LORD {YHWH, Majestic Presence} rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud {anan: divine covering} enveloped it for six days; on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud.
17 And the appearance of the glory of the LORD {YHWH, Majestic Presence} was like a consuming fire {esh: devouring force} on the top of the mountain, in the sight of the sons of Israel.
18 And Moses {Mosheh: Lawgiver} stepped into the midst of the cloud {anan: divine covering} and ascended the mountain. And Moses remained on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.