In the third month after leaving Egypt, Israel came to the wilderness of Sinai. They left Rephidim and camped before the mountain. Moses went up to God, who told him to remind the people how God had carried them out of Egypt. If they listened and kept the covenant, they would be God’s treasured possession among the nations, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Moses told the elders, and all the people answered together that they would do everything the LORD had spoken. God said he would come in a thick cloud so that the people could hear him speaking with Moses. They were to prepare for three days and wash their clothes. A boundary was set around the mountain. No person or animal was to touch it, under penalty of death.
On the third morning there was thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, and a very loud trumpet blast. The people trembled. Moses led them out of camp to stand before God. Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD descended in fire. The mountain shook, the trumpet grew louder, and God answered Moses by voice.
God called Moses to the summit and again warned him to keep the people from breaking through the boundary. Even the priests were to consecrate themselves. Moses went down and spoke to the people.
God identified himself as the one who brought them out of the house of slavery. They were to have no other gods, make no image for worship, misuse no divine name, and remember the Sabbath. They were to honor father and mother, and not murder, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet what belonged to a neighbor.
The people saw the thunder, lightning, trumpet, and smoking mountain and stood far off in fear. They asked Moses to speak for God, fearing that direct speech from God would kill them. Moses told them not to fear, for God had come to test them so that the fear of God would keep them from sinning. The people remained at a distance while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Everyone in the camp could hear the fire, cloud, trumpet, and thunder on the mountain. They did not cross the boundary but waited as Moses went and returned. He gave them the ten commands: words about serving God and words about parents and neighbors. The people who had left Egypt first heard the voice of the one who had brought them out. In the final scene they stood far away in fear while Moses alone entered the thick darkness.