The Covenant is Sealed with Blood

1The LORDa told Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel, and worshipb at a distance. 2Only Moses is to approach the LORD, but the othersc are not to approach; the people are not to come up with him.”

3Then Moses came and reported all the words of the LORD and all the statutes to the people, and they alld answered with one voice, “We will do everything that the LORD has decreed.”

4So Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He got up early in the morning and built an altar with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel at the base of the mountain. 5He sent young Israeli men to offer up burnt offerings and sacrifice bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. 6Moses took half the blood and put it in bowls, while he sprinkled the other halfe on the altar. 7He took the Book of the Covenant and read it tof the people. They said, “We will put into practice and obey everything that the LORD has decreed.”

8Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD made with you based on all these words.”

9Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel went up 10and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky. 11Becauseg Godh did not punishi the Israeli leaders, they looked at God, yet livedj to eat and drink.

Moses Receives the Law on the Mountain

12Then the LORD told Moses, “Go up to me on the mountain and stayk there. I’ll give you stone tablets with the instruction and law that I’ve written to teach the people.”l

13So Moses got up, along with Joshua his servant, and went up on the mountain of God. 14He told the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Look, Aaron and Hur are with you, and whoever has a dispute, let him come to them.”

15When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it. 16The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. Then on the seventh day he called to Moses from within the cloud. 17To the Israelism the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18When Moses went up on the mountain, he went into the center of the cloud and was on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights.