1 The Lord told Moses, “Come up to the Lord—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders. You are to worship at a distance. 2 Only Moses may approach the Lord—the others must not come near. The people may not go up the mountain*“The mountain”: supplied for clarity. with him.”

3 Moses went and told the people all the Lord's instructions and regulations. They all responded together: “We will do everything the Lord says!”

4 Moses wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the following morning and built an altar at the bottom of the mountain, and set up twelve pillars for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent out some young Israelite men who went and offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. 6 Moses put half of the blood into bowls, and sprinkled the other half on the altar.

7 Then he picked up the Book of the Agreement and read it to the people. They replied, “We will do everything the Lord says. We will obey.”

8 So Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the agreement that the Lord has made with you following these terms.”

9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders climbed up the mountain, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a tiled pavement made of lapis lazuli, as clear blue as the sky itself. 11 But God did not harm†“Harm”: this was because of the expectation that anyone who saw God would die (Genesis 32:30; Judges 6:22), endorsed by God himself (33:20) the leaders of Israel—they saw him, and they ate and drank a sacred meal.‡“A sacred meal”: supplied for clarity.

12 Then the Lord told Moses, “Come up the mountain to me, and stay here, so I can give you the stone tablets, with the instructions and commands I have written for them to learn.”

13 So Moses left with Joshua his attendant and climbed up the mountain of God. 14 He told the elders, “Stay here and wait for us to return. Aaron and Hur are with you. If anyone has a problem, they can talk with them.”

15 As Moses climbed up on the mountain, the cloud covered it 16 The Lord's glory came down on Mount Sinai, covering it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the Lord's glory looked like a burning fire on the top of the mountain. 18 Moses went into the cloud as he climbed up on the mountain, and he stayed on the mountain for forty days and nights.