Moses Meets God on Mount Sinai
19In the third month after the people of Israel left Egypt, they came to the Sinai Desert on the same day. 2They had left Rephidim and had come to the Sinai Desert. There Israel set up their tents in front of the mountain. 3And Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Say this to the house of Jacob and tell the people of Israel: 4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5Now then, if you will obey My voice and keep My agreement, you will belong to Me from among all nations. For all the earth is Mine. 6You will be to Me a nation of religious leaders, a holy nation.’ These are the words you will speak to the people of Israel.”
7So Moses came and called the leaders of the people. He told them all these words which the Lord had told him. 8And all the people answered together and said, “We will do all that the Lord has said!” Then Moses went to tell the Lord what the people had said. 9The Lord said to Moses, “See, I will come to you in a thick cloud. So the people may hear when I speak with you, and may believe you forever.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. 10The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people. Today and tomorrow set them apart to be holy. Have them wash their clothes. 11And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day people will see the Lord come down on Mount Sinai. 12Let the people know the places all around that they must not pass. Tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up on the mountain or touch any place around it. Whoever touches the mountain will be put to death. 13No hand will touch him. But he will be killed with stones or arrows. If he be animal or man, he will not live.’ When a long sound from a horn is heard, they may come up to the mountain.”
14So Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He set the people apart to be holy, and they washed their clothes. 15He said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Do not go near a woman.”
16On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning. A cloud covered the mountain, and a very loud horn sounded. All the people among the tents shook with fear. 17Then Moses brought the people from among the tents to meet God. They stood at the base of the mountain. 18Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord came down upon it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a stove. And the whole mountain shook. 19The sound of the horn became louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. 20Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. The Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. 21Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and tell the people not to break through to look at the Lord. For then many of them would be destroyed. 22Have the religious leaders who come near to the Lord set themselves apart to be holy. Or the Lord will go against them.” 23Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. For You told us, ‘Set places around the mountain that must not be passed, and set it apart as holy.’” 24Then the Lord said to him, “Go down, and then come up with Aaron. But do not let the religious leaders and the people break through to come up to the Lord, or He will go against them.” 25So Moses went down to the people and told them.
God’s Ten Great Laws
20Then God spoke all these words, saying, 2“I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house where you were servants.
3“Have no gods other than Me.
4“Do not make for yourselves a god to look like anything that is in heaven above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.
5“Do not worship them or work for them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I punish the children, even the great-grandchildren, for the sins of their fathers who hate Me. 6But I show loving-kindness to thousands of those who love Me and keep My Laws.
7“Do not use the name of the Lord your God in a false way. For the Lord will punish the one who uses His name in a false way.
8“Remember the Day of Rest, to keep it holy. 9Six days you will do all your work. 10But the seventh day is a Day of Rest to the Lord your God. You, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your cattle, or the traveler who stays with you, must not do any work on this day. 11For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them. And He rested on the seventh day. So the Lord gave honor to the Day of Rest and made it holy.
12“Honor your father and your mother, so your life may be long in the land the Lord your God gives you.
13“Do not kill other people.
14“Do not do sex sins.
15“Do not steal.
16“Do not tell a lie about your neighbor.
17“Do not have a desire for your neighbor’s house. Do not have a desire for his wife or his male servant, his female servant, or his bull or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
18All the people heard and saw the thunder and lightning, the sound of the horn, and the mountain smoking. And when the people saw it, they shook with fear and stood far away. 19They said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen. But do not let God speak to us or we will die.” 20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so you may have enough fear of Him to keep you from sinning.” 21The people stood far away, while Moses came near to the cloud where God was.
22Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven. 23Do not make any gods other than Me. Do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. 24Make an altar of earth for Me, and on it give your burnt and peace gifts in worship, your sheep and cattle. In every place where My name is to be remembered, I will come to you and bring good to you. 25If you make an altar of stone for Me, do not build it of cut stones. For if you use an object to cut it, it will be unclean. 26And do not go up on steps to My altar, so no part of your body may be seen without being covered.’
Laws about Servants
21“Now these are the Laws which you are to give them. 2If you buy a Hebrew servant, he will work for six years. In the seventh year he will go free, paying nothing. 3If he comes alone, he will leave by himself. If he is married, then his wife will leave with him. 4If his owner gives him a wife and she gives birth to his sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her owner, and he will leave by himself. 5But if the servant says, ‘I love my owner, my wife and my children; I do not care to go free,’ 6then his owner will bring him to the judges. And he will bring him to the door or the side of the door. There his owner will make a hole in his ear with a sharp object. And he will serve him all his life.
7“If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she is not to go free as the male servants do. 8If she does not please her owner who has taken her for himself, he will take pay for her to be set free. He does not have the right to sell her to a strange people, because he has not been fair to her. 9If he takes her for his son, he will act toward her as with a daughter. 10If he marries again, her food, clothing and marriage rights are to stay the same. 11And if he will not do these three things for her, then she may go free, without paying any money.
Laws about Fighting and Killing
12“Whoever hits a man so that he dies will be put to death. 13But if he did not plan to hurt him, but God allowed it to happen, then I will give you a place where he may run to be safe. 14But if a man wants to hurt his neighbor and he plans to kill him, then you take him away from My altar and put him to death.
15“Whoever hits his father or his mother will be put to death.
16“Whoever steals a man and sells him, or keeps him for himself, will be put to death. 17Whoever curses his father or his mother will be put to death.
18“When men argue and one hits the other with a stone or with his hand, and he does not die but has to stay in bed because of it, 19then if he gets up and walks around outside using his walking stick, the one who hit him will not be punished. He will only pay for the loss of his time. And he will take care of him until he is healed.
20“When a man hits his male or female servant with a stick so that he or she dies, he will be punished. 21But if he or she lives a day or two, he will not be punished, for his servant belongs to him.
22“If men fight with each other and hit a woman who is going to have a child so that she loses her baby but no other hurt comes to her, he must pay whatever the woman’s husband says he must, as agreed upon by the judges. 23But if there is other hurt also, then it is life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, cut for cut, sore for sore.
26“If a man hits the eye of his male or female servant and destroys it, he will let the person go free because of the eye. 27If he knocks out a tooth of his man or woman servant, he will let the person go free because of the tooth.
Laws about Owning Animals
28“When a bull kills a man or a woman with its horns, the bull will be killed with stones. And its flesh will not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be punished. 29But if a bull has tried to kill with its horns before, and the owner has been told but does not keep him shut up, and the bull kills a man or a woman, the bull will be killed with stones and the owner will be put to death. 30But if he is allowed to pay for his life, then he will pay whatever is asked of him. 31If the bull kills a son or a daughter, it will be punished by the same law. 32If the bull kills a male or female servant, the bull’s owner will give the servant’s owner thirty pieces of silver. And the bull will be killed with stones.
33“When a man leaves a deep hole open, or digs a deep hole and does not cover it, and a bull or donkey falls into it, 34the owner of the hole will pay for the loss. He will give money to the animal’s owner. And the dead animal will become his.
35“If one man’s bull hurts another’s so that it dies, they will sell the live bull and divide the price so they will each have the same. And they will divide the dead bull. 36Or if it is known that the bull has tried to kill with its horns in the past, but its owner has not kept it shut up, he will pay bull for bull. And the dead animal will become his.
Laws about Paying Back What Is Owed
22“If a man steals a bull or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he will pay five bulls for the bull and four sheep for the sheep. 2If the robber is caught while breaking in, and is hit so that he dies, the owner of the house is not guilty for his blood. 3But if the sun has risen on him, there will be guilt for his blood. The robber must pay for the loss. If he has nothing, then he must be sold for stealing. 4If the stolen bull or donkey or sheep is found alive with him, he must pay twice what it is worth. 5If a man lets his cattle eat from a field or grape-field and lets his cattle loose to eat in another man’s field, he will pay for the loss from the best of his own field or grape-field.
6“When a fire starts and spreads to thorn bushes so as to burn up picked grain or standing grain or the field itself, he who started the fire will pay for the loss.
7“If a man gives his neighbor money or things to keep for him, and it is stolen from the man’s house, if the robber is caught he will pay twice as much as the loss. 8If the robber is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought to the judges. They will see if he stole what belongs to his neighbor. 9For every wrong act, if it is for bull, donkey, sheep, clothing, or any lost thing about which someone says, ‘This is mine,’ the stories of both men will come in front of the judges. Whoever the judges say is guilty will pay his neighbor twice as much as the loss.
10“If a man gives his neighbor a donkey, bull, sheep or any animal to keep for him, and it dies or is hurt or is driven away while no one is looking, 11the two men will make a promise before the Lord that he has not taken what belongs to his neighbor. The owner will take his word for it. And he will not make him pay for the loss. 12But if it is stolen from him, he will pay the owner for the loss. 13If the animal is torn to pieces, let him bring it to prove what happened. He will not pay for what has been torn to pieces.
14“If a man asks to use anything that belongs to his neighbor, and it gets hurt or dies while its owner is not with it, the man who was using it will pay for the loss. 15If its owner is with it, the man who was using it will not pay for the loss. If he paid money to use it, then the loss is paid for.
Laws about Right Living
16“If a man tempts a woman who has never had a man and is not promised in marriage, and lies with her, he must pay a wedding gift for her to be his wife. 17If her father will not give her to him, he will pay the wedding gift that is to be paid for women who have never had a man.
18“Do not allow a woman to live who does witchcraft. 19Whoever does sex sins with an animal will be put to death.
20“He who gives a gift in worship to any god other than the Lord alone will be destroyed. 21Do not do wrong to a stranger or make it hard for him. For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22Do not bring trouble to any woman whose husband has died or any child whose parents have died. 23If you bring them trouble, and they cry out to Me, for sure I will hear their cry. 24My anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword. Then your wives will lose their husbands. And your children will lose their fathers.
25“If you let any of the poor among My people use your money, do not act toward him like one who is owed money. And do not make him pay you for the use of it. 26If you ever take your neighbor’s coat to keep while he owes you money, return it to him before the sun goes down. 27For that is his only covering. It is his clothing for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to Me, I will hear him. For I have loving-pity.
28“Do not curse God, or a ruler of your people. 29Do not wait before giving Me a gift from your gathered grain and the fruit of your fields. You will give to Me the first-born of your sons. 30You will do the same with your cattle and your sheep. The first-born will be with its mother seven days. On the eighth day you will give it to Me. 31You will be holy men to Me. So you will not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field. You will throw it to the dogs.
Different Laws
23“Do not tell a lie about someone else. Do not join with the sinful to say something that will hurt someone. 2Do not follow many people in doing wrong. When telling what you know in a trial, do not agree with many people by saying what is not true. 3And do not show favor to a poor man when he has a problem.
4“If you meet a bull or donkey that belongs to a man who hates you, be sure to return the animal to him. 5If you see the donkey of one who hates you falling under its load, do not leave the problem to him. Help him to free the animal. 6Do not keep from doing what is right and fair in trying to help a poor brother when he has a problem. 7Do not lie against someone. And do not kill those who are right and good or those who are not guilty. For I will not free the guilty. 8Do not take pay in secret for wrong-doing. For such pay blinds the one who sees well and destroys the words of a good man. 9Do not make it hard for a stranger because you know how a stranger feels. You were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Seventh Year and Seventh Day
10“You will plant seeds in your land for six years, and gather the grain. 11But in the seventh year you will let the land rest without planting. So your people who are in need may eat. Whatever they leave, the animals may eat. You are to do the same with your grape-fields and olive trees. 12You will work six days and rest on the seventh day. So your bull and your donkey may rest. And the son of your female servant, and the stranger, may get their strength again. 13Be careful to do all I have said to you. Never speak the name of other gods. Do not let them be heard from your mouth.
Three Great Suppers
14“Three times a year you will have a special supper to honor Me. 15You will have the special supper of bread without yeast. For seven days you are to eat bread without yeast at the time I tell you in the month of Abib. For you came out of Egypt during this month. And no one will come before Me with nothing in his hands. 16You will have the special supper of the gathering time of the first-fruits of your work, of all you plant in the field. And you will have the special supper of gathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your work from the field. 17Three times a year all your males will come before the Lord God.
18“Do not give the blood of My gift of worship with bread made with yeast. And the fat of My special supper is not to be kept all night until morning. 19Bring the best first-fruits of your land to the house of the Lord your God. Do not boil the meat of a young goat in its mother’s milk.
The Angel and the Promises
20“See, I am sending an angel before you to keep you safe on the way. He will bring you to the place I have made ready. 21Listen to him and obey his voice. Do not turn against him, for he will not forgive your sins, because My name is in him. 22But if you obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will hate those who hate you and fight against those who fight against you. 23For My angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. And I will destroy them. 24Do not worship their gods, or serve them, or act like them. But you are to destroy them and break their pillars of worship to pieces. 25Serve the Lord your God and He will give you bread and water. And I will take sickness from among you. 26Women in your land will not lose their babies before they are born, and will be able to give birth. I will give you a full life. 27I will send My fear before you. The people you meet will be afraid. And I will make all those who hate you run away from you. 28I will send hornets before you. They will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites and the Hittites before you come. 29I will not move them out of your way in one year. So the land will not become a waste, and the animals of the field become too many for you. 30I will drive them out a few at a time, until you become many and take the land for your own. 31I will give you the land from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates River. For I will give you power over the people of the land. And you will drive them away from you. 32Make no agreement with them or their gods. 33They are not to live in your land, or they will make you sin against Me. If you worship their gods, for sure it will be a trap to you.”
Israel Agrees
24Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the leaders of Israel and worship from far away. 2But Moses alone may come near the Lord. The others should not come near and should not come up with him.”
3Moses came and told the people all the Lord said and all the Laws. All the people answered with one voice, saying, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken.” 4Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the base of the mountain, with twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve families of Israel. 5Then he sent young men of Israel, who gave burnt gifts and killed young bulls as gifts of peace given in worship to the Lord. 6Moses took half of the blood and put it in pots. The other half of the blood he put upon the altar. 7Then he took the Book of the Agreement and read it for the people to hear. They said, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken. We will obey.” 8So Moses took the blood and put some on the people. He said, “See, the blood of the agreement, which the Lord has made with you in these words.”
9Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the leaders of Israel. 10And they saw the God of Israel. The ground under His feet looked like sapphire stone, as clear as the sky itself. 11He did not let His hand come against the leaders of Israel. But they saw God, and ate and drank.
Moses on Mount Sinai
12The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there. I will give you the pieces of stone with the Law which I have written for you to teach the people.” 13Then Moses got up with his helper Joshua, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. 14He said to the leaders, “Wait here until we return to you. See, Aaron and Hur are with you. Let whoever has a problem go to them.” 15Then Moses went up on the mountain, which was covered with a cloud. 16The shining-greatness of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai. And the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day He called to Moses from the cloud. 17To the people of Israel, the shining-greatness of the Lord looked like a fire that destroys on the mountain top. 18Moses went into the cloud as he went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Gifts Given in Worship
25The Lord said to Moses, 2“Tell the people of Israel to take a gift for Me. Receive the gift for Me from every person whose heart makes him willing. 3This is the gift you are to receive from them: Gold, silver and brass, 4blue, purple and red cloth, fine linen, goat hair, 5rams’ skins made red, badgers’ skins, acacia wood, 6lamp oil, spices for the oil used in worship and for perfumes, 7onyx stones, and stones to be set in the clothing of the religious leaders. 8Let them make a holy place for Me, so I may live among them. 9Make the meeting tent and all that is in it like the plans I am going to show you.
The Special Box of the Agreement
10“They will make a special box of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits tall. 11Cover it inside and out with pure gold. And make a piece of gold to put on it all around. 12Make four gold rings for it and put them on its four feet. Put two rings on one side of it and two rings on the other side. 13Cut long pieces of acacia wood for carrying and cover them with gold. 14Then put the pieces of wood through the rings on the sides of the box, for carrying the box. 15The long pieces will stay in the rings of the box. They must not be taken out. 16Put into the special box the Law which I will give you. 17Then make a mercy-seat from pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18Make two cherubim out of beaten gold. Make them at the two ends of the mercy-seat. 19Make one cherub on one end and one cherub on the other end. Make the top of the mercy-seat, with the cherubim at each end, of one piece. 20The wings of the cherubim should spread up over the mercy-seat. Their faces should be toward each other, and toward the mercy-seat. 21Put the mercy-seat on top of the box. Put the Law which I will give you into the box. 22I will meet with you there. Between the two cherubim which are upon the special box of the Law, I will speak to you about all the Laws I will give you for the people of Israel.
The Table for the Holy Bread
23“Make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits tall. 24Cover it with pure gold and make a gold piece around it. 25Make a piece around it as wide as a hand and put gold on the side of this piece all around. 26Make four rings of gold for it. Put them on the four corners that are on the table’s four legs. 27The rings will be close to the sides, to hold the long pieces of wood used to carry the table. 28Cut the long, straight pieces of acacia wood and cover them with gold. The table will be carried with these. 29Make its plates, its pots and its jars, for pouring your gifts of drink. Make them of pure gold. 30And set the holy bread on the table before Me all the time.
31“Then make a lamp-stand of pure gold. The lamp-stand and its base are to be made of beaten gold. Its cups, its buds, and its flowers will be of one piece with it. 32Six branches will go out of its sides, three branches of the lamp-stand out of one side, and three branches out of its other side. 33Three cups will be made to look like almond flowers, each with bud and flower on one branch, and three on the next branch. This is to be done for all six branches going out of the lamp-stand. 34Four cups made to look like almond flowers, with their buds and flowers, will be put on the lamp-stand’s base. 35Make a bud under each of the six branches going out from the place where the lamp-stand is put. 36Their buds and their branches will all be one piece with the lamp-stand of pure, beaten gold. 37Then make the seven lamps and put them where they will give light to the space in front of it. 38The objects for putting out the light and their dishes will be of pure gold. 39Make it and all the objects for it out of a piece of gold about half the weight of a man. 40See that you make them by following the plan for them that was shown to you on the mountain.
The Meeting Tent
26“Make the meeting tent with ten curtains of fine linen, blue and purple and red. Make them with cherubim sewed into them by an able workman. 2Each curtain will be as long as fourteen long steps, and as wide as two long steps, all of them the same. 3Five curtains will be joined to one another. And the other five curtains will be joined to one another. 4Take small pieces of blue cloth, longer than they are wide. Sew both ends to the side of the last curtain in the first group. Then do the same on the side of the last curtain in the second group. 5Put fifty of these pieces on the one curtain. And put fifty on the side of the other curtain, so that the pieces meet each other. 6Make fifty hooks of gold and join the curtains together with the hooks so the meeting tent will be as one.
7“Make curtains of goat hair for a covering over the meeting tent. Make eleven curtains in all. 8Each curtain will be as long as fifteen long steps, and as wide as two long steps, all of them the same. 9Join five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves. Lay the sixth curtain over the front of the meeting tent twice. 10Take fifty small pieces of cloth, longer than they are wide. Sew both ends of each to the side of the last curtain in the first group. Then sew fifty pieces onto the side of the last curtain in the second group. 11Make fifty hooks of brass. Put the hooks through the sewed pieces of cloth and join the tent together as one. 12The part that is left of the tent’s curtains, the half curtain, will lie over the back of the meeting tent. 13There will be parts of the tent’s curtains left over on each side, about a cubit. These will hang over each side of the meeting tent to cover it. 14Make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins made red, and a covering over that of badgers’ skins.
15“Then make the standing pieces of wood for the meeting tent out of acacia wood. 16Each piece of wood will be as long as five long steps, and as wide as one step. 17Make two joint-pieces in each piece of wood for joining them together. Do this for all the pieces of wood of the meeting tent. 18Set up twenty pieces of wood for the south side of the meeting tent. 19Make forty silver bases under the twenty pieces of wood, with two holes in each one for joining the two joint-pieces on each piece of wood. 20Cut twenty pieces of wood for the north side of the meeting tent. 21And make forty silver bases, two under each piece of wood. 22Then cut six pieces of wood for the back or west side of the meeting tent. 23Cut two pieces of wood for the back corners. 24They will be apart at the bottom, and joined at the top with one ring. They will both be made the same and will make the two corners. 25There will be eight special pieces of wood and their silver bases with sixteen holes, two holes under each piece of wood.
26“Then make cross-pieces of acacia wood, five for the pieces of wood on one side of the meeting tent, 27and five for the pieces of wood on the other side of the meeting tent. Then make five for the pieces of wood at the back of the meeting tent to the west side. 28The long, cross-piece for the center of the standing pieces of wood will go through from end to end. 29Cover the standing pieces of wood with gold. Make rings of gold to hold the cross-pieces and cover these pieces with gold. 30Build the meeting tent by following the plan for it that was shown to you on the mountain.
31“Make a curtain of blue and purple and red cloth and fine linen. It will be made with cherubim sewed into it by an able workman. 32Hang it on four strong pillars of acacia wood covered with gold. Their hooks will be made of gold also. And the pillars will stand on four silver bases. 33Hang the top of the curtain from the hooks. Then bring the box of the Law within the curtain. This curtain will divide the holy place from the Holiest Place of All. 34Put the mercy-seat on the box of the Law in the Holiest Place of All. 35Set the table outside the curtain. Put the lamp-stand on the south side of the meeting tent. And put the table on the north side.
36“Make another curtain of fine linen for the door of the tent. It will be made of blue and purple and red cloth by an able workman. 37Hang it on five pillars of acacia wood covered with gold. Make their hooks of gold. And make five brass bases for them.
The Altar
27“Make the altar of acacia wood. It will be as long and as wide as three steps, and as tall as a man’s chest. 2Make horns for it on its four corners. They will be of one piece and covered with brass. 3Make its pails for taking away its ashes, its tools for picking up the ashes, its pots, meat-hooks and fire-holders. Make all of these out of brass. 4Make a net for it out of brass, with four rings of brass at its four corners. 5Put it under the altar so that the net comes up to the center of the altar. 6Make long, straight pieces of acacia wood for the altar. And cover them with brass. 7Put the long pieces of wood through the rings on each side of the altar when it is carried. 8Make the altar with pieces of wood so it is empty inside. Make it as it was shown to you on the mountain.
The Open Spaces
9“Make the open space of the meeting tent. On the south side there will be curtains for the open space. Make them of fine linen, as long as fifty long steps. 10They will hang from twenty pillars which are put on twenty bases of brass. The hooks of the pillars and their rings will be made of silver. 11Do the same for the north side. There will be curtains as long as fifty long steps, and twenty pillars with twenty bases of brass. The hooks of the pillars and their rings will be made of silver. 12On the west side of the open space there will be curtains as long as twenty-five long steps. They will have ten pillars with ten bases. 13And the east side of the open space will be as wide as twenty-five long steps.
14“The curtains for one side of the gate will be as long as seven steps. They will have three pillars with three bases. 15On the other side there will be curtains as long as seven steps, with three pillars and three bases. 16Have an able workman make a curtain out of fine linen for the gate of the open space. It will be blue, purple and red, and as long as ten long steps. It will have four pillars with four bases. 17All the pillars around the open space will have silver hooks, silver rings, and their bases of brass. 18The open space will be as long as fifty long steps, as wide as twenty-five long steps, and as high as a man raises his hand. It will have curtains of fine linen and the bases will be brass. 19All the tools used in the meeting tent, all its nails, and all the nails for the open space will be made of brass.
Care of the Lamp-Stand
20“Tell the people of Israel to bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, so a lamp may burn all the time. 21In the meeting tent, outside the curtain which is in front of the Law, Aaron and his sons will take care of it from evening until morning before the Lord. It will be a law forever for the people of Israel.
Clothes for Religious Leaders
28“Take from among the people of Israel your brother Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, to work for Me as religious leaders. 2Make holy clothing for your brother Aaron, for honor and for beauty. 3Tell all the able workmen, whom I have given the spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s clothing to set him apart for My work. He will work for Me as a religious leader. 4These are the clothes they will make: A breast-piece, a linen vest, a long piece of clothing, a long coat, a head-covering, and a wide belt. They will make holy clothing for your brother Aaron and his sons to work for Me as religious leaders. 5They will use gold and blue and purple and red cloth and fine linen.
The Linen Vest
6“They will use gold and blue, purple and red cloth and fine linen to make the linen vest that holds the breast-piece. It will be the work of the able workman. 7It will have two shoulder pieces to join it at the two ends. 8The well-made belt on it will be made of the same gold and blue, purple and red cloth and fine linen. 9Take two onyx stones and cut on them the names of Israel’s sons. 10Put six of their names on one stone, and the six names of the others on the other stone, from the oldest to the youngest. 11As an able workman cuts words in a ring, cut the names of Israel’s sons on the two stones. Then set them into beautiful pieces of gold. 12Put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the linen vest, as stones for the family groups of Israel to be remembered. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord, to be remembered. 13Make beautiful pieces of gold 14and two chains of pure gold. Make them like ropes are made. And put the chains on the pieces of gold.
The Breast-Piece
15“Make a breast-piece to be used when judging. It is to be made by an able workman. Make it like the work of the linen vest, of gold, and blue, purple and red cloth and fine linen. 16It will be as long as it is wide, with one half laid over the other. Make it as long and as wide as a man’s fingers can spread. 17Put four straight rows of stones on it. The first row will be a ruby, a topaz and an emerald. 18The second row will be a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond. 19The third row will be a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst. 20And the fourth row will be a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They will be set in beautiful pieces of gold. 21There will be twelve stones, one for each name of the sons of Israel. The name of each family group will be cut on one of these special stones. 22Make chains for the breast-piece, like ropes of pure gold. 23And make two rings of gold and put them on the two ends of the breast-piece. 24Join the two gold chains to the two rings at the ends of the breast-piece. 25Join the other two ends of the two chains to the beautiful gold pieces that hold the two stones at the shoulders in the front. 26Make two rings of gold to put on the two ends of the breast-piece, on the inside, next to the linen vest. 27Then make two rings of gold and put them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the linen vest in front, near where they join. They will be above the well-made belt of the linen vest. 28Tie the rings of the breast-piece to the rings of the linen vest with a blue rope so the breast-piece may not come loose from the linen vest.
29“Aaron will carry the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breast-piece of judging when he goes in the holy place, so they will be remembered before the Lord all the time.
Other Religious Leaders’ Clothes
30“Put the Urim and the Thummim into the breast-piece over Aaron’s heart when he goes before the Lord. Aaron will carry the judging of the people of Israel over his heart before the Lord all the time.
31“Make the long piece of clothing all of blue. 32There will be an opening at its top in the center. Around the opening it will be sewed like the opening on heavy battle clothes, so it may not be torn. 33Make pomegranates of blue and purple and red cloth to put all around the bottom of this clothing. And put bells of gold between them. 34Put a gold bell and a pomegranate, then a gold bell and a pomegranate, all the way around the bottom of this clothing. 35Aaron will wear it when he serves Me. The sound of the bells will be heard when he goes in the holy place and when he comes out so that he will not die.
36“Make a plate of pure gold and write on it, ‘Holy to the Lord.’ 37Put it to the front of the head covering with a blue rope. 38It will be on Aaron’s forehead. Aaron will take away the sin of the holy things which the people of Israel set apart for the Lord as their holy gifts. It will always be on his forehead, so they may be received by the Lord. 39Make the long coat of fine linen, a head covering of fine linen, and a wide belt, the work of an able workman.
40“Make long coats for Aaron’s sons. And make belts and head coverings for them, for honor and for beauty. 41Dress your brother Aaron and his sons in them. Then pour oil on them, set them apart and make them holy, so they may serve Me as religious leaders. 42Make for them linen clothing to cover their flesh from their belts to their legs. 43Aaron and his sons will wear them when they go into the meeting tent, or when they go near the altar to serve in the holy place. Then they will not be guilty and die. It will be a law for him and for his children forever.
Aaron and His Sons Set Apart
29“This is what you will do to set them apart to serve as religious leaders for Me. Take one young bull and two rams that are perfect. 2Have bread without yeast, and bread mixed with oil, and hard bread made without yeast and spread with oil. Make them of fine grain flour. 3Put them in one basket. Then bring them in the basket with the bull and the two rams. 4Bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the meeting tent, and wash them with water. 5Take the clothing and dress Aaron in the long coat, the clothing over the linen vest, the linen vest, and the breast-piece. Put on him the well-made belt of the linen vest. 6Put the covering on his head, and the holy crown on the head covering. 7Then take the oil for holy use and pour it on his head to set him apart for My work. 8Bring his sons and dress them with long coats. 9Put belts on Aaron and his sons. Tie head coverings on them. And they will be religious leaders by law for all time. So you will set apart Aaron and his sons for My work.
10“Then bring the bull in front of the meeting tent. Aaron and his sons will lay their hands on the head of the bull. 11Then kill the bull before the Lord at the door of the meeting tent. 12Take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger. Then pour out all the blood at the base of the altar. 13Take all the fat that covers the inside parts, and the part that is on the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. 14But the flesh of the bull, its skin, and its waste you will burn away from the tents. It is a sin gift.
15“Then take one of the rams and have Aaron and his sons lay their hands on the head of the ram. 16Kill the ram and take its blood and put it around the altar. 17Cut the ram into pieces. Wash its inside parts and its legs. And put them with its pieces and its head. 18Burn the whole ram on the altar for a burnt gift in worship to the Lord. It is a pleasing smell, a gift by fire to the Lord.
19“Then take the other ram and have Aaron and his sons lay their hands on the ram’s head. 20Kill the ram and put some of its blood on the bottom of Aaron’s right ear, on the bottom of his sons’ right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Put the rest of the blood around the altar. 21Take some of the blood from the altar and some of the special oil. Put some on Aaron and his sons and their clothing. So Aaron and his clothing and his sons and their clothing will be set apart and made holy. 22Take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the inside parts, the part that is on the liver, the two kidneys with their fat, and the fat that is on the right thigh. For it is a ram used to set apart those who work for Me. 23And take one loaf of bread, and one loaf of bread mixed with oil, and one piece of hard bread from the basket of bread without yeast that is set before the Lord. 24Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons. They will wave them for a wave gift before the Lord. 25Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar for a burnt gift in worship. It is a pleasing smell before the Lord. It is a gift by fire to the Lord.
26“Take the breast of Aaron’s ram used to set him apart. Wave it as a wave gift before the Lord. And it will be your share. 27Then set apart the breast of the wave gift and the thigh that was waved and given from the ram used to set apart those who work for Me. One was for Aaron and one for his sons. 28It will be for Aaron and his sons as their share forever from the people of Israel. For it is the religious leaders’ share to be given by the people of Israel from their peace gifts. It is their gift to the Lord.
29“The holy clothing of Aaron will be for his sons after him. They will wear them when the oil for holy use is poured on them and they are set apart for My work. 30The son who takes his place as religious leader will wear them seven days as he goes into the meeting tent to serve in the holy place.
31“Take the ram used to set apart those who work for Me and boil its flesh in a holy place. 32Aaron and his sons will eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, at the door of the meeting tent. 33They will eat those things that were used in worship when they were forgiven of their sin and when they were set apart for My work. But one who is not a religious leader may not eat them, because they are holy. 34If any of the meat or bread used to set apart those who work for Me is left until morning, it must be burned. It must not be eaten, because it is holy.
35“Do to Aaron and his sons all I have told you. For seven days you will set them apart for My work. 36Give a bull each day for a sin gift, to take away sin. Make the altar clean by taking sin away from it and pour special oil on it to set it apart for Me. 37For seven days give gifts upon the altar to take away sin and set it apart for Me. Then the altar will be most holy. And whatever touches the altar will be holy.
The Gifts Given Each Day
38“Now this is what you will give on the altar: Two lambs one year old, given every day. 39Give one lamb in the morning, and the other lamb in the evening. 40With the first lamb give a jar of fine flour mixed with a half jar of beaten oil, and a half jar of wine to be poured out. 41Give the other lamb in the evening. Do it with a grain gift and a gift to pour out as in the morning. It has a pleasing smell, a gift by fire to the Lord. 42For all time to come this burnt gift is to be given at the door of the meeting tent before the Lord. There I will meet with you and speak to you. 43I will meet there with the people of Israel. It will be set apart by My shining-greatness. 44I will set apart the meeting tent and the altar. And I will set apart Aaron and his sons to work as religious leaders for Me. 45I will live among the people of Israel and will be their God. 46They will know that I am the Lord their God, Who brought them out of the land of Egypt to live among them. I am the Lord their God.
The Altar for Special Perfume
30“Make an altar for burning special perfume. Make it of acacia wood. 2It will be as long and as wide as a man’s arm and as high as a man’s waist. Its horns will be of one piece with it. 3Cover its top, all its sides and its horns with pure gold. And make a piece of gold to go around it. 4Then make two gold rings for the altar to put under this piece. Put one on each side of the altar so it can hold the long pieces of wood used for carrying it. 5Make the long pieces of acacia wood and cover them with gold. 6Put this altar in front of the curtain that is by the box of the Law, in front of the mercy-seat that is over the box of the Law. There I will meet with you. 7Aaron will burn special perfume on it every morning when he takes care of the lamps. 8And when Aaron takes care of the lamps in the evening, he will burn special perfume. There will be a burning of special perfume before the Lord for all your people for all time. 9Do not give upon this altar any perfume, burnt gift or grain gift that is not holy. And do not pour out a drink gift on it. 10Once a year Aaron will give a gift for sin on its horns to take away sin. He will give the blood of the sin gift to make it holy once a year for all your people for all time. It is most holy to the Lord.”
Tax for the Meeting Tent
11The Lord said to Moses, 12“When you number the people of Israel, each one of them will pay a price for his life to the Lord. Then no trouble will come upon them when you number them. 13Every one who is numbered will give one piece of silver, by the weight decided upon for the holy place. One piece of silver will be a gift to the Lord. 14Every one who is numbered, twenty years old and older, will give the gift to the Lord. 15The rich will not pay more and the poor will not pay less than one piece of silver. It will be a gift to the Lord so you will be forgiven of sin. 16Receive this money from the people of Israel and use it for the work of the meeting tent. Then it will be remembered before the Lord that the people of Israel gave a gift to take away their sin of being numbered.”
The Pot of Brass for Washing
17The Lord said to Moses, 18“Make a pot of brass for washing. Make its base of brass also. Put it between the meeting tent and the altar, and put water in it. 19Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and feet with water from it. 20When they go into the meeting tent, they will wash with water, so they will not die. And they will wash when they go near the altar to give a gift made by fire to the Lord. 21They will wash their hands and their feet, so they will not die. It will always be a law for Aaron and his children forever.”
The Holy Oil for Pouring
22The Lord said to Moses, 23“Take the best spices: a heavy weight of flowing myrrh, half that weight of sweet-smelling cinnamon and of sweet-smelling cane, 24and a heavy weight of cassia, the weight decided upon by the holy place, and a large jar of olive oil. 25Mix these to make a holy oil for holy use, mixed like perfume made by an able workman. It will be a holy oil for holy use. 26Pour it on the meeting tent and the box of the Law, 27the table and all its objects, the lamp-stand and all its objects, the altar of special perfume, 28the altar of burnt gifts and all its objects, and the washing pot and its base. 29Set them apart so they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will be holy. 30Pour oil on Aaron and his sons. Set them apart so they may serve as religious leaders for Me. 31Say to the people of Israel, ‘This will be a holy oil to Me for all your people for all time. 32It will not be poured on the flesh of man. And you will not mix any like it. It is holy. It will be holy to you. 33Whoever mixes any like it, or puts any of it on a man who is not a religious leader, will be cut off from his people.’”
34The Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense. Take the same amount of each. 35Mix them to make a special perfume, salted, pure and holy, the work of an able workman. 36Beat some of it very fine. And put some of it in front of the special box of the agreement in the meeting tent, where I will meet with you. It will be most holy to you. 37Do not mix this special perfume in the same way for yourselves. It will be holy for you to the Lord. 38Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume will be cut off from his people.”
Builders of the Meeting Tent
31The Lord said to Moses, 2“See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the family of Judah. 3I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, understanding, much learning, and all kinds of special work. 4He will plan good work in gold, silver and brass, 5in cutting stones to set, and in cutting wood, for all kinds of good work. 6And see, I have given Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the family of Dan to help him. I have put wisdom in the hearts of all who are wise, so they may make all that I have told you: 7the meeting tent, the box of the Law, the mercy-seat upon it, and all the objects of the tent, 8the table and its objects, the pure gold lamp-stand with all its objects, the altar of special perfume, 9the altar of burnt gifts with all its objects, the washing pot and its base, 10the well-made clothing, the holy clothing for Aaron the religious leader, the clothing for his sons for their work as religious leaders, 11the oil for holy use, and the sweet-smelling perfume for the holy place. Have them do all I have told you.”
The Day of Rest
12The Lord said to Moses, 13“Say to the people of Israel, ‘Keep My Days of Rest. For this is something special between Me and you for all your people forever. So you may know that I am the Lord Who sets you apart for Myself. 14You will keep the Day of Rest, for it is holy to you. Every one who does what is sinful on this day will be put to death for sure. Whoever does any work on this day will be cut off from among his people. 15Work may be done for six days. But the seventh day is a Day of Rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Day of Rest will be put to death for sure. 16So the people of Israel will keep the Day of Rest as a special day for all their people for all time, as an agreement forever.’ 17It is something special between Me and the people of Israel forever. For the Lord made heaven and earth in six days. But He stopped working and rested on the seventh day.”
18When the Lord had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two stone writings of the Law, pieces of stone written on by the finger of God.
The Gold Calf
32When the people saw that Moses was staying a long time before coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron, and said, “Come, make a god for us who will go in front of us. For we do not know what has become of Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt.” 2Aaron said to them, “Take the objects of gold from the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3So all the people took the gold objects from their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4He took the gold from their hands, worked on it with a sharp tool, and by melting it, made it into a calf. Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” 5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it. Aaron said to all the people, “Tomorrow will be a special supper to the Lord.” 6So the next day they got up early and gave burnt gifts and peace gifts. The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play.
7Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down. For your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have turned to sin. 8They have been quick to turn aside from the way I have told them. They have melted gold and made a calf for themselves. They have worshiped it, have given gifts to it, and have said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’” 9The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and see, they are a strong-willed people. 10Now let Me alone, so My anger may be against them and I may destroy them. But I will make you into a great nation.”
11Then Moses begged the Lord his God, saying, “O Lord, why are you very angry against Your people whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? 12Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and destroy them from the earth’? Turn from Your anger and change Your mind about destroying Your people. 13Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, who were your servants. You promised them by Yourself, saying, ‘I will make your children become as many as the stars of the heavens. And I will give all this land I have spoken about to your children. It will be theirs forever.’” 14So the Lord changed His mind about the things He said He would do to His people.
15Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two stone writings of the Law in his hand. The stones were written on both sides, on one side and the other. 16The stone writings were God’s work. The writing was God’s writing cut into the stones. 17When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they made noise, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war at the tents.” 18But Moses said, “It is not the sound of winning, or the sound of losing. It is the sound of singing I hear.” 19As soon as Moses came near the tents, he saw the calf and the dancing. Moses became very angry. He threw the stone writings from his hands and broke them at the base of the mountain. 20And he took the calf they had made and burned it with fire, ground it to dust, spread it over the top of the water, and made the people of Israel drink it.
21Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you to make you bring such great sin upon them?” 22Aaron said, “Do not let my lord be angry. You know the people yourself and how sinful they are.
23They said to me, ‘Make a god for us who will go in front of us. For we do not know what has become of Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt.’ 24And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them take it off.’ So they gave it to me. I threw it into the fire and out came this calf.”
25Moses saw that Aaron had let the people go wild and become a shame to those who hated them. 26So Moses stood in the gate of the place where they had set up their tents and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi came together around him. 27He said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh. And go from one end of the tents to the other, and each one kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’” 28So the sons of Levi did as Moses said. About 3,000 men fell that day. 29Then Moses said, “Today you have set yourselves apart for the Lord. For each man has been against his son and against his brother, so the Lord may bring good to you today.”
30The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned. Now I am going up to the Lord. It might be that I can have your sin forgiven.” 31Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O, this people have sinned. They have made a god of gold for themselves. 32But now, if You will, forgive their sin. If not, then take my name out of Your book which You have written.” 33The Lord said to Moses, “I will put out of My book whoever has sinned against Me. 34But go now. Lead the people where I told you. See, My angel will go before you. But in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.” 35Then the Lord sent trouble upon the people, because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
Israel Leaves Mount Sinai
33The Lord said to Moses, “Go away from this place, you and the people you have brought out of the land of Egypt. Go to the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your children.’ 2I will send an angel before you. And I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 3Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a strong-willed people and I might destroy you on the way.” 4When the people heard this bad news, they were filled with sorrow. None of them wore his objects of gold or silver. 5For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You are a strong-willed people. If I go with you even for just a little time, I would destroy you. So take off your objects of gold and silver that I may know what to do with you.’” 6So the people of Israel took off all their objects of gold and silver at Mount Horeb.
Moses Meets with the Lord
7Now Moses used to take the tent and set it up far away from the other tents. He called it the meeting tent. Anyone who wanted to meet with the Lord would go away from the other tents to the meeting tent. 8When Moses went out to the tent, all the people would get up and stand at the doors of their tents. And they would watch Moses until he went into the meeting tent. 9Whenever Moses went into the meeting tent, the cloud would come down and stand at the door of the tent. And the Lord would speak with Moses. 10When all the people saw the cloud standing at the door of the meeting tent, they would stand up and worship, each at his tent door. 11The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the other tents, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not leave the meeting tent.
God’s Promise to Be with His People
12Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Lead this people!’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You said, ‘I have known you by name. You have found favor in My eyes.’ 13So I pray to You, if I have found favor in Your eyes, let me know Your ways. Then I may know You and find favor in Your eyes. And keep in mind that this nation is Your people.” 14The Lord said, “I Myself will go with you. I will give you rest.” 15Then Moses said to Him, “If You Yourself do not go with us, do not have us leave this place. 16For how will it be known that I and Your people have found favor in Your eyes, unless You go with us? Then I and Your people will be different from all the other people on the earth.”
17The Lord said to Moses, “I will do what you have said. For you have found favor in My eyes, and I have known you by name.” 18Moses said, “I pray to You, show me Your shining-greatness!” 19And God said, “I will have My goodness pass in front of you. I will make the name of the Lord known in front of you. I will have loving-kindness and loving-pity for anyone I want to.” 20But He said, “You cannot see My face. For no man can see Me and live!” 21Then the Lord said, “See, there is a place beside Me. You stand there on the rock. 22While My shining-greatness is passing by, I will put you in the large crack of the rock. And I will cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will take My hand away and you will see My back. But My face will not be seen.”
Moses Makes New Pieces of Stone
34The Lord said to Moses, “Cut two pieces of stone like the first ones. And I will write on the stones the words that were on the first stones which you broke. 2So be ready in the morning. Come up in the morning to Mount Sinai. And stand before Me on the top of the mountain. 3No one is to come up with you. Do not let anyone be seen on the whole mountain. Even the sheep and the cattle may not eat in front of the mountain.” 4So Moses cut two pieces of stone like the first ones. Then he got up early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord told him. And he took the two pieces of stone in his hand. 5The Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with Moses as he called upon the name of the Lord. 6Then the Lord passed by in front of him, saying, “The Lord, the Lord God, with loving-pity and loving-favor, slow to anger, filled with loving-kindness and truth, 7keeping loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving wrong-doing and sin. But He will not let the guilty go without being punished. He brings the sin of fathers down upon the children, even the great-grandchildren.” 8Moses was quick to put his face to the ground and worship. 9And Moses said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in Your eyes, I pray, let the Lord go with us, even if the people are strong-willed. Forgive our wrong-doing and our sin. And take us for Your own.”
The Agreement Made Alive Again
10Then God said, “See, I am going to make an agreement. I will do powerful works in front of all your people which have never been done on earth among any nation. All the people with whom you live will see the work of the Lord. For what I am going to do with you will fill people with fear. 11Be sure to do what I am telling you this day. See, I am going to drive out of your way the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 12Take care to make no agreement with the people of the land where you are going. It would be a trap to you. 13Instead you are to tear down their altars, break their objects of worship, and cut down their false gods. 14For you must not worship any other god. For the Lord, Whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. 15So do not make an agreement with the people of the land. Or when they follow their desire with their gods and give gifts to their gods, they would ask you to eat of their gift used in worship. 16And you would marry your sons to their daughters who follow their gods. And they would lead your sons to follow their gods also. 17Do not make any gods for yourself.
18“Keep the special supper of bread without yeast. Eat bread without yeast for seven days as I told you, at the time set aside for it in the month of Abib. For you came out of Egypt in the month of Abib. 19Every first-born belongs to Me, and all your male animals, the first-born from cattle and sheep. 20But the life of a first-born donkey should be paid for with the blood of a lamb. If you do not pay for its life, you should break its neck. Pay for the life of all your first-born sons with the blood of a lamb. No one is to come before Me without a gift.
21“Work six days, but rest on the seventh day. Rest even during plowing time and gathering time. 22Have the special supper of weeks at the first gathering of grain. Have the special supper of gathering time at the end of the year. 23Three times a year all your males are to come before the Lord God, the God of Israel. 24For I will drive nations out of your way and give you more land. No man will desire to have your land when you go to show yourselves before the Lord your God.
25“Do not give the blood of My gift together with bread made with yeast. Do not leave any of the gift of the special supper of the Passover until morning. 26Bring the first of the first-fruits of your ground into the house of the Lord your God. Do not boil the meat of a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
27The Lord said to Moses, “Write these words. For by these words I have made an agreement with you and with Israel.” 28Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the stones the words of the agreement, the Ten Great Laws.
Moses Goes Down from Mount Sinai
29Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two stone writings in his hand. He did not know that the skin of his face was shining because of his speaking with the Lord. 30When Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, they saw that the skin of his face was shining. They were afraid to come near him.