Exodus 24

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 He then said to Moses, 'Come up to Yahweh, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of theelders of Israel and bow down at a distance.	1 Moses himself was told, "Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, with Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You shall all worship at some distance,
2 Moses alone will approach Yahweh; the others wil not approach, nor wil the people come up withhim.'	2 but Moses alone is to come close to the LORD; the others shall not come too near, and the people shall not come up at all with Moses."
3 Moses went and told the people al Yahweh's words and al the laws, and al the people answered withone voice, 'All the words Yahweh has spoken we wil carry out!'	3 When Moses came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice, "We will do everything that the LORD has told us."
4 Moses put al Yahweh's words into writing, and early next morning he built an altar at the foot of themountain, with twelve standing-stones for the twelve tribes of Israel.	4 Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and, rising early the next day, he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
5 Then he sent certain young Israelites to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice bul ocks to Yahweh ascommunion sacrifices.	5 Then, having sent certain young men of the Israelites to offer holocausts and sacrifice young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD,
6 Moses then took half the blood and put it into basins, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar.	6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar.
7 Then, taking the Book of the Covenant, he read it to the listening people, who then said, 'We shall do everything that Yahweh has said; we shall obey.'	7 Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, "All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do."
8 Moses then took the blood and sprinkled it over the people, saying, 'This is the blood of the covenantwhich Yahweh has made with you, entailing all these stipulations.'	8 Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his."
9 Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy elders of Israel then went up,	9 Moses then went up with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel,
10 and they saw the God of Israel beneath whose feet there was what looked like a sapphire pavementpure as the heavens themselves,	10 and they beheld the God of Israel. Under his feet there appeared to be sapphire tilework, as clear as the sky itself.
11 but he did no harm to the Israelite notables; they actually gazed on God and then ate and drank.	11 Yet he did not smite these chosen Israelites. After gazing on God, they could still eat and drink.
12 Yahweh said to Moses, 'Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there, and I will give you the stonetablets -- the law and the commandment -- which I have written for their instruction.'	12 The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and, while you are there, I will give you the stone tablets on which I have written the commandments intended for their instruction."
13 Moses made ready, with Joshua his assistant, and they went up the mountain of God.	13 So Moses set out with Joshua, his aide, and went up to the mountain of God.
14 He said to the elders, 'Wait here for us until we come back to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you;if anyone has any matter to settle, let him go to them.'	14 The elders, however, had been told by him, "Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are staying with you. If anyone has a complaint, let him refer the matter to them."
15 Moses then went up the mountain. Cloud covered the mountain.	15 After Moses had gone up, a cloud covered the mountain.
16 The glory of Yahweh rested on Mount Sinai and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh dayYahweh cal ed to Moses from inside the cloud.	16 The glory of the LORD settled upon Mount Sinai. The cloud covered it for six days, and on the seventh day he called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.
17 To the watching Israelites, the glory of Yahweh looked like a devouring fire on the mountain top.	17 To the Israelites the glory of the LORD was seen as a consuming fire on the mountaintop.
18 Moses went right into the cloud and went on up the mountain. Moses stayed on the mountain for fortydays and forty nights.	18 But Moses passed into the midst of the cloud as he went up on the mountain; and there he stayed for forty days and forty nights.