Exode (NAB) 27
27 1 "You shall make an altar of acacia wood, on a square, five cubits long and five cubits wide; it shall be three cubits high.2 At the four corners there are to be horns, so made that they spring directly from the altar. You shall then plate it with bronze.3 Make pots for removing the ashes, as well as shovels, basins, forks and fire pans, all of which shall be of bronze.4 Make a grating of bronze network for it; this to have four bronze rings, one at each of its four corners. 5 Put it down around the altar, on the ground. This network is to be half as high as the altar.6 You shall also make poles of acacia wood for the altar, and plate them with bronze.7 These poles are to be put through the rings, so that they are on either side of the altar when it is carried.8 Make the altar itself in the form of a hollow box, just as it was shown you on the mountain.
9 "You shall also make a court for the Dwelling. On the south side the court shall have hangings a hundred cubits long, woven of fine linen twined,10 with twenty columns and twenty pedestals of bronze; the hooks and bands on the columns shall be of silver.11 On the north side there shall be similar hangings, a hundred cubits long, with twenty columns and twenty pedestals of bronze; the hooks and bands on the columns shall be of silver.12 On the west side, across the width of the court, there shall be hangings, fifty cubits long, with ten columns and ten pedestals.13 The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits.14 On one side there shall be hangings to the extent of fifteen cubits, with three columns and three pedestals;15 on the other side there shall be hangings to the extent of fifteen cubits, with three columns and three pedestals.16 "At the entrance of the court there shall be a variegated curtain, twenty cubits long, woven of violet, purple and scarlet yarn and of fine linen twined. It shall have four columns and four pedestals.17 "All the columns around the court shall have bands and hooks of silver, and pedestals of bronze.18 The enclosure of the court is to be one hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and five cubits high. Fine linen twined must be used, and the pedestals must be of bronze.19 All the fittings of the Dwelling, whatever be their use, as well as all its tent pegs and all the tent pegs of the court, must be of bronze.
20 "You shall order the Israelites to bring you clear oil of crushed olives, to be used for the light, so that you may keep lamps burning regularly.21 From evening to morning Aaron and his sons shall maintain them before the LORD in the meeting tent, outside the veil which hangs in front of the commandments. This shall be a perpetual ordinance for the Israelites throughout their generations.
28 1 "From among the Israelites have your brother Aaron, together with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, brought to you, that they may be my priests.2 For the glorious adornment of your brother Aaron you shall have sacred vestments made.3 Therefore, to the various expert workmen whom I have endowed with skill, you shall give instructions to make such vestments for Aaron as will set him apart for his sacred service as my priest.4 These are the vestments they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a brocaded tunic, a miter and a sash. In making these sacred vestments which your brother Aaron and his sons are to wear in serving as my priests,5 they shall use gold, violet, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.
6 "The ephod they shall make of gold thread and of violet, purple and scarlet yarn, embroidered on cloth of fine linen twined. 7 It shall have a pair of shoulder straps joined to its two upper ends.8 The embroidered belt of the ephod shall extend out from it and, like it, be made of gold thread, of violet, purple and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen twined.9 "Get two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel:10 six of their names on one stone, and the other six on the other stone, in the order of their birth.11 As a gem-cutter engraves a seal, so shall you have the two stones engraved with the names of the sons of Israel and then mounted in gold filigree work.12 Set these two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod as memorial stones of the sons of Israel. Thus Aaron shall bear their names on his shoulders as a reminder before the LORD.13 Make filigree rosettes of gold,14 as well as two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, and fasten the cordlike chains to the filigree rosettes.
15 "The breastpiece of decision you shall also have made, embroidered like the ephod with gold thread and violet, purple and scarlet yarn on cloth of fine linen twined. 16 It is to be square when folded double, a span high and a span wide.17 On it you shall mount four rows of precious stones: in the first row, a carnelian, a topaz and an emerald; 18 in the second row, a garnet, a sapphire and a beryl;19 in the third row, a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst;20 in the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper. These stones are to be mounted in gold filigree work,21 twelve of them to match the names of the sons of Israel, each stone engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.22 "When the chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, have been made for the breastpiece,23 you shall then make two rings of gold for it and fasten them to the two upper ends of the breastpiece.24 The gold cords are then to be fastened to the two rings at the upper ends of the breastpiece,25 the other two ends of the cords being fastened in front to the two filigree rosettes which are attached to the shoulder straps of the ephod.26 Make two other rings of gold and put them on the two lower ends of the breastpiece, on its edge that faces the ephod.27 Then make two more rings of gold and fasten them to the bottom of the shoulder straps next to where they join the ephod in front, just above its embroidered belt.28 Violet ribbons shall bind the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod, so that the breastpiece will stay right above the embroidered belt of the ephod and not swing loose from it.29 "Whenever Aaron enters the sanctuary, he will thus bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastpiece of decision over his heart as a constant reminder before the LORD.30 In this breastpiece of decision you shall put the Urim and Thummim, that they may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD. Thus he shall always bear the decisions for the Israelites over his heart in the LORD'S presence.
31 "The robe of the ephod you shall make entirely of violet material.32 It shall have an opening for the head in the center, and around this opening there shall be a selvage, woven as at the opening of a shirt, to keep it from being torn.33 All around the hem at the bottom you shall make pomegranates, woven of violet, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen twined, with gold bells between them;34 first a gold bell, then a pomegranate, and thus alternating all around the hem of the robe.35 Aaron shall wear it when ministering, that its tinkling may be heard as he enters and leaves the LORD'S presence in the sanctuary; else he will die.
36 "You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, as on a seal engraving, 'Sacred to the LORD.'37 This plate is to be tied over the miter with a violet ribbon in such a way that it rests on the front of the miter,38 over Aaron's forehead. Since Aaron bears whatever guilt the Israelites may incur in consecrating any of their sacred gifts, this plate must always be over his forehead, so that they may find favor with the LORD.
39 "The tunic of fine linen shall be brocaded. The miter shall be made of fine linen. The sash shall be of variegated work.40 "Likewise, for the glorious adornment of Aaron's sons you shall have tunics and sashes and turbans made.41 With these you shall clothe your brother Aaron and his sons. Anoint and ordain them, consecrating them as my priests. 42 You must also make linen drawers for them, to cover their naked flesh from their loins to their thighs.43 Aaron and his sons shall wear them whenever they go into the meeting tent or approach the altar to minister in the sanctuary, lest they incur guilt and die. This shall be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants.
29 1 "This is the rite you shall perform in consecrating them as my priests. Procure a young bull and two unblemished rams.2 With fine wheat flour make unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil,3 and put them in a basket. Take the basket of them along with the bullock and the two rams.
4 Aaron and his sons you shall also bring to the entrance of the meeting tent, and there wash them with water.5 Take the vestments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastpiece, fastening the embroidered belt of the ephod around him.6 Put the miter on his head, the sacred diadem on the miter.7 Then take the anointing oil and anoint him with it, pouring it on his head.8 Bring forward his sons also and clothe them with the tunics,9 gird them with the sashes, and tie the turbans on them. Thus shall the priesthood be theirs by perpetual law, and thus shall you ordain Aaron and his sons.
10 "Now bring forward the bullock in front of the meeting tent. There Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.11 Then slaughter the bullock before the LORD, at the entrance of the meeting tent.12 Take some of its blood and with your finger put it on the horns of the altar. All the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar.13 All the fat that covers its inner organs, as well as the lobe of its liver and its two kidneys, together with the fat that is on them, you shall take and burn on the altar.14 But the flesh and hide and offal of the bullock you must burn up outside the camp, since this is a sin offering.15 "Then take one of the rams, and after Aaron and his sons have laid their hands on its head,16 slaughter it. The blood you shall take and splash on all the sides of the altar.17 Cut the ram into pieces; its inner organs and shanks you shall first wash, and then put them with the pieces and with the head.18 The entire ram shall then be burned on the altar, since it is a holocaust, a sweet-smelling oblation to the LORD.19 "After this take the other ram, and when Aaron and his sons have laid their hands on its head,20 slaughter it. Some of its blood you shall take and put on the tip of Aaron's right ear and on the tips of his sons' right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and the great toes of their right feet. Splash the rest of the blood on all the sides of the altar.21 Then take some of the blood that is on the altar, together with some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle this on Aaron and his vestments, as well as on his sons and their vestments, that his sons and their vestments may be sacred.22 "Now, from this ram you shall take its fat: its fatty tail, the fat that covers its inner organs, the lobe of its liver, its two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and its right thigh, since this is the ordination ram; 23 then, out of the basket of unleavened food that you have set before the LORD, you shall take one of the loaves of bread, one of the cakes made with oil, and one of the wafers.24 All these things you shall put into the hands of Aaron and his sons, so that they may wave them as a wave offering before the LORD. 25 After you have received them back from their hands, you shall burn them on top of the holocaust on the altar as a sweet-smelling oblation to the LORD.26 Finally, take the breast of Aaron's ordination ram and wave it as a wave offering before the LORD; this is to be your own portion.27 "Thus shall you set aside the breast of whatever wave offering is waved, as well as the thigh of whatever raised offering is raised up, whether this be the ordination ram or anything else belonging to Aaron or to his sons. 28 Such things are due to Aaron and his sons from the Israelites by a perpetual ordinance as a contribution. From their peace offerings, too, the Israelites shall make a contribution, their contribution to the LORD.
29 "The sacred vestments of Aaron shall be passed down to his descendants, that in them they may be anointed and ordained.30 The descendant who succeeds him as priest and who is to enter the meeting tent to minister in the sanctuary shall be clothed with them for seven days.
31 "You shall take the flesh of the ordination ram and boil it in a holy place.32 At the entrance of the meeting tent Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket.33 They themselves are to eat of these things by which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration; but no layman may eat of them, since they are sacred.34 If some of the flesh of the ordination sacrifice or some of the bread remains over on the next day, this remnant must be burned up; it is not to be eaten, since it is sacred.35 Carry out all these orders in regard to Aaron and his sons just as I have given them to you. "Seven days you shall spend in ordaining them,
36 sacrificing a bullock each day as a sin offering, to make atonement. Thus also shall you purge the altar in making atonement for it; you shall anoint it in order to consecrate it. 37 Seven days you shall spend in making atonement for the altar and in consecrating it. Then the altar will be most sacred, and whatever touches it will become sacred.
38 "Now, this is what you shall offer on the altar: two yearling lambs as the sacrifice established for each day; 39 one lamb in the morning and the other lamb at the evening twilight.40 With the first lamb there shall be a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a fourth of a hin of oil of crushed olives and, as its libation, a fourth of a hin of wine.41 The other lamb you shall offer at the evening twilight, with the same cereal offering and libation as in the morning. You shall offer this as a sweet-smelling oblation to the LORD.42 Throughout your generations this established holocaust shall be offered before the LORD at the entrance of the meeting tent, where I will meet you and speak to you.43 "There, at the altar, I will meet the Israelites; hence, it will be made sacred by my glory.44 Thus I will consecrate the meeting tent and the altar, just as I also consecrate Aaron and his sons to be my priests.45 I will dwell in the midst of the Israelites and will be their God.46 They shall know that I, the LORD, am their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I, the LORD, their God, might dwell among them.
30 1 "For burning incense you shall make an altar of acacia wood,2 with a square surface, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high, with horns that spring directly from it.3 Its grate on top, its walls on all four sides, and its horns you shall plate with pure gold. Put a gold molding around it.4 Underneath the molding you shall put gold rings, two on one side and two on the opposite side, as holders for the poles used in carrying it.5 Make the poles, too, of acacia wood and plate them with gold.6 This altar you are to place in front of the veil that hangs before the ark of the commandments where I will meet you.7 "On it Aaron shall burn fragrant incense. Morning after morning, when he prepares the lamps,8 and again in the evening twilight, when he lights the lamps, he shall burn incense. Throughout your generations this shall be the established incense offering before the LORD.9 On this altar you shall not offer up any profane incense, or any holocaust or cereal offering; nor shall you pour out a libation upon it.10 Once a year Aaron shall perform the atonement rite on its horns. Throughout your generations this atonement is to be made once a year with the blood of the atoning sin offering. This altar is most sacred to the LORD."
11 The LORD also said to Moses,12 "When you take a census of the Israelites who are to be registered, each one, as he is enrolled, shall give the LORD a forfeit for his life, so that no plague may come upon them for being registered.13 Everyone who enters the registered group must pay a half-shekel, according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to the shekel. This payment of a half-shekel is a contribution to the LORD.14 Everyone of twenty years or more who enters the registered group must give this contribution to the LORD.15 The rich need not give more, nor shall the poor give less, than a half-shekel in this contribution to the LORD to pay the forfeit for their lives.16 When you receive this forfeit money from the Israelites, you shall donate it to the service of the meeting tent, that there it may be the Israelites' reminder before the LORD, of the forfeit paid for their lives."
17 The LORD said to Moses,18 "For ablutions you shall make a bronze laver with a bronze base. Place it between the meeting tent and the altar, and put water in it.19 Aaron and his sons shall use it in washing their hands and feet.20 When they are about to enter the meeting tent, they must wash with water, lest they die. Likewise when they approach the altar in their ministry, to offer an oblation to the LORD,21 they must wash their hands and feet, lest they die. This shall be a perpetual ordinance for him and his descendants throughout their generations."
22 The LORD said to Moses,23 "Take the finest spices: five hundred shekels of free-flowing myrrh; half that amount, that is, two hundred and fifty shekels, of fragrant cinnamon; two hundred and fifty shekels of fragrant cane;24 five hundred shekels of cassia-all according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel; together with a hin of olive oil;25 and blend them into sacred anointing oil, perfumed ointment expertly prepared.26 With this sacred anointing oil you shall anoint the meeting tent and the ark of the commandments,27 the table and all its appurtenances, the lampstand and its appurtenances, the altar of incense28 and the altar of holocausts with all its appurtenances, and the laver with its base.29 When you have consecrated them, they shall be most sacred; whatever touches them shall be sacred.30 Aaron and his sons you shall also anoint and consecrate as my priests.31 To the Israelites you shall say: As sacred anointing oil this shall belong to me throughout your generations.32 It may not be used in any ordinary anointing of the body, nor may you make any other oil of a like mixture. It is sacred, and shall be treated as sacred by you.33 Whoever prepares a perfume like this, or whoever puts any of this on a layman, shall be cut off from his kinsmen."
34 The LORD told Moses, "Take these aromatic substances: storax and onycha and galbanum, these and pure frankincense in equal parts;35 and blend them into incense. This fragrant powder, expertly prepared, is to be salted and so kept pure and sacred.36 Grind some of it into fine dust and put this before the commandments in the meeting tent where I will meet you. This incense shall be treated as most sacred by you.37 You may not make incense of a like mixture for yourselves; you must treat it as sacred to the LORD.38 Whoever makes an incense like this for his own enjoyment of its fragrance, shall be cut off from his kinsmen."
31 1 The LORD said to Moses,2 "See, I have chosen Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,3 and I have filled him with a divine spirit of skill and understanding and knowledge in every craft:4 in the production of embroidery, in making things of gold, silver or bronze,5 in cutting and mounting precious stones, in carving wood, and in every craft.6 As his assistant I have appointed Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. I have also endowed all the experts with the necessary skill to make all the things I have ordered you to make:7 the meeting tent, the ark of the commandments with the propitiatory on top of it, all the furnishings of the tent,8 the table with its appurtenances, the pure gold lampstand with all its appurtenances, the altar of incense,9 the altar of holocausts with all its appurtenances, the laver with its base,10 the service cloths, the sacred vestments for Aaron the priest, the vestments for his sons in their ministry, 11 the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. All these things they shall make just as I have commanded you."
12 The LORD said to Moses,13 "You must also tell the Israelites: Take care to keep my sabbaths, for that is to be the token between you and me throughout the generations, to show that it is I, the LORD, who make you holy.14 Therefore, you must keep the sabbath as something sacred. Whoever desecrates it shall be put to death. If anyone does work on that day, he must be rooted out of his people.15 Six days there are for doing work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of complete rest, sacred to the LORD. Anyone who does work on the sabbath day shall be put to death.16 So shall the Israelites observe the sabbath, keeping it throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.17 Between me and the Israelites it is to be an everlasting token; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day he rested at his ease."
18 When the LORD had finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the commandments, the stone tablets inscribed by God's own finger.
32 1 When the people became aware of Moses' delay in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will be our leader; as for the man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him."2 Aaron replied, "Have your wives and sons and daughters take off the golden earrings they are wearing, and bring them to me."3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron,4 who accepted their offering, and fashioning this gold with a graving tool, made a molten calf. Then they cried out, "This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt."5 On seeing this, Aaron built an altar before the calf and proclaimed, "Tomorrow is a feast of the LORD." 6 Early the next day the people offered holocausts and brought peace offerings. Then they sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.
7 With that, the LORD said to Moses, "Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved.8 They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, 'This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!'9 I see how stiff-necked this people is," continued the LORD to Moses.10 "Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation."
11 But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, "Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand?12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil intent he brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains and exterminate them from the face of the earth'? Let your blazing wrath die down; relent in punishing your people.13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.'"14 So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.
15 Moses then turned and came down the mountain with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands, tablets that were written on both sides, front and back;16 tablets that were made by God, having inscriptions on them that were engraved by God himself.17 Now, when Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, "That sounds like a battle in the camp."18 But Moses answered, "It does not sound like cries of victory, nor does it sound like cries of defeat; the sounds that I hear are cries of revelry."19 As he drew near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. With that, Moses' wrath flared up, so that he threw the tablets down and broke them on the base of the mountain.20 Taking the calf they had made, he fused it in the fire and then ground it down to powder, which he scattered on the water and made the Israelites drink.
21 Moses asked Aaron, "What did this people ever do to you that you should lead them into so grave a sin?" Aaron replied, "Let not my lord be angry.22 You know well enough how prone the people are to evil.23 They said to me, 'Make us a god to be our leader; as for the man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.'24 So I told them, 'Let anyone who has gold jewelry take it off.' They gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out."25 When Moses realized that, to the scornful joy of their foes, Aaron had let the people run wild,26 he stood at the gate of the camp and cried, "Whoever is for the LORD, let him come to me!" All the Levites then rallied to him,27 and he told them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Put your sword on your hip, every one of you! Now go up and down the camp, from gate to gate, and slay your own kinsmen, your friends and neighbors!" 28 The Levites carried out the command of Moses, and that day there fell about three thousand of the people.29 Then Moses said, "Today you have been dedicated to the LORD, for you were against your own sons and kinsmen, to bring a blessing upon yourselves this day." 30 On the next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a grave sin. I will go up to the LORD, then; perhaps I may be able to make atonement for your sin."31 So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Ah, this people has indeed committed a grave sin in making a god of gold for themselves!32 If you would only forgive their sin! If you will not, then strike me out of the book that you have written." 33 The LORD answered, "Him only who has sinned against me will I strike out of my book.34 Now, go and lead the people whither I have told you. My angel will go before you. When it is time for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin."35 Thus the LORD smote the people for having had Aaron make the calf for them.
33 1 The LORD told Moses, "You and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, are to go up from here to the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob I would give to their descendants.2 Driving out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, I will send an angel before you3 to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I myself will not go up in your company, because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise I might exterminate you on the way."4 When the people heard this bad news, they went into mourning, and no one wore his ornaments.5 The LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites: You are a stiff-necked people. Were I to go up in your company even for a moment, I would exterminate you. Take off your ornaments, therefore; I will then see what I am to do with you."6 So, from Mount Horeb onward, the Israelites laid aside their ornaments.
7 The tent, which was called the meeting tent, Moses used to pitch at some distance away, outside the camp. Anyone who wished to consult the LORD would go to this meeting tent outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise and stand at the entrance of their own tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent.9 As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses.10 On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and worship at the entrance of their own tents.11 The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. Moses would then return to the camp, but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, would not move out of the tent.
12 Moses said to the LORD, "You, indeed, are telling me to lead this people on; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, 'You are my intimate friend,' and also, 'You have found favor with me.'13 Now, if I have found favor with you, do let me know your ways so that, in knowing you, I may continue to find favor with you. Then, too, this nation is, after all, your own people."14 "I myself," the LORD answered, "will go along, to give you rest." 15 Moses replied, "If you are not going yourself, do not make us go up from here.16 For how can it be known that we, your people and I, have found favor with you, except by your going with us? Then we, your people and I, will be singled out from every other people on the earth."17 The LORD said to Moses, "This request, too, which you have just made, I will carry out, because you have found favor with me and you are my intimate friend."
18 Then Moses said, "Do let me see your glory!"19 He answered, "I will make all my beauty pass before you, and in your presence I will pronounce my name, 'LORD'; I who show favors to whom I will, I who grant mercy to whom I will.20 But my face you cannot see, for no man sees me and still lives.21 Here," continued the LORD, "is a place near me where you shall station yourself on the rock.22 When my glory passes I will set you in the hollow of the rock and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.23 Then I will remove my hand, so that you may see my back; but my face is not to be seen."
34 1 The LORD said to Moses, "Cut two stone tablets like the former, that I may write on them the commandments which were on the former tablets that you broke.2 Get ready for tomorrow morning, when you are to go up Mount Sinai and there present yourself to me on the top of the mountain.3 No one shall come up with you, and no one is even to be seen on any part of the mountain; even the flocks and the herds are not to go grazing toward this mountain."4 Moses then cut two stone tablets like the former, and early the next morning he went up Mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded him, taking along the two stone tablets.5 Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with him there and proclaimed his name, "LORD."
6 Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out, "The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity,7 continuing his kindness for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but punishing children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for their fathers' wickedness!"8 Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.9 Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own."
10 "Here, then," said the LORD, "is the covenant I will make. Before the eyes of all your people I will work such marvels as have never been wrought in any nation anywhere on earth, so that this people among whom you live may see how awe-inspiring are the deeds which I, the LORD, will do at your side.11 But you, on your part, must keep the commandments I am giving you today. "I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.12 Take care, therefore, not to make a covenant with these inhabitants of the land that you are to enter; else they will become a snare among you.13 Tear down their altars; smash their sacred pillars, and cut down their sacred poles. 14 You shall not worship any other god, for the LORD is 'the Jealous One'; a jealous God is he. 15 Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of that land; else, when they render their wanton worship to their gods and sacrifice to them, one of them may invite you and you may partake of his sacrifice.16 Neither shall you take their daughters as wives for your sons; otherwise, when their daughters render their wanton worship to their gods, they will make your sons do the same.17 "You shall not make for yourselves molten gods.18 "You shall keep the feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days at the prescribed time in the month of Abib you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you; for in the month of Abib you came out of Egypt.19 "To me belongs every first-born male that opens the womb among all your livestock, whether in the herd or in the flock.20 The firstling of an ass you shall redeem with one of the flock; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. The first-born among your sons you shall redeem. "No one shall appear before me empty-handed.21 "For six days you may work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; on that day you must rest even during the seasons of plowing and harvesting.22 "You shall keep the feast of Weeks with the first of the wheat harvest; likewise, the feast at the fruit harvest at the close of the year. 23 Three times a year all your men shall appear before the Lord, the LORD God of Israel.24 Since I will drive out the nations before you to give you a large territory, there will be no one to covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the LORD, your God.25 "You shall not offer me the blood of sacrifice with leavened bread, nor shall the sacrifice of the Passover feast be kept overnight for the next day.26 "The choicest first fruits of your soil you shall bring to the house of the LORD, your God. "You shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk."27 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with them I have made a covenant with you and with Israel."28 So Moses stayed there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights, without eating any food or drinking any water, and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
29 As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the LORD.30 When Aaron, then, and the other Israelites saw Moses and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become, they were afraid to come near him.31 Only after Moses called to them did Aaron and all the rulers of the community come back to him. Moses then spoke to them.32 Later on, all the Israelites came up to him, and he enjoined on them all that the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai.33 When he finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34 Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him, he removed the veil until he came out again. On coming out, he would tell the Israelites all that had been commanded.35 Then the Israelites would see that the skin of Moses' face was radiant; so he would again put the veil over his face until he went in to converse with the LORD.
Exode (NAB) 27