(16) On the third day, as morning dawned, there was thunder, and lightning, and a dense cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the horn; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.(17) Moses led the people out of the camp toward God, and they took their places at the foot of the mountain.(18) Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke, for יהוה had come down upon it in fire; the smoke rose like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled violently.(19) The blare of the horn grew louder and louder. As Moses spoke, God answered him in thunder.(20) יהוה came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain, and יהוה called Moses to the top of the mountain and Moses went up.(21) יהוה said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people not to break through to יהוה to gaze, lest many of them perish.(22) The priests also, who come near יהוה, must stay pure, lest יהוה break out against them.”(23) But Moses said to יהוה, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us saying, ‘Set bounds about the mountain and sanctify it.’”(24) So יהוה said to him, “Go down, and come back together with Aaron; but let not the priests or the people break through to come up to יהוה, lest [God] break out against them.”(25) And Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.

(15) All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the blare of the horn and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they fell back and stood at a distance.(16) “You speak to us,” they said to Moses, “and we will obey; but let not God speak to us, lest we die.”(17) Moses answered the people, “Be not afraid; for God has come only in order to test you, and in order that the fear of God may be ever with you, so that you do not go astray.”(18) So the people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.