Bible in 90 Days

¹⁹ Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the Red Sea. The Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the people of Israel walked through the sea on dry ground. ²⁰ Aaron’s sister Miriam was a prophet. She took a tambourine in her hand. All the women followed her. They played tambourines and danced. ²¹ Miriam sang to them,

The Waters of Marah and Elim

²² Then Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea. They went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert. They didn’t find any water there. ²³ When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink its water. It was bitter. That’s why the place is named Marah. ²⁴ The people told Moses they weren’t happy with him. They said, “What are we supposed to drink?”

²⁵ Then Moses cried out to the Lord. The Lord showed him a stick. Moses threw it into the water. The water became fit to drink.

There the Lord gave a ruling and instruction for the people. And there he tested them. ²⁶ He said, “I am the Lord your God. Listen carefully to me. Do what is right in my eyes. Pay attention to my commands. Obey all my rules. If you do, I will not send on you any of the sicknesses I sent on the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you.”

²⁷ The people came to Elim. It had 12 springs and 70 palm trees. They camped there near the water.

The Lord Gives Israel Food Every Day

16 The whole community of Israel started out from Elim. They came to the Desert of Sin. It was between Elim and Sinai. They arrived there on the 15th day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. ² In the desert the whole community told Moses and Aaron they weren’t happy with them. ³ The Israelites said to them, “We wish the Lord had put us to death in Egypt. There we sat around pots of meat. We ate all the food we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert. You must want this entire community to die of hunger.”

⁴ Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people must go out each day. Have them gather enough bread for that day. Here is how I will test them. I will see if they will follow my directions. ⁵ On the sixth day they must prepare what they bring in. On that day they must gather twice as much as on the other days.”

⁶ So Moses and Aaron spoke to all the people of Israel. They said, “In the evening you will know that the Lord brought you out of Egypt. ⁷ And in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord. He has heard you say you aren’t happy with him. Who are we? Why are you telling us you aren’t happy with us?” ⁸ Moses also said, “You will know that the Lord has heard you speak against him. He will give you meat to eat in the evening. He’ll give you all the bread you want in the morning. But who are we? You aren’t speaking against us. You are speaking against the Lord.”

⁹ Then Moses told Aaron, “Talk to the whole community of Israel. Say to them, ‘Come to the Lord. He has heard you speak against him.’ ”

¹⁰ While Aaron was talking to the whole community of Israel, they looked toward the desert. There was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud!

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “I have heard the people of Israel talking about how unhappy they are. Tell them, ‘When the sun goes down, you will eat meat. In the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”

¹³ That evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning the ground around the camp was covered with dew. ¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes appeared on the desert floor. They looked like frost on the ground. ¹⁵ The people of Israel saw the flakes. They asked each other, “What’s that?” They didn’t know what it was.

Moses said to them, “It’s the bread the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, ‘Everyone should gather as much as they need. Take three pounds for each person who lives in your tent.’ ”

¹⁷ The people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, and some gathered a little. ¹⁸ When they measured it out, the one who gathered a lot didn’t have too much. And the one who gathered a little had enough. Everyone gathered only what they needed.

¹⁹ Then Moses said to them, “Don’t keep any of it until morning.”

²⁰ Some of them didn’t pay any attention to Moses. They kept part of it until morning. But it was full of maggots and began to stink. So Moses became angry with them.

²¹ Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed. But by the hottest time of the day, the thin flakes had melted away. ²² On the sixth day, the people gathered twice as much. It amounted to six pounds for each person. The leaders of the community came and reported that to Moses. ²³ He said to them, “Here is what the Lord commanded. He said, ‘Tomorrow will be a day of rest. It will be a holy Sabbath day. It will be set apart for the Lord. So bake what you want to bake. Boil what you want to boil. Save what is left. Keep it until morning.’ ”

²⁴ So they saved it until morning, just as Moses commanded. It didn’t stink or get maggots in it. ²⁵ “Eat it today,” Moses said. “Today is a Sabbath day to honor the Lord. You won’t find any flakes on the ground today. ²⁶ Gather them for six days. But on the seventh day there won’t be any. It’s the Sabbath day.”

²⁷ In spite of what Moses said, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather the flakes. But they didn’t find any. ²⁸ Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “How long will all of you refuse to obey my commands and my teachings? ²⁹ Keep in mind that I have given you the Sabbath day. That is why on the sixth day I give you bread for two days. Everyone must stay where they are on the seventh day. No one can go out.” ³⁰ So the people rested on the seventh day.

³¹ The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seeds. It tasted like wafers made with honey. ³² Moses said, “Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, ‘Get three pounds of manna. Keep it for all time to come. Then those who live after you will see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert. I gave it to you when I brought you out of Egypt.’ ”

³³ So Moses said to Aaron, “Get a jar. Put three pounds of manna in it. Then place it in front of the Lord. Keep it there for all time to come.”

³⁴ Aaron did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses. He put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law. He put it there so it would be kept for all time to come. ³⁵ The Israelites ate manna for 40 years. They ate it until they came to a land where people were living. They ate it until they reached the border of Canaan.

³⁶ The jar had three pounds of manna in it.

Water Out of the Rock

17 The whole community of Israel started out from the Desert of Sin. They traveled from place to place, just as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim. But there wasn’t any water for the people to drink. ² So they argued with Moses. They said, “Give us water to drink.”

Moses replied, “Why are you arguing with me? Why are you testing the Lord?”

³ But the people were thirsty for water there. So they told Moses they weren’t happy with him. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? Did you want us, our children and our livestock to die of thirst?”

⁴ Then Moses cried out to the Lord. He said, “What am I going to do with these people? They are almost ready to kill me by throwing stones at me.”

⁵ The Lord answered Moses. “Go out in front of the people. Take some of the elders of Israel along with you. Take in your hand the walking stick you used when you struck the Nile River. Go. ⁶ I will stand there in front of you by the rock at Mount Horeb. Hit the rock. Then water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses hit the rock while the elders of Israel watched. ⁷ Moses called the place Massah and Meribah. That’s because the people of Israel argued with him there. They also tested the Lord. They asked, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Joshua Wins the Battle Over the Amalekites

⁸ The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. ⁹ Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men. Then go out and fight against the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill. I’ll stand there holding the walking stick God gave me.”

¹⁰ So Joshua fought against the Amalekites, just as Moses had ordered. Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hand, the Israelites were winning. But every time he lowered his hands, the Amalekites began to win. ¹² When Moses’ arms got tired, Aaron and Hur got a stone and put it under him. Then he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands. Aaron was on one side, and Hur was on the other. Moses’ hands remained steady until sunset. ¹³ So Joshua destroyed the Amalekite army with swords.

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “This is something to be remembered. So write it on a scroll. Make sure Joshua knows you have done it. I will completely erase the memory of the Amalekites from the earth.”

¹⁵ Then Moses built an altar. He called it The Lord Is My Banner. ¹⁶ He said, “The Amalekites opposed the authority of the Lord. So the Lord will fight against the Amalekites for all time to come.”

Jethro Visits Moses

18 Moses’ father-in-law Jethro was the priest of Midian. He heard about everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel. Jethro heard how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.

² Moses had sent his wife Zipporah to his father-in-law. So Jethro welcomed her ³ and her two sons. One son was named Gershom. That’s because Moses had said, “I’m an outsider in a strange land.” ⁴ The other was named Eliezer. That’s because Moses had said, “My father’s God helped me. He saved me from Pharaoh’s sword.”

⁵ Moses’ father-in-law Jethro came to Moses in the desert. Moses’ sons and wife came with Jethro. Moses was camped near the mountain of God. ⁶ Jethro had sent a message to him. It said, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you. I’m bringing your wife and her two sons.”

⁷ So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. Moses bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other. Then they went into the tent. ⁸ Moses told Jethro everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The Lord did all of this because of how much he loved Israel. Moses told Jethro about all their hard times along the way. He told him about how the Lord had saved them.

⁹ Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel. He heard about how God had saved them from the power of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ He said, “I praise the Lord. He saved you and your people from the power of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh. ¹¹ Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods. See what he did to those who looked down on Israel.” ¹² Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel. They ate a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the sight of God.

¹³ The next day Moses took his seat to serve the people as their judge. They stood around him from morning until evening. ¹⁴ His father-in-law saw everything Moses was doing for the people. So he said, “Aren’t you trying to do too much for the people? You are the only judge. And all these people are standing around you from morning until evening.”

¹⁵ Moses answered, “The people come to me to find out what God wants them to do. ¹⁶ Anytime they don’t agree with one another, they come to me. I decide between them. I tell them about God’s rules and instructions.”

¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing isn’t good. ¹⁸ You will just get worn out. And so will these people who come to you. There’s too much work for you. You can’t possibly handle it by yourself. ¹⁹ Listen to me. I’ll give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must speak to God for the people. Take their problems to him. ²⁰ Teach them his rules and instructions. Show them how to live and what to do. ²¹ But choose men of ability from all the people. They must have respect for God. You must be able to trust them. They must not try to get money by cheating others. Appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. ²² Let them serve the people as judges. But have them bring every hard case to you. They can decide the easy ones themselves. That will make your load lighter. They will share it with you. ²³ If this is what God wants and if you do it, then you will be able to carry the load. And all these people will go home satisfied.”

²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law. He did everything Jethro said. ²⁵ He chose men of ability from the whole community of Israel. He made them leaders of the people. They became officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. ²⁶ They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses. But they decided the easy ones themselves.

²⁷ Moses sent his father-in-law on his way. So Jethro returned to his own country.

Israel Comes to Mount Sinai

19 Exactly three months after the people of Israel left Egypt, they came to the Desert of Sinai. ² After they started out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai. They camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

³ Then Moses went up to God. The Lord called out to him from the mountain. He said, “Here is what I want you to say to my people, who belong to Jacob’s family. Tell the Israelites, ⁴ ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt. You saw how I carried you on the wings of eagles and brought you to myself. ⁵ Now obey me completely. Keep my covenant. If you do, then out of all the nations you will be my special treasure. The whole earth is mine. ⁶ But you will be a kingdom of priests to serve me. You will be my holy nation.’ That is what you must tell the Israelites.”

⁷ So Moses went back. He sent for the elders of the people. He explained to them everything the Lord had commanded him to say. ⁸ All the people answered together. They said, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

⁹ The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “I am going to come to you in a thick cloud. The people will hear me speaking with you. They will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.

¹⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people. Today and tomorrow set them apart for me. Have them wash their clothes. ¹¹ Have the people ready by the third day. On that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai. Everyone will see it. ¹² Put limits for the people around the mountain. Tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go near the mountain. Do not even touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain must be put to death. ¹³ Do not lay a hand on any of them. Kill them with stones or shoot them with arrows. Whether they are people or animals, do not let them live.’ They may go near the mountain only when the ram’s horn gives out a long blast.”

¹⁴ Moses went down the mountain to the people. After he set them apart for the Lord, they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ Then he spoke to the people. He said, “Get ready for the third day. Don’t have sex.”

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud covered the mountain. A trumpet gave out a very loud blast. Everyone in the camp trembled with fear. ¹⁷ Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God. They stood at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸ Smoke covered Mount Sinai, because the Lord came down on it in fire. The smoke rose up from it like smoke from a furnace. The whole mountain trembled and shook. ¹⁹ The sound of the trumpet got louder and louder. Then Moses spoke. And the voice of God answered him.

²⁰ The Lord came down to the top of Mount Sinai. He told Moses to come to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up. ²¹ The Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people. They must not force their way through to see the Lord. If they do, many of them will die. ²² The priests approach the Lord when they serve him. But even they must set themselves apart for the Lord. If they do not, his anger will break out against them.”

²³ Moses said to the Lord, “The people can’t come up Mount Sinai. You yourself warned us. You said, ‘Put limits around the mountain. Set it apart as holy.’ ”

²⁴ The Lord replied, “Go down. Bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through. They must not come up to the Lord. If they do, his anger will break out against them.”

²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.

God Gives His People the Ten Commandments

20 Here are all the words God spoke. He said,

² “I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt. That is the land where you were slaves.

¹⁸ The people saw the thunder and lightning. They heard the trumpet. They saw the mountain covered with smoke. They trembled with fear and stayed a long way off. ¹⁹ They said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself. Then we’ll listen. But don’t let God speak to us. If he does, we’ll die.”

²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. God has come to test you. He wants you to have respect for him. That will keep you from sinning.”

²¹ Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. But the people remained a long way off.

Worship the Lord

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Here is what you must tell the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘You have seen for yourselves what I said to you from heaven. ²³ Do not put any other gods in place of me. Do not make silver or gold statues of them for yourselves.

²⁴ “ ‘Make an altar out of dirt for me. Sacrifice your burnt offerings and friendship offerings on it. Sacrifice your sheep, goats and cattle on it. I will come to you and bless you everywhere I cause my name to be honored. ²⁵ If you make an altar out of stones to honor me, do not build it with blocks of stone. You will make it “unclean” if you use a tool on it. ²⁶ Do not walk up steps to my altar. If you do, someone might see your naked body under your robes.’

Other Laws

21 “Here are the laws you must explain to the people of Israel.

Set Your Hebrew Servants Free

² “Suppose you buy a Hebrew servant. He must serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, you must set him free. He does not have to pay anything. ³ If he does not have a wife when he comes, he must go free alone. But if he has a wife when he comes, she must go with him. ⁴ Suppose his master gives him a wife. And suppose she has sons or daughters by him. Then only the man will go free. The woman and her children will belong to her master.

⁵ “But suppose the servant says, ‘I love my master and my wife and children. I don’t want to go free.’ ⁶ Then his master must take him to the judges. His master must take him to the door or doorpost of his master’s house. His master must poke a hole through his servant’s earlobe into the door or doorpost. Then he will become his servant for life.

⁷ “Suppose a man sells his daughter as a servant. Then she can’t go free as male servants do. ⁸ But what if the master who has chosen her does not like her? Then he must let the man buy her back. He has no right to sell her to strangers. He has broken his promise to her. ⁹ What if he chooses her to marry his son? Then he must grant her the rights of a daughter. ¹⁰ What if her master marries another woman? He must still give the first one her food and clothes and sleep with her. ¹¹ If he does not provide her with those three things, she can go free. She does not have to pay anything.

Laws About Harming Others

¹² “Anyone who hits and kills someone else must be put to death. ¹³ Suppose they did not do it on purpose. Suppose I let it happen. Then they can escape to a place I will choose. ¹⁴ But suppose they kill someone on purpose. Then take them away from my altar and put them to death.

¹⁵ “Anyone who attacks their father or mother must be put to death.

¹⁶ “Anyone who kidnaps and sells another person must be put to death. If they still have the person with them when they are caught, they must be put to death.

¹⁷ “Anyone who asks for something bad to happen to their father or mother must be put to death.

¹⁸ “Suppose two people get into a fight and argue with each other. One hits the other with a stone or his fist. And the person who was hit does not die but has to stay in bed. ¹⁹ And later that person gets up and walks around outside with a walking stick. Then the person who hit the other person will not be held responsible. But that person must pay the one who was hurt for the time spent in bed. The one who hit the other person must be sure that person is completely healed.

²⁰ “Suppose a person beats their male or female slave to death with a club. That person must be punished. ²¹ But they will not be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two. After all, the slave is their property.

²² “Suppose some people are fighting and one of them hits a pregnant woman. And suppose she has her baby early but is not badly hurt. Then the one who hurt her must pay a fine. That person must pay what the woman’s husband asks for and the court allows. ²³ But if someone is badly hurt, a life must be taken for a life. ²⁴ An eye must be put out for an eye. A tooth must be knocked out for a tooth. A hand must be cut off for a hand and a foot for a foot. ²⁵ A burn must be given for a burn, a wound for a wound, and a bruise for a bruise.

²⁶ “Suppose an owner hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it. Then the owner must let the slave go free to pay for the eye. ²⁷ Suppose an owner knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave. Then he must let the slave go free to pay for the tooth.

²⁸ “Suppose a bull kills a man or woman with its horns. Then you must kill the bull by throwing stones at it. Its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held accountable. ²⁹ But suppose the bull has had the habit of attacking people. And suppose the owner has been warned but has not kept it fenced in. Then if it kills a man or woman, you must kill it with stones. The owner must also be put to death. ³⁰ But suppose payment is required of him instead. Then the owner can save his life by paying what is required. ³¹ The same law applies if the bull wounds a son or daughter with its horns. ³² Suppose the bull wounds a male or female slave. Then the owner must pay the slave’s master about 12 ounces of silver. You must kill the bull with stones.

³³ “Suppose someone uncovers a pit or digs one and does not cover it. And suppose an ox or donkey falls into it. ³⁴ Then the person who opened the pit must pay the animal’s owner for the loss. The dead animal will belong to the person who opened the pit.

³⁵ “Suppose someone’s bull wounds a neighbor’s bull and it dies. Then the owner and the neighbor must sell the live one. And they must share the money and the dead animal equally. ³⁶ But suppose people knew that the bull had the habit of attacking. And suppose the owner did not keep it fenced in. Then the owner must give another animal to pay for the dead animal. And the dead animal will belong to the owner.

Laws About Keeping Property Safe

22 “Suppose someone steals an ox or a sheep. And suppose that person kills it or sells it. Then the thief must pay back five oxen for the ox. Or the thief must pay back four sheep for the sheep.

² “Suppose you catch a thief breaking into your house at night. And suppose you hit the thief and the thief dies. Then you are not guilty of murder. ³ But suppose it happens after the sun has come up. Then you are guilty of murder.

“Anyone who steals must pay for whatever they steal. But suppose the thief does not have anything. Then the thief must be sold to pay for what was stolen. ⁴ What if the stolen ox, donkey or sheep is found alive with the thief? Then the thief must pay back twice as much.

⁵ “Suppose someone lets their livestock eat grass in someone else’s field or vineyard. Then they must pay that person back from the best crops of their own field or vineyard.

⁶ “Suppose a fire breaks out and spreads into bushes. Suppose it burns cut and stacked grain or grain that is still growing. Or suppose it burns the whole field. Then the one who started the fire must pay for the loss.

⁷ “Suppose someone gives a neighbor silver or other things to keep safe. And suppose they are stolen from the neighbor’s house. The thief, if caught, must pay back twice as much as was stolen. ⁸ But suppose the thief is not found. Then the neighbor must go to the judges. They will decide whether the neighbor has stolen the other person’s property. ⁹ Suppose you have an ox, donkey, sheep or clothing that does not belong to you. Or you have other property lost by someone else. And suppose someone says, ‘That belongs to me.’ Then both people must bring their case to the judges. The one the judges decide is guilty must pay back twice as much to the other person.

¹⁰ “Suppose someone asks their neighbor to take care of a donkey, ox, sheep or any other animal. And suppose the animal dies or gets hurt. Or suppose it is stolen while no one is looking. ¹¹ Then the problem will be settled by promising the Lord to tell the truth. Suppose the neighbor says, ‘I didn’t steal your property.’ Then the owner must accept what the neighbor says. No payment is required. ¹² But suppose the animal really was stolen. Then the neighbor must pay the owner back. ¹³ Or suppose it was torn to pieces by a wild animal. Then the neighbor must bring in what is left as proof. No payment is required.

¹⁴ “Suppose someone borrows an animal from their neighbor. And it gets hurt or dies while the owner is not there. Then the borrower must pay for it. ¹⁵ But suppose the owner is with the animal. Then the borrower will not have to pay. If the borrower hired the animal, the money paid to hire it covers the loss.

Laws About Social Problems

¹⁶ “Suppose a man meets a virgin who is not engaged. And he talks her into having sex with him. Then he must pay her father the price for a bride. And he must marry her. ¹⁷ But suppose her father absolutely refuses to give her to him. Then he must still pay the price for getting married to a virgin.

¹⁸ “Do not let a woman who does evil magic stay alive. Put her to death.

¹⁹ “Anyone who has sex with an animal must be put to death.

²⁰ “Anyone who sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.

²¹ “Do not treat outsiders badly. Do not give them a hard time. Remember, you were outsiders in Egypt.

²² “Do not take advantage of widows. Do not take advantage of children whose fathers have died. ²³ If you do, they might cry out to me. I will certainly hear them. ²⁴ And I will get angry. I will kill you with a sword. Your wives will become widows. Your children’s fathers will die.

²⁵ “Suppose you lend money to one of my people among you who is in need. Then do not treat it like a business deal. Do not charge any interest at all. ²⁶ Suppose your neighbor owes you money and gives you a coat as a promise to pay it back. Then return it by sunset. ²⁷ That coat is the only thing your neighbor owns to wear or sleep in. When they cry out to me, I will listen, because I am loving and kind.

²⁸ “Do not speak evil things against God. Do not curse the ruler of your people.

²⁹ “Do not keep for yourself your grain offerings or wine offerings.

“You must give me the oldest of your sons. ³⁰ Do the same with your cattle and sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days. But give them to me on the eighth day.

³¹ “I want you to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of any animal that has been torn by wild animals. Throw it to the dogs.

Laws About Mercy and Fairness

23 “Do not spread reports that are false. Do not help a guilty person by telling lies in court.

² “Do not follow the crowd when they do what is wrong. When you are a witness in court, do not turn what is right into what is wrong. Do not go along with the crowd. ³ Do not show favor to a poor person in court.

⁴ “Suppose you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering away. Then be sure to return it. ⁵ Suppose you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has fallen down under its load. Then do not leave it there. Be sure you help them with it.

⁶ “Be fair to your poor people in their court cases. ⁷ Do not have anything to do with a false charge. Do not put to death people not guilty of doing anything wrong. I will not let guilty people go free.

⁸ “Do not take money from people who want special favors. It makes you blind to the truth. It twists the words of good people.

⁹ “Do not treat outsiders badly. You yourselves know how it feels to be outsiders. Remember, you were outsiders in Egypt.

Sabbath Laws

¹⁰ “For six years plant your fields and gather your crops. ¹¹ But during the seventh year do not plow your land or use it. Then the poor people among you can get food from it. The wild animals can eat what is left over. Do the same thing with your vineyards and your groves of olive trees.

¹² “Do all your work in six days. But do not do any work on the seventh day. Then your oxen and donkeys can rest. The slaves born in your house can be renewed. And so can the outsiders who live among you.

¹³ “Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not speak the names of other gods. Do not even let them be heard on your lips.

Laws About Celebrating the Three Main Feasts

¹⁴ “Three times a year you must celebrate a feast in my honor.

¹⁵ “Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days, eat bread made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Do it at the appointed time in the month of Aviv. You came out of Egypt in that month.

“You must not come to worship me with your hands empty.

¹⁶ “Celebrate the Feast of Weeks. Bring the first share of your crops from your fields.

“Celebrate the Feast of Booths. Hold it in the fall when you gather in your crops from your fields.

¹⁷ “Three times a year all your men must come to worship me. I am your Lord and King.

¹⁸ “Do not include anything made with yeast when you offer me the blood of a sacrifice.

“Suppose the fat from sacrifices is left over from my feasts. Then do not keep it until morning.

¹⁹ “Bring the best of the first share of your crops to my house. I am the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

God’s Angel Will Prepare the Way

²⁰ “I am sending an angel ahead of you. He will guard you along the way. He will bring you to the place I have prepared. ²¹ Pay attention to him. Listen to what he says. Do not refuse to obey him. He will not forgive you if you turn against him. He has my full authority. ²² Listen carefully to what he says. Do everything I say. Then I will be an enemy to your enemies. I will fight against those who fight against you. ²³ My angel will go ahead of you. He will bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites. I will wipe them out. ²⁴ Do not do what they do. Do not bow down to their gods or worship them. You must destroy the statues of their gods. You must break their sacred stones to pieces. ²⁵ Worship the Lord your God. Then he will bless your food and water. I, the Lord, will take away any sickness you may have. ²⁶ In your land no woman will give birth to a dead baby. Every woman will be able to have children. I will give you a long life.

²⁷ “I will send my terror ahead of you. I will throw every nation you meet into a panic. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run away. ²⁸ I will send hornets ahead of you. They will drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. ²⁹ But I will not drive them out in just one year. If I did, the land would be deserted. There would be too many wild animals for you. ³⁰ I will drive them out ahead of you little by little. I will do that until there are enough of you to take control of the land.

³¹ “I will make your borders secure from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. They will go from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will hand over to you the people who live in the land. You will drive them out to make room for yourselves. ³² Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. ³³ Do not let them live in your land. If you do, they will cause you to sin against me. If you worship their gods, that will certainly be a trap for you.”

The Blood of the Covenant

24 The Lord said to Moses, “You and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel must come to worship the Lord. Do not come close when you worship. ² Only Moses can come close to me. The others must not come near. And the people may not go up with him.”

³ Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws. They answered with one voice. They said, “We will do everything the Lord has told us to do.” ⁴ Then Moses wrote down everything the Lord had said.

Moses got up early the next morning. He built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He set up 12 stone pillars. They stood for the 12 tribes of Israel. ⁵ Then he sent young Israelite men to sacrifice burnt offerings. They also sacrificed young bulls as friendship offerings to the Lord. ⁶ Moses put half of the blood in bowls. He splashed the other half against the altar. ⁷ Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They answered, “We will do everything the Lord has told us to do. We will obey him.”

⁸ Then Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people. He said, “This is the blood that puts the covenant into effect. The Lord has made this covenant with you in keeping with all these words.”

⁹ Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the 70 elders of Israel went up. ¹⁰ They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a street made out of lapis lazuli. It was as bright blue as the sky itself. ¹¹ But God didn’t destroy those Israelite leaders when they saw him. They ate and drank.

¹² The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain. Stay here. I will give you the stone tablets. They contain the law and commandments I have written to teach the people.”

¹³ Then Moses and Joshua, his helper, started out. Moses went up on the mountain of God. ¹⁴ He said to the elders, “Wait for us here until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you. Anyone who has a problem can go to them.”

¹⁵ Moses went up on the mountain. Then the cloud covered it. ¹⁶ The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. The cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called out to Moses from inside the cloud. ¹⁷ The people of Israel saw the glory of the Lord. It looked like a fire burning on top of the mountain. ¹⁸ Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. He stayed on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights.

Offerings for the Holy Tent

25 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell the people of Israel to bring me an offering. You must receive the offering for me from everyone whose hearts move them to give.

³ “Here are the offerings you must receive from them.

⁸ “Have them make a sacred tent for me. I will live among them. ⁹ Make the holy tent and everything that belongs to it. Make them exactly like the pattern I will show you.

The Ark of the Covenant Law

¹⁰ “Have them make an ark out of acacia wood. It must be a chest three feet nine inches long and two feet three inches wide and high. ¹¹ Cover it inside and outside with pure gold. Put a strip of gold around it. ¹² Make four gold rings for it. Join them to its four bottom corners. Put two rings on one side and two rings on the other. ¹³ Then make poles out of acacia wood. Cover them with gold. ¹⁴ Put the poles through the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. ¹⁵ The poles must remain in the rings of the ark. Do not remove them. ¹⁶ I will give you the tablets of the covenant law. When I do, put them into the ark.

¹⁷ “Make its cover out of pure gold. The cover is the place where sin will be paid for. Make it three feet nine inches long and two feet three inches wide. ¹⁸ Make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. ¹⁹ Put one of the cherubim on each end of it. Make the cherubim part of the cover itself. ²⁰ They must have their wings spread up over the cover. The cherubim must face each other and look toward the cover. ²¹ Place the cover on top of the ark. I will give you the tablets of the covenant law. Put them in the ark. ²² The ark is where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. I will meet with you above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark. There I will give you all my commands for the Israelites.

The Table for the Holy Bread

²³ “Make a table out of acacia wood. Make it three feet long, one foot six inches wide and two feet three inches high. ²⁴ Cover it with pure gold. Put a strip of gold around it. ²⁵ Also make a rim around it three inches wide. Put a strip of gold around the rim. ²⁶ Make four gold rings for the table. Join them to the four corners, where the four legs are. ²⁷ The rings must be close to the rim. They must hold the poles that will be used to carry the table. ²⁸ Make the poles out of acacia wood. Cover them with gold. Use them to carry the table. ²⁹ Make its plates and dishes out of pure gold. Also make its pitchers and bowls out of pure gold. Use the pitchers and bowls to pour out drink offerings. ³⁰ Put the holy bread on the table. It must be near my holy throne on the ark of the covenant law at all times.

The Gold Lampstand

³¹ “Make a lampstand out of pure gold. Hammer out its base and stem. Its buds, blossoms and cups must branch out from it. They must be part of the lampstand itself. ³² Six branches must come out from the sides of the lampstand. Make three on one side and three on the other. ³³ On one branch make three cups that are shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. Then put three on the next branch. Do the same with all six branches that come out from the lampstand. ³⁴ On the lampstand there must be four cups that are shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. ³⁵ One bud must be under the first pair of branches that come out from the lampstand. Put a second bud under the second pair. And put a third bud under the third pair. Make a total of six branches. ³⁶ The buds and branches must come out from the lampstand. The whole lampstand must be one piece hammered out of pure gold.

³⁷ “Then make its seven lamps. Set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. ³⁸ The trays and wick cutters must be made out of pure gold. ³⁹ Use 75 pounds of pure gold to make the lampstand and everything used with it. ⁴⁰ Be sure to make everything just like the pattern I showed you on the mountain.

The Holy Tent

26 “Make ten curtains out of finely twisted linen for the holy tent. Make them with blue, purple and bright red yarn. Have a skilled worker sew cherubim into the pattern. ² Make all the curtains the same size. They must be 42 feet long and six feet wide. ³ Join five of the curtains together. Do the same thing with the other five. ⁴ Make loops out of blue strips of cloth along the edge of the end curtain in one set. Do the same thing with the end curtain in the other set. ⁵ Make 50 loops on the end curtain of the one set. Do the same thing on the end curtain of the other set. Put the loops across from each other. ⁶ Make 50 gold hooks. Use them to join the curtains together so that the holy tent is all one piece.

⁷ “Make a total of 11 curtains out of goat hair to put over the holy tent. ⁸ Make all 11 curtains the same size. They must be 45 feet long and six feet wide. ⁹ Join five of the curtains together into one set. Do the same thing with the other six. Fold the sixth curtain in half at the front of the tent. ¹⁰ Make 50 loops along the edge of the end curtain in the one set. Do the same thing with the other set. ¹¹ Then make 50 bronze hooks. Put them in the loops to join the tent together all in one piece. ¹² Let the extra half curtain hang down at the rear of the holy tent. ¹³ The tent curtains will be 18 inches longer on both sides. What is left over will hang over the sides of the holy tent and cover it. ¹⁴ Make a covering for the tent. Make it out of ram skins that are dyed red. Put a covering of the other strong leather over that.

¹⁵ “Make frames out of acacia wood for the holy tent. ¹⁶ Make each frame 15 feet long and two feet three inches wide. ¹⁷ Add two small wooden pins to each frame. Make the pins stick out so that they are even with each other. Make all the frames for the holy tent in the same way. ¹⁸ Make 20 frames for the south side of the holy tent. ¹⁹ And make 40 silver bases to go under them. Make two bases for each frame. Put one under each pin that sticks out. ²⁰ For the north side of the holy tent make 20 frames ²¹ and 40 silver bases. Put two bases under each frame. ²² Make six frames for the west end of the holy tent. ²³ Make two frames for the corners at the far end. ²⁴ At those two corners the frames must be double from top to bottom. They must be fitted into a single ring. Make both of them the same. ²⁵ There will be eight frames and 16 silver bases. There will be two bases under each frame.

²⁶ “Also make crossbars out of acacia wood. Make five for the frames on one side of the holy tent. ²⁷ Make five for the frames on the other side. And make five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the holy tent. ²⁸ The center crossbar must reach from end to end at the middle of the frames. ²⁹ Cover the frames with gold. Make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also cover the crossbars with gold.

³⁰ “Set up the holy tent in keeping with the plan I showed you on the mountain.

³¹ “Make a curtain out of blue, purple and bright red yarn and finely twisted linen. Have a skilled worker sew cherubim into the pattern. ³² Hang the curtain with gold hooks on four posts that are made out of acacia wood. Cover the posts with gold. Stand them on four silver bases. ³³ Hang the curtain from the hooks. Place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Room from the Most Holy Room. ³⁴ Put the cover on the ark of the covenant law in the Most Holy Room. The cover will be the place where sin is paid for. ³⁵ Place the table outside the curtain on the north side of the holy tent. And put the lampstand across from it on the south side.

³⁶ “Make a curtain for the entrance to the tent. Make it out of blue, purple and bright red yarn and finely twisted linen. Have a person who sews skillfully make it. ³⁷ Make gold hooks for the curtain. Make five posts out of acacia wood. Cover them with gold. And make five bronze bases for them.

The Altar for Burnt Offerings

27 “Build an altar out of acacia wood. It must be four feet six inches high and seven feet six inches square. ² Make a horn stick out from each of its upper four corners. The horns and the altar must be all one piece. Cover the altar with bronze. ³ Make everything for the altar out of bronze. Make its pots to remove the ashes. Make its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks, and pans for carrying ashes. ⁴ Make a bronze grate for the altar. Make a bronze ring for each of the four corners of the grate. ⁵ Put the grate halfway up the altar on the inside. ⁶ Make poles out of acacia wood for the altar. Cover them with bronze. ⁷ Put the poles through the rings. They will be on two sides of the altar for carrying it. ⁸ Make the altar out of boards. Leave it hollow. It must look just like what I showed you on the mountain.

The Courtyard

⁹ “Make a courtyard for the holy tent. The south side must be 150 feet long. It must have curtains that are made out of finely twisted linen. ¹⁰ The curtains must be hung on 20 posts that have 20 bronze bases. The posts must have silver hooks and bands on them. ¹¹ The north side must also be about 150 feet long. It must have curtains with 20 posts that have 20 bronze bases. The posts must have silver hooks and bands on them.

¹² “The west end of the courtyard must be 75 feet wide. It must have curtains with ten posts that have ten bases. ¹³ The east end of the courtyard, toward the sunrise, must also be 75 feet wide. ¹⁴ On one side of the entrance you must put curtains that are 22 feet six inches long. Hang them on three posts. Each post must have a base. ¹⁵ On the other side you must also put curtains that are 22 feet six inches long. Hang them on three posts. Each post must have a base.

¹⁶ “For the entrance to the courtyard, provide a curtain 30 feet long. Make it out of blue, purple and bright red yarn and finely twisted linen. Have someone who sews skillfully make it. Hang it on four posts. Each post must have a base. ¹⁷ All the posts that are around the courtyard must have silver bands and hooks. They must also have bronze bases. ¹⁸ The courtyard must be 150 feet long and 75 feet wide. It must have curtains that are made out of finely twisted linen. They must be seven feet six inches high. The posts must have bronze bases. ¹⁹ Make out of bronze all the other things used for any purpose in the holy tent. That includes all the tent stakes for the tent and the courtyard.

Oil for the Lampstand

²⁰ “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil made from pressed olives. Use it to keep the lamps burning and giving light. ²¹ Aaron and his sons must keep the lamps burning in the tent of meeting. The lamps will be outside the curtain in front of the tablets of the covenant law. The lamps must be kept burning in front of the Lord from evening until morning. This is a law for the Israelites that will last for all time to come.

The Clothes for the Priests

28 “Have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites. His sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar must also be brought. They will serve me as priests. ² Make sacred clothes for your brother Aaron. When he is wearing them, people will honor him. They will have respect for him. ³ Speak to all the skilled workers. I have given them the skill to do this kind of work. Tell them to make clothes for Aaron. He will wear them when he is set apart to serve me as priest. ⁴ The workers must make a chest cloth, a linen apron and an outer robe. They must also make an inner robe, a turban and a belt. They must make sacred clothes for your brother Aaron and his sons. Then they will serve me as priests. ⁵ Have the workers use thin gold wire, and blue, purple and bright red yarn, and fine linen.

The Linen Apron

⁶ “Make the linen apron out of thin gold wire, and out of blue, purple and bright red yarn, and out of finely twisted linen. Have a skilled worker make it. ⁷ It must have two shoulder straps joined to two of its corners. ⁸ Its skillfully made waistband must be like the apron. The waistband must be part of the apron itself. Make the waistband out of thin gold wire, and out of blue, purple and bright red yarn, and out of finely twisted linen.

⁹ “Get two onyx stones. Carve the names of the sons of Israel on them. ¹⁰ Arrange them in the order of their birth. Carve six names on one stone and six on the other. ¹¹ Carve the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a jewel cutter would carve them. Then put the stones in fancy gold settings. ¹² Connect them to the shoulder straps of the linen apron. The stones will stand for the sons of Israel. Aaron must carry the names on his shoulders as a constant reminder while he is serving the Lord. ¹³ Make fancy gold settings. ¹⁴ Make two braided chains out of pure gold. Make them like ropes. Join the chains to the settings.

The Chest Cloth

¹⁵ “Make a chest cloth that will be used for making decisions. Have a skilled worker make it. Make it like the linen apron. Use thin gold wire, and blue, purple and bright red yarn, and finely twisted linen. ¹⁶ Make it nine inches square. Fold it in half. ¹⁷ Put four rows of valuable jewels on it. Put carnelian, chrysolite and beryl in the first row. ¹⁸ Put turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald in the second row. ¹⁹ Put jacinth, agate and amethyst in the third row. ²⁰ And put topaz, onyx and jasper in the fourth row. Put them in fancy gold settings. ²¹ Use a total of 12 stones. Use one for each of the names of the sons of Israel. Each stone must be carved with the name of one of the 12 tribes.

²² “Make braided chains out of pure gold for the chest cloth. Make them like ropes. ²³ Make two gold rings for the chest cloth. Connect them to two corners of it. ²⁴ Join the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the chest cloth. ²⁵ Join the other ends of the chains to the two settings. Join them to the shoulder straps on the front of the linen apron. ²⁶ Make two gold rings. Connect them to the other two corners of the chest cloth. Put them on the inside edge next to the apron. ²⁷ Make two more gold rings. Connect them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the apron. Put them close to the seam. Put them right above the waistband of the apron. ²⁸ The rings of the chest cloth must be tied to the rings of the apron. Tie them to the waistband with blue cord. Then the chest cloth will not swing out from the linen apron.

²⁹ “When Aaron enters the Holy Room, he will carry the names of the sons of Israel over his heart. Their names will be on the chest cloth of decision. They will be a continuing reminder while he is serving the Lord. ³⁰ Also put the Urim and Thummim into the chest cloth. Then they will be over Aaron’s heart when he comes to serve the Lord. In that way, Aaron will always have what he needs to make decisions for the people of Israel. He will carry the Urim and Thummim over his heart while he is serving the Lord.

More Clothes for the Priests

³¹ “Make the outer robe of the linen apron completely out of blue cloth. ³² In the center of the robe, make an opening for the head of the priest. Make an edge like a collar around the opening. Then it will not tear. ³³ Make pomegranates out of blue, purple and bright red yarn. Sew them around the hem of the robe. Sew gold bells between them. ³⁴ Sew a gold bell between every two pomegranates all around the hem of the robe. ³⁵ Aaron must wear the robe when he serves as priest. The bells will jingle when he enters the Holy Room while he is serving the Lord. And they will jingle when he goes out. Then he will not die.

³⁶ “Make a plate out of pure gold. Carve words on it as if it were an official seal. Carve the words

Set Apart for the Lord.

³⁷ Tie the plate to the front of the turban with a blue cord. ³⁸ Aaron must wear this plate on his forehead all the time. He will be held responsible for all the sacred gifts the Israelites set apart. Then the Lord will accept the gifts.

³⁹ “Make the inner robe out of fine linen. And make the turban out of fine linen. The belt must be made by a person who sews skillfully. ⁴⁰ Make inner robes, belts and caps for Aaron’s sons. When they are wearing them, people will honor his sons. They will also have respect for them. ⁴¹ Put all these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons. Then pour olive oil on them and prepare them to serve me. Set them apart to serve me as priests.

⁴² “Make linen underwear that reaches from the waist to the thigh. ⁴³ Aaron and the priests in his family line must wear it when they enter the tent of meeting. They must also wear it when they approach the altar to serve in the Holy Room. Then they will not be found guilty and die.

“For all time to come, that will be a law for Aaron and the priests in his family line.