When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning." . ...  Read More

You shall have no other gods before me.You shall not make for yourself an image . . . [to] bow down to . . . or worship.You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land . . .You shall not murder.You shall not commit adultery.You shall not steal.You shall not bear false witness...  Read More

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God.   . . . The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said . . .  "What you are doing is not good . . . The work...  Read More

The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but when...  Read More

Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him.   . . . Get two bulls for us. Let Baal's prophets choose one for themselves . . .  I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god w...  Read More

The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai . . .  In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire ass...  Read More