⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,^(A) so that the people will hear me speaking^(B) with you and will always put their trust^(C) in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.

¹⁰ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate^(D) them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes^{(E) 11} and be ready by the third day,^(F) because on that day the Lord will come down^(G) on Mount Sinai^(H) in the sight of all the people. ¹² Put limits^(I) for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. ¹³ They are to be stoned^(J) or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn^(K) sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”^(L)

¹⁴ After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.^{(M) 15} Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain^(N) from sexual relations.”