Stories From The Hebrew Bible
A SMOKING MOUNTAIN AND WORDS SPOKEN FROM IT
Stories From The Hebrew Bible
A SMOKING MOUNTAIN AND WORDS SPOKEN FROM IT
While the Israelites were journeying through the desert, they had great trouble because of a lack of water. Between the wells of Elim and Mount Sinai, they found no streams or springs. Their sheep and men suffered from thirst, and the little children were crying for water. The people came to Moses and said in great anger: “Give us water or we shall die. Why have you brought us up from Egypt to kill us here in the desert?”
And Moses called on God and said: “Lord, what shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
Then God told Moses what to do; and this was what Moses did: he took the elders before a rock, and with his rod he struck it. Then out of the rock came forth a stream of water for the people and animals to drink.
While they were in camp, around this rock at Rephdim, the people who had their homes in the desert and were called Amalekites, made sudden war on the Israelites. Then Moses told Joshua to call out those of the people who were fit for war; and they fought a battle with the Amalekites.
While they were fighting, Moses stood on a hill, with the staff of God in his hand. He then stretched his hands up toward heaven; and while Moses’ hands were reaching upward, the Israelites were strong and drove back the enemy. But when Moses’ arms fell down, then the enemy drove back the men of Israel.
When Moses became tired, Aaron, Moses’ brother, and Hur sat Moses on a stone and held up his hands until the Israelites won the victory and overcame the men of Amalek.
In the third month after the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they came to a great mountain called Mount Sinai. Do you remember the burning bush? Mount Sinai was one of a group of mountains called Horeb, where Moses saw the burning bush and first heard God’s voice.
The Israelites made their camp in front of Mount Sinai, and stayed there for many days. And God said to Moses: “Let none of the people go up on the mount or come near to touch it. If even one of your cattle or sheep shall touch the mountain, it must be killed. This is a holy place, where God will show His glory.”
And a few days after this, the people heard the voice as of many trumpets sounding on the top of the mountain. They looked, and saw that the mountain was covered with clouds and smoke, and lightnings were flashing from it, while the thunder rolled and crashed. And the mountain shook and trembled, as though an earthquake were tearing it in pieces.
The people were filled with alarm. They came out of their tents and ran back from the foot of the mountain, and they stood far off, trembling with fear. Then God spoke in the hearing of all the people, as with a voice of thunder, and said: “I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
In Deuteronomy 5:22, 23 we learn that God spoke to all the people the words of the Ten Commandments. Words you have no doubt read many times. In a shorter form and in words easy to understand and remember, the Ten Commandments are:
DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER GODS BUT ME.
DO NOT MAKE OR WORSHIP ANY IMAGE.
DO NOT SPEAK THE NAME OF GOD CARELESSLY OR PROFANELY.
REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY AND KEEP IT HOLY.
HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.
DO NOT MURDER.
DO NOT BE IMMORAL.
DO NOT STEAL.
DO NOT TELL ANY LIE.
DO NOT BE ENVIOUS OF OTHER PEOPLE’S POSSESSIONS.
And all the people heard these words spoken by the Lord God; and they saw the mountain smoking and the lightning flashing and they were frightened. They said to Moses: “Let not God speak to us any more; for the sound of His voice will take away our lives. Let God speak to you, Moses, and you speak to us God’s words.”
“Fear not,” said Moses, “for God has come to you, to speak with you, that you may fear Him and do His will.”
And Moses drew near to the mountain, where the clouds and darkness and lightnings were. Then God called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up, and with him was his helper, the young man Joshua. Joshua stayed on the side of the mountain, but Moses went up alone to the top, among the clouds.
And there Moses stayed upon the mountain, alone with God, for forty days, talking with God and listening to God’s Words. And Moses received the two tablets of stone, upon which God had written with His own finger the Ten Commandments.
