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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 19

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1On the third new moon after the Israelites had gone forth from the land of Egypt, on that very day, they entered the wilderness of Sinai.

אבַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לְצֵאת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה בָּאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינָי׃

2Having journeyed from Rephidim, they entered the wilderness of Sinai and encamped in the wilderness. Yisrael encamped there in front of the mountain,

בוַיִּסְעוּ מֵרְפִידִים וַיָּבֹאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינַי וַיַּחֲנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיִּחַן־שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר׃

3and Moshe went up to Hashem. Hashem called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus shall you say to the house of Yaakov and declare to the children of Yisrael:

גוּמֹשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו יְהֹוָה מִן־הָהָר לֵאמֹר כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Me.

a-TEM r'-ee-TEM a-SHER a-SEE-tee l'-mitz-RA-yim va-e-SA et-KHEM al kan-FAY n'-sha-REEM va-a-VEE et-KHEM ay-LAI

דאַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְמִצְרָיִם וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל־כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים וָאָבִא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָי׃

 19:4 How I bore you on eagles’ wings 

Operation on Wings of Eagles, 1949

“Operation Magic Carpet”,’ also called “Operation On Wings of Eagles” based on this verse, secretly airlifted almost fifty thousand Yemenite Jews to Israel between June 1949 and September 1950. Many of the Yemenite Jews had never seen an airplane before, and they likened the ride from Yemen to Israel as a fulfillment of this verse, “I bore you on eagles’ wings.” This Operation was just one example of the fulfillment of the State of Israel’s responsibility toward all Jews worldwide, summarized by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in a speech he delivered to the Zionist Congress in 1992: “Our responsibility also extends to all Jews throughout the world… World Jewry should know that we are responsible for them and will do all we can to assist them when they are in need.”

5Now then, if you will obey Me faithfully and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples. Indeed, all the earth is Mine,

הוְעַתָּה אִם־שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּקֹלִי וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־בְּרִיתִי וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה מִכָּל־הָעַמִּים כִּי־לִי כָּל־הָאָרֶץ׃

6but you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Yisrael.”

v'-a-TEM tih-yu LEE mam-LE-khet ko-ha-NEEM v'-GOY ka-DOSH AY-leh ha-d'-va-REEM a-SHER t'-da-BAYR el b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL

ווְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ־לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תְּדַבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

7Moshe came and summoned the elders of the people and put before them all that Hashem had commanded him.

זוַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וַיִּקְרָא לְזִקְנֵי הָעָם וַיָּשֶׂם לִפְנֵיהֶם אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ יְהֹוָה׃

8All the people answered as one, saying, “All that Hashem has spoken we will do!” And Moshe brought back the people's words to Hashem.

חוַיַּעֲנוּ כָל־הָעָם יַחְדָּו וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה נַעֲשֶׂה וַיָּשֶׁב מֹשֶׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל־יְהֹוָה׃

9And Hashem said to Moshe, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so trust you ever after.” Then Moshe reported the people's words to Hashem,

טוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַב הֶעָנָן בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ וְגַם־בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם וַיַּגֵּד מֹשֶׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל־יְהֹוָה׃

10and Hashem said to Moshe, “Go to the people and warn them to stay pure today and tomorrow. Let them wash their clothes.

יוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵךְ אֶל־הָעָם וְקִדַּשְׁתָּם הַיּוֹם וּמָחָר וְכִבְּסוּ שִׂמְלֹתָם׃

11Let them be ready for the third day; for on the third day Hashem will come down, in the sight of all the people, on Har Sinai.

יאוְהָיוּ נְכֹנִים לַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי יֵרֵד יְהֹוָה לְעֵינֵי כָל־הָעָם עַל־הַר סִינָי׃

12You shall set bounds for the people round about, saying, ‘Beware of going up the mountain or touching the border of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death:

יבוְהִגְבַּלְתָּ אֶת־הָעָם סָבִיב לֵאמֹר הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם עֲלוֹת בָּהָר וּנְגֹעַ בְּקָצֵהוּ כָּל־הַנֹּגֵעַ בָּהָר מוֹת יוּמָת׃

13no hand shall touch him, but he shall be either stoned or shot; beast or man, he shall not live.' When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they may go up on the mountain.”

יגלֹא־תִגַּע בּוֹ יָד כִּי־סָקוֹל יִסָּקֵל אוֹ־יָרֹה יִיָּרֶה אִם־בְּהֵמָה אִם־אִישׁ לֹא יִחְיֶה בִּמְשֹׁךְ הַיֹּבֵל הֵמָּה יַעֲלוּ בָהָר׃

14Moshe came down from the mountain to the people and warned the people to stay pure, and they washed their clothes.

ידוַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה מִן־הָהָר אֶל־הָעָם וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת־הָעָם וַיְכַבְּסוּ שִׂמְלֹתָם׃

15And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day: do not go near a woman.”

טווַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָעָם הֱיוּ נְכֹנִים לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים אַל־תִּגְּשׁוּ אֶל־אִשָּׁה׃

16On 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 shofar; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.

טזוַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיֹת הַבֹּקֶר וַיְהִי קֹלֹת וּבְרָקִים וְעָנָן כָּבֵד עַל־הָהָר וְקֹל שֹׁפָר חָזָק מְאֹד וַיֶּחֱרַד כָּל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּחֲנֶה׃

17Moshe led the people out of the camp toward Hashem, and they took their places at the foot of the mountain.

יזוַיּוֹצֵא מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הָעָם לִקְרַאת הָאֱלֹהִים מִן־הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיִּתְיַצְּבוּ בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר׃

18Now Har Sinai was all in smoke, for Hashem had come down upon it in fire; the smoke rose like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled violently.

יחוְהַר סִינַי עָשַׁן כֻּלּוֹ מִפְּנֵי אֲשֶׁר יָרַד עָלָיו יְהֹוָה בָּאֵשׁ וַיַּעַל עֲשָׁנוֹ כְּעֶשֶׁן הַכִּבְשָׁן וַיֶּחֱרַד כָּל־הָהָר מְאֹד׃

19The blare of the shofar grew louder and louder. As Moshe spoke, Hashem answered him in thunder.

יטוַיְהִי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק מְאֹד מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל׃

20Hashem came down upon Har Sinai, on the top of the mountain, and Hashem called Moshe to the top of the mountain and Moshe went up.

כוַיֵּרֶד יְהֹוָה עַל־הַר סִינַי אֶל־רֹאשׁ הָהָר וַיִּקְרָא יְהֹוָה לְמֹשֶׁה אֶל־רֹאשׁ הָהָר וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה׃

21Hashem said to Moshe, “Go down, warn the people not to break through to Hashem to gaze, lest many of them perish.

כאוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה רֵד הָעֵד בָּעָם פֶּן־יֶהֶרְסוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָה לִרְאוֹת וְנָפַל מִמֶּנּוּ רָב׃

22The Kohanim also, who come near Hashem, must stay pure, lest Hashem break out against them.”

כבוְגַם הַכֹּהֲנִים הַנִּגָּשִׁים אֶל־יְהֹוָה יִתְקַדָּשׁוּ פֶּן־יִפְרֹץ בָּהֶם יְהֹוָה׃

23But Moshe said to Hashem, “The people cannot come up to Har Sinai, for You warned us saying, ‘Set bounds about the mountain and sanctify it.'”

כגוַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־יְהֹוָה לֹא־יוּכַל הָעָם לַעֲלֹת אֶל־הַר סִינָי כִּי־אַתָּה הַעֵדֹתָה בָּנוּ לֵאמֹר הַגְבֵּל אֶת־הָהָר וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ׃

24So Hashem said to him, “Go down, and come back together with Aharon; but let not the Kohanim or the people break through to come up to Hashem, lest He break out against them.”

כדוַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו יְהֹוָה לֶךְ־רֵד וְעָלִיתָ אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן עִמָּךְ וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהָעָם אַל־יֶהֶרְסוּ לַעֲלֹת אֶל־יְהֹוָה פֶּן־יִפְרָץ־בָּם׃

25And Moshe went down to the people and spoke to them.

כהוַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה אֶל־הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם׃