Scripture Stories
Moses on Mount Sinai


“Moses on Mount Sinai,” Old Testament Stories (2022)

“Moses on Mount Sinai,” Old Testament Stories

Exodus 19–2024; 31–34; Deuteronomy 4–7

5:35

Moses on Mount Sinai

Helping the people remember the Lord

Mount Sinai

Moses and the Israelites traveled through the wilderness. They came to a mountain called Mount Sinai.

Exodus 19:1

Moses praying

Moses climbed the mountain to speak to the Lord. The Lord told Moses that He wanted to talk to the Israelites face to face.

Exodus 19:3, 9–11

cloud surrounding mountain

The Israelites came to the base of Mount Sinai, and the Lord caused a cloud of smoke to surround the mountain. The Lord was in the cloud. He spoke to the Israelites and gave them commandments. The mountain shook as He talked.

Exodus 19:16–19; 20:1–17; Deuteronomy 4:12–13, 33; 5:4–5

Israelites afraid

The Israelites were afraid. They asked Moses to speak with the Lord so that Moses could tell them what the Lord wanted.

Exodus 20:18–19

Israelite elders on the mountain

Moses took Aaron and 70 Israelite elders to the mountain to receive more of the Lord’s teachings. The Lord appeared to them.

Exodus 24:1, 9–11

the Lord writing on tablets for Moses

Then the Lord told Moses to leave the elders and go even higher up the mountain. Moses obeyed. The Lord used His finger to write His law and commandments on stone tablets. For 40 days, the Lord taught Moses many things.

Exodus 24:12–18; 31:18

Israelites making golden calf

While Moses was on Mount Sinai, the people of Israel got tired of waiting for him. They told Aaron to make statues for them to worship like they had in Egypt. Aaron gathered all their gold and made a statue of a calf.

Exodus 32:1–4

Israelites worshipping golden calf

The Israelites worshipped the golden calf and offered sacrifices. They said the golden calf, not the Lord, freed them from Egypt.

Exodus 32:4–6, 21–24

Moses coming down mountain

The Lord knew the Israelites were worshipping an idol and forgetting Him. He commanded Moses to go back and tell the people to repent.

Exodus 32:7–10

Moses talking to Israelites, golden calf destroyed

Moses came down from Mount Sinai and saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. He was very upset. The people weren’t ready to obey the law and commandments the Lord had written. Moses broke the tablets and destroyed the golden calf. He helped the Israelites repent and remember their true God.

Exodus 32:15–20, 25–29

Moses praying

Moses asked the Lord to forgive the Israelites and to make promises with them again. Moses promised to lead and teach them.

Exodus 32:30–34

Moses with tablets of Ten Commandments

The Lord asked Moses to create new stone tablets and go back to Mount Sinai. The Lord made a new promise with the Israelites and gave them His Ten Commandments.

Exodus 20:2–17; 34:1–17, 28; Deuteronomy 6:24–25; 7:12–13