Moshe's 3 Trips up Mt. Sinai

Ex.19:1&2 In the 3rd month when the children if Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt the same day came, they into the wilderness of Sinai. For they were departed from Rephidim and were come to the desert of Sinai and had pitched in the wilderness: and there Israel camped before the mount.

Some people might read this to mean it was the15th of the 3rd month when they left Rephidim because they came out of Egypt on the 15th. Looking closer at the words "the same day" could be rendered "this day" referring back to verse 1 where it says, "this day came they into the wilderness of Sinai" Which day? the day they left Rephidim. So, it was the very day they left Rephidim that they came to Mount Sinai.

While they are setting at camp about the 13th of the 3rd month or earlier.

(verse 3) Moshe went up unto YHWH and YHWH called unto him out of the mountain and Moshe was to convey to the children of Israel what YHWH spoke to him.

(verse 7) Moshe went down and spoke the words of YHWH and all the people answered, "we will do" and Moshe returned the words of the people unto YHWH.

(verse 10) Moshe was told to go and sanctify the people today and tomorrow and let them wash their clothes and be ready against the 3rd day. These 3 days had to be the 13th, 14th, and 15th of the 3rd month.

(verse 16) And it came to pass on the 3rd day YHWH SPOKE the 10 commandments on the 15th day of the 3rd month, SHAVUOT (Dead Sea Scrolls Temple Scroll col.18 & Jubilees 14)

1ST TRIP UP THE MOUNTAIN!

Moshes 1st 40/40 Ex.24:1-18 Moshe was to go up the mountain with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and 70 elders with 2 tablets of stone.

(verse 16) and the cloud covered the mountain 6 days and, on the 7th, day being the 23rd day of the 3rd month YHWH called Moshe up. Jubilees 1:1 gives the same account as Ex.24 only it tells us they went up on the 16th day of the 3rd month. Which is the day after YHWH Spoke the 10 commandments to all the people.

(1st 40/40) If Moshe was called up on the 23rd and starts his 40 days and nights of fasting that brings you to the 2nd day of the 5th month when Moshe was told to go down because the people had corrupted themselves with the golden calf. This being the WINE feast on the 3rd. day of the 5th month.

Ex. 32:5 Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast (H2282 chag) to YHWH."

The sin was mixing the feast day with the profane. That day was corrupted by the golden calf event, drunkenness and debauchery.

COMING DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN:

Ex. 32:17-18 Joshua thinks it is a noise of war in the camp. verse 18....And he said, it is not the voice of them that shout for victory, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome; but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

I think the LXX clarifies this: LXX Apostolic Bible polyglot Ex. 32-17-18 It is a sound of war in the camp. And he says, it is not a sound originating from strength, nor a sound originating by routing of the enemy but a sound originating from wine. LXX translated by Brenton clarifies this even more. Ex. 32:17-18 it is not the voice of them that begin the battle, nor the voice of them that begin the cry of defeat, but the voice of them that begin the banquet of wine do I hear. (the word banquet is in italics, but I think it is appropriate)

We know Moshe comes down and breaks the tablets which is the Wine Feast on the 3rd day of the 5th month.

2ND TIME GOING UP THE MOUNTAIN

(2nd 40/40) Ex 32: 30-35 Moshe returns back up the mountain and pleads with YHWH to not blot the people out. It does not tell us here that he fasted a 2nd. 40/40. but Dt. 9:9-25 does.

Dt. 9: 9-17 gives the 1st 40/40 then Dt. 9:18-29 Moshe makes atonement for the people's sins.

Dt.:25 Thus I fell down before YHWH 40/40 as I fell down at the first because YHWH had said he would destroy you.

Remember while atoning for the people's sins and fasting the 2nd time in Dt. 9 YHWH told Moshe to go down and hew 2 more tablets of stone and bring them up to the mount as at the first. This would be on the OIL FEAST when he goes down after the 2nd time after making atonement.

3RD TIME UP THE MOUNTAIN

Ex.34:1-30 gives the account of the 3rd 40/40

Ex.34 and Moshe hew 2 tables of stone like unto the first and went up. Ex. 34- 28-29 and Moshe was there with YHWH 40 days and 40 nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water and He wrote upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the 10 commandments. and it came to pass, when Moses came down from the Mount Sinai with the 2 tablets of testimony in His hands ...His FACE SHONE.

His face DID NOT shine when he came down after the 1st 40/40 when he broke the first tablets. His face DID NOT shine after His 2nd 40/40 when he finished making atonement for the people.

Now if we do the Math we will see after the Oil Feast Moshe returns up the Mount for the second set of tablets. This would cover the whole 7th month which includes TRUMPETS, ATONEMENT, and SUKKOT!

Written by: Sara Davis