Exodus 19:1

¹ In the third month after the Israelites went out ²  from the land of Egypt, on the very day, ³  they came to the Desert of Sinai.

In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on the very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai.

In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.

The Israelites arrived in the wilderness of Sinai exactly two months after they left Egypt.

Three months after leaving Egypt the Israelites entered the Wilderness of Sinai.

In the third month after the children of Israel went out from Egypt, on the same day, they came into the waste land of Sinai.

On the third new moon after the Israelites had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day, they came into the wilderness of Sinai.

In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai.

¹ In the third month after the Israelites went out ²  from the land of Egypt, on the very day, ³  they came to the Desert of Sinai.

¹ sn This chapter is essentially about mediation. The people are getting ready to meet with God, receive the Law from him, and enter into a covenant with him. All of this required mediation and preparation. Through it all, Israel will become God’s unique possession, a kingdom of priests on earth – if they comply with his Law. The chapter can be divided as follows: vv. 1-8 tell how God, Israel’s great deliverer promised to make them a kingdom of priests; this is followed by God’s declaration that Moses would be the mediator (v. 9); vv. 10-22 record instructions for Israel to prepare themselves to worship Yahweh and an account of the manifestation of Yahweh with all the phenomena; and the chapter closes with the mediation of Moses on behalf of the people (vv. 23-25). Having been redeemed from Egypt, the people will now be granted a covenant with God. See also R. E. Bee, “A Statistical Study of the Sinai Pericope,” Journal of the Royal Statistical Society 135 (1972): 406-21.

² tn The construction uses the infinitive construct followed by the subjective genitive to form a temporal clause.

³ tn Heb “on this day.”