Binay, Lansel, Chadaric and Rachisa were feeling restless. It was the second day after the battle with the Amelekites, and having fully recovered, they were now anxious to see this 'Mountain of God' that everyone talked about. It was told that Moses' father-in-law, a distinguished-looking man of many years, had arrived in their camp to visit his daughter and grandchildren, and was now conferring with Moses about setting up a system of judges for rulings on minor issues, which did not warrant Moses as arbiter.

Checking with Joshua and that they had free time, the four decided to scout out the area leading to the mountain, looming in the distance. Rumbles of thunder were frequently heard, and lightning played at the mountaintop, streaking through the clouds. Both girls were frightened at the noise and display, so they all decided to remain on the flatland. They came upon a large, well-watered meadow in a valley surrounded by rolling hills, which, all agreed, would be ideal for the Israelites with their cattle. At the end of the day, the men reported their finding to Joshua, then returned to their families.

It was now in the third month after they had left Egypt. After the departure of his father-in-law, Moses began the march to the valley that Binay and his friends had found; there the people settled. At the center of the camp, a large tent was erected for meetings, then the tents of Moses and Aaron; surrounding them, the tents of the tribal leaders, positioned in the birth order of the original brothers; the tribes were then settled behind each leader.

Frequently thunder and lightning could be heard and seen at the mountain top, keeping the people in a constant state of foreboding and fear.

Full of youthful energy, Binay and Lansel walked early each morning, enjoying the air's freshness and their togetherness, planning their future - one morning, Moses could be seen walking up the mountain, alone, staff in hand; as he climbed, it seemed that a part of the cloud came down from the top of the mountain to engulf him. As the young couple stood watching Moses disappear, Binay felt Lansel's shoulders quiver as if with cold - he put his arm around her and she buried her face in his shoulder.

Binay was on patrol with Chonoch at the foot of the mountain when they saw Moses finally come down. Aaron and the leaders bowed their heads as they greeted him - then Moses took Aaron into the large meeting tent. Shortly thereafter, Aaron came outside and brought in the tribal leaders. After a long while, they all departed, then criers were sent to all the people: Moses had met with the Lord; in three days time, the Israelites would be told of the Lord's Commandments. But now, they were cautioned - no-one was to go beyond the foothills, up the mountain, for fear of death; it was holy ground and the Israelites were to surround it with mound-piles of stone, all around the mountain as warning markers. Immediately, Joshua called for Chonoch and his chariot, and his soldiers began collecting rocks to build the piles - as high as a man - placed at an arrows-flight distance apart - circling the Mountain of God.

The people were also told that they must purify and sanctify themselves, to wash their clothing, and to abstain from personal physical relations between man and wife for three days.

At the end of the three days, Moses led the people to the foot of the mountain, to the border-line of the rock piles. Suddenly, from the mountain-top, thunder rumbled and lightning crackled, causing all, even stalwart men, to tremble. The mountain-top then became ablaze with fire and smoke, and a voice of thunder shook the mountain, then reverberated to quake the ground, everyone falling to their knees or prostrating themselves, "I am the Lord, your God, Ye shall have no other Gods before me." The Israelites covered their ears in fear.

Moses again climbed the mountain, this time with Aaron, Joshua and seventy elders, comprising the Sanhedrin, or Judicial Council that Moses had established. Binay and Chadaric were with Chanoch at the foot of the mountain; they watched all but Moses stop halfway up, only Moses continuing until the clouds engulfed him.

As night fell and Moses had not reappeared, Aaron, Joshua and the tribal leaders descended, then went with their families as the people dissembled back to their tents - everyone speaking in hushed tones,

that Moses was meeting with God. Only Chonoch, Binay and Chadaric kept a vigil at the foot of the mountain, taking turns for the night watch.

The next morning Moses came down from the clouds, Binay and the others trailing him to the camp. Aaron and the leaders came up to him - Binay and the soldiers, a respectful distance away, watching as they conversed. Soon they disbursed - to gather the people and lead them to the foothills of the mountain,

An overwhelming blast as of a gigantic ram's horn shook the mountain, and all the Hebrews covered their ears and fell on their knees, Then a voice of thunder intoned nine additional Commandments: "Honor the Sabbath to keep it holy; Honor thy father and mother; Thou shalt not kill; Thou shalt not commit adultery; Thou shalt not steal; etc."

Binay and Chadaric, now together with their girls, listened in awe and wonderment, the rules were simple and sensible, a reasonable basis on which to live a good life - Ten Commandments that they must uphold: how they must comport themselves with their families, with each other and even how to treat strangers in their midst - but primarily that they must worship no other Gods, nor make false idols. They were to build an altar of natural stone and sacrifice upon it to the God of Moses.

Binay watched in awe: Moses commanded the people to do so, and they built a stone altar; he took Aaron and the tribal leaders and they built twelve pillars, one for each tribe. The next morning, Moses sacrificed a bullock on the altar, sprinkling its blood upon the leaders, the elders, and the nearby people. Moses, with help from Aaron and Joshua, then climbed a rock and looked down upon the Hebrew people, massed before him, He pointed to the sprinkled blood, his voice thundering, "This is the blood of your Covenant with God. Do you accept this covenant?" He said it three times. "Do you accept this covenant? Do you accept this covenant with God?"

Binay and Chadaric stood, shoulder to shoulder, their free arms about the waists of Lansel snd Rachisa - all standing as tall as possible: with one voice, along with the cries of the entire Hebrew multitude, they shouted, "We do accept! We do accept! We do accept!"

The next morning, Moses went up to the Mountain of God - and was not seen again for forty days and nights. When he finally came down, his face was radiant, glowing, his beard and hair pure-white. He was carrying two stone tablets, chiseled with words,

But the Israelites had not waited patiently for their leader to return. As day after day had passed into weeks, some had grown fearful that Moses would not come back - they cried out to Aaron, "We know not what has befallen Moses - we must pray for him - make for us gods to which we can pray!"

The voices of doubt and fear grew among the Hebrews - day by day - from a few to many - until it worried Binay that so many of the Hebrews were demanding idols as gods.

The two girls nervously whispered their fears to Binay and Chadaric, that perhaps this frightful God on the mountain, had, in anger, killed Moses. "No, no, no." said Binay, "I have seen the great miracles that Moses has performed through the God of the Mountain - God would not harm Moses." But despite the confidence in his voice, Binay did have doubts, which grew as the weeks became a month and more, with no sight of Moses.

Binay also saw the doubts growing in Joshua, and that even Aaron was becoming disheartened. Finally, he heard Aaron yield to the growing clamor of the multitude, now pleading daily for new gods to ease their fears. "Give me your golden jewelry," he finally said, "and I will make for you a golden idol to worship."

Binay watched in apprehension as the Israelites heaped their jewelry at the feet of Aaron: wrist bracelets and finger rings and ear-rings, many of the golden baubles that the Egyptians had given them to hasten their departure from Egypt. Sadly, Binay and Chonoch and Joshua watched as Aaron gathered the most skilled workmen among the Hebrews, who melted the gold and began crafting - a golden calf.

Joshua, almost broken in spirit, gathered his faithful soldiers and left the encampment, remaining at the foot of the mountain to await Moses' return.

Finally, after forty days and nights, Moses reappeared from the clouds.

As Moses came closer, Binay could see he was carrying two tablets of stone, one in each hand, on them carvings, marking out words. But, as Moses descended, strange sounds could be heard coming from the camp below - people singing and rejoicing. Moses abruptly slowed his pace and stopped, waiting for Joshua and his honor guard to draw near.

As Joshua spoke quietly to him, Moses' face darkened in anger. Swiftly now, Moses descended and stormed into the camp - everyone in his path, even Aaron, slinking away. Then Moses saw the golden calf, a half-dozen Hebrews, male and female, kneeling before it. With an shout of hurt and anger, he dashed down the two stone tablets - shattering them. Then Moses, in anguish, crumpled to the ground, his shoulders shaking with sobs that everyone nearby heard. The revelers before the golden calf swiftly quieted and slunk away. Aaron and some elders, first knelt, then prostrated themselves before the collapsed figure of Moses. Binay watched the tragedy unfold, hardly daring to breathe.

After a time, Moses lifted his head, sighed deeply, looked around and signaled Joshua to help him up, Chonoch, Binay and the others, respectfully staying behind Joshua. Moses, ignoring Aaron who was now pleading for his brother to look at him, pointed to the golden calf and, in a hoarse voice, ordered Joshua and his men to smash it to pieces. Binay, Joshua and the others jumped to do so; Moses then ordered them to grind the pieces into dust, and they did so; Moses then ordered them to mix the dust with water from a nearby stream, and they did so; Moses then ordered them to force the idolators to drink the mixture, and - with swords in hand - Joshua's men then forced the Hebrews who had worshipped the calf to drink.

Moses, then ordered the tribe of Levi, which had remained aloof from the golden calf, plus Joshua's army, to stand behind him. He then called out to the multitude, "Those who are on the side of the Lord. come to me."

Aaron, the tribal leaders and almost all of the populace swiftly moved behind Moses. Moses then - in a quiet but firm voice - ordered the tribe of Levi and Joshua's loyal soldiers to take up swords and to slay the Hebrews who had violated the First Commandment. As they drew their swords, Moses exhorted them, "You are not to have pity for these idolators - your swords are the instruments of our Lord God, who is fierce with anger at this apostasy - what they have done - you are meting out justice against the enemies of God."

Binay and Chadaric were numb, and weary in spirit and body - after their participation in the killings of hundreds of fellow Israelites - those of insufficient faith. As Binay held a weeping Lansel in his arms that night, words seemed inadequate - he could only whisper words of comfort, "This shall pass."