“These
words the Lord
spoke with a loud voice to your whole assembly at the mountain, out
of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, and he added no
more.1
He wrote them on two stone tablets, and gave them to me. When you2
heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was burning
with fire, you approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your
elders; and you said, ‘Look, the Lord
our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his
voice out of the fire. Today we have seen that God may speak to
someone and the person may still live. So now why should we die? For
this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord
our God any longer, we shall die.3
For who is there of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living
God speaking out of fire, as we have, and remained alive? Go near,
you yourself, and hear all that the Lord
our God will say. Then tell us everything that the Lord
our God tells you, and we will listen and do it.’”4
“The Lord heard your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me: ‘I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you; they are right in all that they have spoken.5 If only they had such a mind as this,6 to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and with their children for ever! Go, say to them, “Return to your tents.” But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandments, the statutes and the ordinances,7 that you shall teach them, so that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess.’”
“You must therefore be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn to the right or to the left. You must follow exactly the path8 that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you are to possess.”
1 “added no more” emphasizes the completeness of the ten commandments. In the Exodus accout of the event, God appeared to continue speaking and giving law immediately.
“The Lord heard your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me: ‘I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you; they are right in all that they have spoken.5 If only they had such a mind as this,6 to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and with their children for ever! Go, say to them, “Return to your tents.” But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandments, the statutes and the ordinances,7 that you shall teach them, so that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess.’”
“You must therefore be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn to the right or to the left. You must follow exactly the path8 that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you are to possess.”
1 “added no more” emphasizes the completeness of the ten commandments. In the Exodus accout of the event, God appeared to continue speaking and giving law immediately.
2
Moses continues to say “when you” even though it was actually
their ancestors who heard and did these things.
3
Fear is given as the people's main response.
4
Their response sounds a little all over the place. But they pledge
obedience in the end. This response elaborates a ton on Exodus
19:19.
5
God affirms their fear.
6
God points out that they aren't always this way.
7
“statutes and ordinances”, repeating 4:1, 4:5, 4:8, 4:14, 4:40,
4:45, and 5:1
8
Third straight sentence reiterating that this is the
path they must follow.
Take-home: The great fear of those who have seen God's presence is emphasized. What is important for future generations is following God's way and the commandments he has laid out to Moses.
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