^22 (A)“These are the commandments the Lord gave to all of you when you were gathered at the mountain. When he spoke with a mighty voice from the fire and from the thick clouds, he gave these commandments and no others. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

The People's Fear^(B)

²³ “When the whole mountain was on fire and you heard the voice from the darkness, your leaders and the chiefs of your tribes came to me ²⁴ and said, ‘The Lord our God showed us his greatness and his glory when we heard him speak from the fire! Today we have seen that it is possible for people to continue to live, even though God has spoken to them. ²⁵ But why should we risk death again? That terrible fire will destroy us. We are sure to die if we hear the Lord our God speak again. ²⁶ Has any human being ever lived after hearing the living God speak from a fire? ²⁷ Go back, Moses, and listen to everything that the Lord our God says. Then return and tell us what he said to you. We will listen and obey.’

²⁸ “When the Lord heard this, he said to me, ‘I have heard what these people said, and they are right. ²⁹ If only they would always feel this way! If only they would always honor me and obey all my commands, so that everything would go well with them and their descendants forever. ³⁰ Go and tell them to return to their tents. ³¹ But you, Moses, stay here with me, and I will give you all my laws and commands. Teach them to the people, so that they will obey them in the land that I am giving them.’

³² “People of Israel, be sure that you do everything that the Lord your God has commanded you. Do not disobey any of his laws. ³³ Obey them all, so that everything will go well with you and so that you will continue to live in the land that you are going to occupy.