Deuteronomy 5:27
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The people, overwhelmed by God's voice, don't ask to hear more directly from Him; instead, they request that Moses act as the sole intermediary. This isn't just fear of God's immediate presence, but a profound recognition of their own frailty and a desire for a mediated, thus safer, encounter with divine truth.
Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say, and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
After hearing the Ten Commandments directly from God in a terrifying display of fire and smoke, the Israelites are overwhelmed with fear and tell Moses they cannot bear to hear God speak directly anymore. They ask Moses to go to God, hear His commands, and relay them to the people, promising to listen and obey.
Have you ever felt too intimidated to approach someone directly? Israel did. They heard God’s voice from Mount Sinai and were terrified, feeling they would die if they heard Him speak directly again.
The Israelites’ response at Mount Sinai reveals a profound truth: direct, unmediated encounters with God's holiness can be overwhelming, even terrifying, for sinful humans. They cried out, “Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say, and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you.”
The Fearful Encounter
God had just spoken His Ten Commandments with thunder and lightning, a dramatic display of His power and presence. The sheer holiness and might displayed led them to believe that any further direct communication would be fatal. They recognized God’s glory and greatness, but also their own frailty.
A Godly Solution
This fear led them to request a mediator. They asked Moses to approach God on their behalf. This wasn't a rejection of God's word, but an acknowledgment of their inability to bear His immediate presence. God affirmed their request, recognizing that speaking through Moses was the way He would guide them forward. This set a pattern for how God would continue to communicate His will to His people throughout history – through chosen messengers and ultimately, through Jesus Christ.
Israel made a bold promise: 'we will hear it, and do it.' What does this vow reveal about their heart in that moment, and how does it speak to us today?
The Israelites' declaration, 'we will hear it, and do it,' is a powerful statement of intent following their encounter with God's law. It shows a genuine, albeit temporary, commitment to obedience.
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A Moment of Sincerity
In the immediate aftermath of hearing God’s voice and experiencing His awesome presence, their hearts were stirred. They were convicted by the holiness of God's commands and, in that moment, genuinely desired to obey. This was a stark contrast to their usual grumbling and rebellion. God Himself affirmed their response, saying, 'They have well said all that they have spoken' (Deuteronomy 5:28).
The Struggle of the Flesh
However, history shows that this fervent promise was difficult to keep. Their subsequent journey through the wilderness was marked by repeated disobedience. This highlights a crucial tension: while they willed to obey, their human nature (the 'flesh') was weak. This isn't an excuse for sin, but an explanation for the ongoing need for God's grace and the Holy Spirit's power to truly live out His commands.
This promise speaks to us because we, too, can have moments of deep conviction where we resolve to follow God. The challenge is to cultivate that same commitment not just in fleeting moments, but as a consistent way of life, relying on God’s strength.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenant name of God (Yahweh), revealed to Moses. It signifies His unchanging faithfulness, His self-existence, and His commitment to His covenant relationship with His people.
This passage describes the Israelites' fear after hearing God's voice directly, leading them to ask Moses to be their intermediary, mirroring the request in Deuteronomy 5:27 to speak to them through him.
John 1:14This verse speaks of the Word becoming flesh, which can be seen as God's ultimate way of speaking to humanity directly, fulfilling the desire for God's word while also providing the mediated access the Israelites craved through Moses.
Hebrews 1:1-2It highlights how God, who spoke through prophets in the past, now speaks through His Son, showing a progression of divine communication and the importance of listening to the one God has sent.
1 Samuel 3:9-10Samuel's response, 'Speak, for your servant is listening,' echoes the Israelites' commitment to 'hear and do,' illustrating a receptive heart ready to obey God's word when spoken.
gillDeuteronomy 5:27: "Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it."
Go thou near,.... To the mount, and to God on it: and hear all that the Lord our God shall say; for they supposed, by the continuance of the Lord on the mount, and the fire burning on it, that he had more to say, which they were not averse to hear; but desired it might be not immediately delivered to them, but by…
calvinDeuteronomy 5:22-31: "These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me."
- These words the Lord spoke unto all your assembly in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice; and he added no more: and he wrote them in two tables of stone, and del…
The people, overwhelmed by God's voice, don't ask to hear more directly from Him; instead, they request that Moses act as the sole intermediary. This isn't just fear of God's immediate presence, but a profound recognition of their own frailty and a desire for a mediated, thus safer, encounter with divine truth.
After hearing the Ten Commandments directly from God in a terrifying display of fire and smoke, the Israelites are overwhelmed with fear and tell Moses they cannot bear to hear God speak directly anymore. They ask Moses to go to God, hear His commands, and relay them to the people, promising to listen and obey.
After hearing the Ten Commandments directly from God in a terrifying display of fire and smoke, the Israelites are overwhelmed with fear and tell Moses they cannot bear to hear God speak directly anymore. They ask Moses to go to God, hear His commands, and relay them to the people, promising to listen and obey.
"Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say, and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’" — The people, overwhelmed by God's voice, don't ask to hear more directly from Him; instead, they request that Moses act as the sole intermediary. This isn't just fear of God's immediate presence, but…
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Last reviewed October 2026
