Deuteronomy 5:27-28
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.’ “And 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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The people are not just asking Moses to relay information; they're framing him as the sole intermediary, effectively saying, "You go near God, you hear Him, and you tell us everything." This reveals their deep-seated fear of divine encounter, stemming from their terror at Sinai, and their reliance on a human filter rather than facing God directly.
After God's awesome, terrifying voice thundered the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai, the Israelites, overwhelmed and afraid, asked Moses to be their intermediary. They declared they couldn't bear to hear God speak directly anymore, fearing they would die. So, they implored Moses to go near to God, hear what the LORD would say, and then relay it to them, promising to listen and obey.
Standing at the foot of Mount Sinai, faced with God's fiery presence, the Israelites were terrified. What did this intense encounter reveal about their relationship with God, and why did they turn to Moses?
The thunderous, fiery display on Mount Sinai was overwhelming for the Israelites. They confessed, 'we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us.' (Deuteronomy 5:24-25). Their terror led them to ask Moses to be their mediator. '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.' (Deuteronomy 5:27).
This wasn't just about wanting to avoid immediate danger; it highlighted a profound truth: humanity's inherent fear of God's direct presence due to sin. They recognized God's glory and power but felt they couldn't survive direct communion. Moses, as God's chosen prophet, became the necessary bridge, the one through whom God could speak and be heard without consuming His people.
After acknowledging their fear and appointing Moses as their intermediary, the Israelites made a powerful promise. What does this declaration reveal about their intentions, and how did God respond?
Following their fearful encounter and their request for Moses to mediate, the Israelites declared with conviction, 'and we will hear it, and do it' (Deuteronomy 5:27). This statement is crucial because it signifies a willing heart, a readiness to receive God's word through His chosen messenger and to act upon it.
God Himself acknowledged the sincerity of their words: 'The LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.' (Deuteronomy 5:28).
While God praised their declaration, the subsequent verses reveal His deep desire for this willingness to be more than just a fleeting emotion. He yearned for them to have a heart that would 'fear me, and keep all my commandments always' (Deuteronomy 5:29). This highlights the tension between outward commitment and the inner transformation needed for true, lasting obedience.
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 directly parallels the Israelites' fear and their request for Moses to mediate God's voice, showing their desire to hear God's word but not directly from Him.
Hebrews 12:18-19This New Testament passage contrasts the terrifying experience of Israel at Mount Sinai with the accessible presence of God through Jesus, highlighting the ongoing theme of God speaking to His people but in different ways.
John 1:14This verse speaks of the Word becoming flesh, which is the ultimate fulfillment of God speaking to humanity directly and intimately, surpassing the mediated communication at Sinai.
1 Samuel 3:9-10The young Samuel's response, 'Speak, for your servant is listening,' echoes the Israelites' expressed willingness to hear and obey, but demonstrates a more personal and receptive hearing of God's word.
Matthew 17:5The voice from the cloud saying, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him,' is a divine endorsement of Jesus as the mediator of God's message, fulfilling the role the Israelites assigned to Moses.
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 are not just asking Moses to relay information; they're framing him as the sole intermediary, effectively saying, "You go near God, you hear Him, and you tell us everything." This reveals their deep-seated fear of divine encounter, stemming from their terror at Sinai, and their reliance on a human filter rather than facing God directly.
After God's awesome, terrifying voice thundered the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai, the Israelites, overwhelmed and afraid, asked Moses to be their intermediary. They declared they couldn't bear to hear God speak directly anymore, fearing they would die. So, they implored Moses to go near to God, hear what the LORD would say, and then relay it to them, promising to listen and obey.
After God's awesome, terrifying voice thundered the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai, the Israelites, overwhelmed and afraid, asked Moses to be their intermediary. They declared they couldn't bear to hear God speak directly anymore, fearing they would die. So, they implored Moses to go near to God, hear what the LORD would say, and then relay it to them, promising to listen and obey.
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"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.’ “And the LORD heard your words, when you spoke to me. And the LORD said to me, ‘I have heard the…" — The people are not just asking Moses to relay information; they're framing him as the sole intermediary, effectively saying, "You go near God, you hear Him, and you tell us everything." This re…
