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Deuteronomy 5:22-33
New English Translation

The Narrative of the Sinai Revelation and Israel’s Response

22 The Lord said these things to your entire assembly at the mountain from the middle of the fire, the cloud, and the darkness with a loud voice, and that was all he said.[a] Then he inscribed the words[b] on two stone tablets and gave them to me. 23 Then, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness while the mountain was ablaze, all your tribal leaders and elders approached me. 24 You said, “The Lord our God has shown us his great glory,[c] and we have heard him speak from the middle of the fire. It is now clear to us[d] that God can speak to human beings and they can keep on living. 25 But now, why should we die, because this intense fire will consume us? If we keep hearing the voice of the Lord our God we will die! 26 Who is there from the entire human race[e] who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the middle of the fire as we have, and has lived? 27 You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he[f] says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.” 28 When the Lord heard you speaking to me, he[g] said to me, “I have heard what these people have said to you—they have spoken well. 29 If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey[h] all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever. 30 Go and tell them, ‘Return to your tents!’ 31 But as for you, remain here with me so I can declare to you all the commandments,[i] statutes, and ordinances that you are to teach them, so that they can carry them out in the land I am about to give them.”[j] 32 Be careful, therefore, to do exactly what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn right or left! 33 Walk just as he[k] has commanded you so that you may live, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long[l] in the land you are going to possess.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:22 tn Heb “and he added no more” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NLT “This was all he said at that time.”
  2. Deuteronomy 5:22 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the words spoken by the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Deuteronomy 5:24 tn Heb “his glory and his greatness.”
  4. Deuteronomy 5:24 tn Heb “this day we have seen.”
  5. Deuteronomy 5:26 tn Heb “who is there of all flesh.”
  6. Deuteronomy 5:27 tn Heb “the Lord our God.” See note on “He” in 5:3.
  7. Deuteronomy 5:28 tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “He” in 5:3.
  8. Deuteronomy 5:29 tn Heb “keep” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).
  9. Deuteronomy 5:31 tn Heb “commandment.” The MT actually has the singular (הַמִּצְוָה, hammitsvah), suggesting perhaps that the following terms (חֻקִּים [khuqqim] and מִשְׁפָּטִים [mishpatim]) are in epexegetical apposition to “commandment.” That is, the phrase could be translated “the entire command, namely, the statutes and ordinances.” This would essentially make מִצְוָה (mitsvah) synonymous with תּוֹרָה (torah), the usual term for the whole collection of law.
  10. Deuteronomy 5:31 tn Heb “to possess it” (so KJV, ASV); NLT “as their inheritance.”
  11. Deuteronomy 5:33 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
  12. Deuteronomy 5:33 tn Heb “may prolong your days”; NAB “may have long life”; TEV “will continue to live.”
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Deuteronomy 5:22-33
International Standard Version

Moses Recalls God’s Warnings

22 “The Lord declared these commands in a loud voice to your entire assembly on the mountain from out of the fire[a] and dark clouds,[b] and nothing more was added. He inscribed them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 23 When you heard the voice from the darkness while the mountain was blazing, all the leaders and elders of your tribes came to me and said: 24 ‘The Lord our God truly has displayed his glory and power, for we heard him[c] from out of the fire today. We have witnessed how God spoke to human beings, yet they lived. 25 Now therefore, why should we die? This great fire will consume us. If we continue to listen to the voice of the Lord our God any longer, we’ll die. 26 For what mortal man[d] has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the fire like we did, and lived? 27 As for you, go near and listen to everything that the Lord our God will say to you, then repeat it[e] to us, and we’ll listen and obey.’

28 “The Lord heard what you said. He told me: ‘I’ve heard what this people said. Everything they said was good. 29 If only they would commit[f] to fear me and keep all my commands, then it will go well with them and their children forever. 30 Go and tell them to return to their tents, 31 but you stand here with me and I’ll speak to you all the commands, decrees, and laws that you must teach them to observe in the land that I’m giving you to possess. 32 You must be careful to do what the Lord your God commanded you, turning neither to the left nor to the right. 33 You are to walk in every pathway that the Lord your God commanded you, so that life[g] may go well for you, and so that you will prolong your days in the land that you will possess.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:22 LXX Sam Pentateuch read dark; cf. Deut 4:11
  2. Deuteronomy 5:22 Lit. cloud and thick darkness
  3. Deuteronomy 5:24 The Heb. lacks him
  4. Deuteronomy 5:26 Lit. For who among all flesh
  5. Deuteronomy 5:27 Lit. Then tell everything that the Lord our God will speak
  6. Deuteronomy 5:29 Lit. only their heart would incline
  7. Deuteronomy 5:33 Lit. it
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