^18 (H)And all the people perceived the ^[a]thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and the people perceived it, and they shook and stood at a distance. ^19 (I)Then they said to Moses, “Speak ^[b]to us yourself, and we will listen; but let not God speak ^[c]to us, lest we die.” ²⁰ And Moses said to the people, “^(J)Do not be afraid; for God has come in order ^(K)to test you, and in order that ^(L)the fear of Him may ^[d]be with you, so that you may not sin.” ²¹ So the people stood at a distance, but Moses came near ^(M)the dense gloom where God was.

²² Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen that ^(N)I have spoken ^[e]to you from heaven. ^23 (O)You shall not make other gods besides Me; ^(P)gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves. ²⁴ You shall make ^(Q)an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your ^(R)burnt offerings and your ^(S)peace offerings, ^(T)your sheep and your oxen; in every place ^(U)where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. ²⁵ And if you make an altar of stone for Me, ^(V)you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it. ²⁶ And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that ^(W)your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’

²² “These words Yahweh spoke to all your assembly at the mountain from the midst of the fire, of the cloud and of the dense gloom, with a great voice, and He added no more. ^(F)He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. ²³ Now it happened that when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. ²⁴ And you said, ‘Behold, Yahweh our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire; we have seen today that God speaks with man, yet he lives. ^25 (G)So now then why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of Yahweh our God any longer, then we will die. ²⁶ For ^(H)who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? ²⁷ As for you, go near and hear all that Yahweh our God says; then speak to us all that Yahweh our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.’

²⁸ “And Yahweh heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, ^(I)and Yahweh said to me, ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They have done well in all that they have spoken. ^29 (J)Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and ^(K)keep all My commandments all the days, that ^(L)it may be well with them and with their sons forever! ³⁰ Go, say to them, “Return to your tents.” ^31 (M)But as for you, stand here by Me, that I may speak to you all the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess.’ ³² So you shall be careful to do just as Yahweh your God has commanded you; ^(N)you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. ^33 (O)In all the way which Yahweh your God has commanded you, you shall walk, ^(P)that you may live and that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess.