Exodus 20:19 and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."

◄ Exodus 20:19 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."

English Standard Version
and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”

New American Standard Bible
Then they said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die."

King James Bible
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You speak to us, and we will listen," they said to Moses, "but don't let God speak to us, or we will die."

International Standard Version
They told Moses, "You speak to us and we will listen, but don't let God speak with us, or we may die.

American Standard Version
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Saying to Moses: Speak thou to us, and we will hear: let not the Lord speak to us, lest we die.

Darby Bible Translation
and said to Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

Young's Literal Translation
and say unto Moses, 'Speak thou with us, and we hear, and let not God speak with us, lest we die.'

Cross References

Galatians 3:19
Why then serves the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Hebrews 12:19
And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

Genesis 3:10
And he said, I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Deuteronomy 5:5
(I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to show you the word of the LORD: for you were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,

Deuteronomy 5:23
And it came to pass, when you heard the voice out of the middle of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that you came near to me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

Deuteronomy 5:25
Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.

Deuteronomy 18:16
According to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

20:18-21 This law, which is so extensive that we cannot measure it, so spiritual that we cannot evade it, and so reasonable that we cannot find fault with it, will be the rule of the future judgment of God, as it is for the present conduct of man. If tried by this rule, we shall find our lives have been passed in transgressions. And with this holy law and an awful judgment before us, who can despise the gospel of Christ? And the knowledge of the law shows our need of repentance. In every believer's heart sin is dethroned and crucified, the law of God is written, and the image of God renewed. The Holy Spirit enables him to hate sin and flee from it, to love and keep this law in sincerity and truth; nor will he cease to repent.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

19. let not God speak with us, lest we die, &c.—The phenomena of thunder and lightning had been one of the plagues so fatal to Egypt, and as they heard God speaking to them now, they were apprehensive of instant death also. Even Moses himself, the mediator of the old covenant, did "exceedingly quake and fear" (Heb 12:21). But doubtless God spake what gave him relief—restored him to a frame of mind fit for the ministrations committed to him; and hence immediately after he was enabled to relieve and comfort them with the relief and comfort which he himself had received from God (2Co 1:4).