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 and we have heard him speak from the middle of the fire. It is now clear to us 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 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 says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.”
28. When the Lord heard you speaking to me, he 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 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!’