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Exodus 20:19

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

And they said to Moses, 'You speak to us, and we will listen. But don't let God speak directly to us, or we might die.'

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

The Israelites were so overwhelmed by God's powerful presence that they begged Moses to be their go-between rather than hearing directly from God themselves.

📚 Historical Context

This occurs right after God spoke the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai with thunder, lightning, earthquakes, and fire. The Israelites had witnessed God's awesome power and were terrified by the dramatic display. They realized they needed a mediator between themselves and the holy God who seemed too powerful and frightening to approach directly.

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