Exodus 20:18-21

THE END OF THE NOTES ON THE DECALOGUE

Several other things of importance are also included in this chapter.

"And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not; for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before you, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was."

"These verses form the introduction to `the book of the covenant,' that body of laws given in Exodus 20:18-23:33. There are numerous enlargements upon the Ten Commandments, but it is more than just that. It is called the `book of the covenant' in Exodus 24:4,7."[31] This little paragraph is also the beginning of the rejection by Israel of the privileges of priesthood for all of them. They preferred that another stand between them and God, and significantly God allowed that, but it meant eventually the loss of that priesthood for all except a chosen class, as subsequent chapters in Exodus will reveal.