Deuteronomy 5:5

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

(I stood {H5975} between the LORD {H3068} and you at that time {H6256}, to shew {H5046} you the word {H1697} of the LORD {H3068}: for ye were afraid {H3372} by reason {H6440} of the fire {H784}, and went not up {H5927} into the mount {H2022};) saying {H559},

Complete Jewish Bible

At that time I stood between ADONAI and you in order to tell you what ADONAI was saying; because, on account of the fire, you were afraid and wouldn't go up onto the mountain. He said, t

Berean Standard Bible

At that time I was standing between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD, because you were afraid of the fire and would not go up the mountain. And He said:

American Standard Version

(I stood between Jehovah and you at that time, to show you the word of Jehovah: for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the mount), saying,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 5:5 captures Moses' indispensable role as the divinely appointed mediator between the holy LORD and the fearful Israelites at Mount Horeb. This verse serves as a crucial parenthetical explanation, clarifying why Moses alone stood as the conduit for God's direct revelation—the Ten Commandments—to a people overwhelmed by the terrifying manifestation of divine presence, thereby setting the stage for the reiteration of the covenant Law to the new generation on the plains of Moab.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Deuteronomy 5:5 is embedded within Moses' second major discourse to the Israelites, delivered approximately 40 years after the Exodus, as they stand on the plains of Moab, poised to enter the Promised Land. This verse functions as a parenthetical explanation within Moses' grand recapitulation of the covenant given at Mount Horeb (Sinai). It immediately precedes the direct re-statement of the Ten Commandments (starting at [Deuteronomy 5:6](/deuteronomy/5-6 "Deuteronomy 5:6 - The Ten Commandments Begin")), serving as a vital prologue that justifies Moses' unique position as the speaker of God's words, rather than the people hearing God directly. It consciously references and interprets the original events detailed in [Exodus 19](/exodus/19 "Exodus 19 - God's Descent on Sinai") and [Exodus 20](/exodus/20 "Exodus 20 - The Ten Commandments").

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The audience for this discourse is a new generation of Israelites, most of whom were not alive during the original giving of the Law at Mount Horeb. Their parents, who witnessed the terrifying theophany, had largely perished in the wilderness due to disobedience. Moses' recounting of this pivotal moment is not merely a historical lesson but a powerful call to covenant faithfulness for a people about to inherit the land. Culturally, the concept of a mediator between the divine and humanity was not uncommon in the ancient Near East, but Moses' unique, divinely ordained role, and the specific manifestation of God's presence as a "consuming fire" ([Deuteronomy 4:24](/deuteronomy/4-24 "Deuteronomy 4:24 - God as a Consuming Fire")), set Israel's experience apart, emphasizing the radical holiness and transcendence of Yahweh.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully underscores **Moses' Mediatorial Role**, establishing him as the essential bridge between the holy God and the fearful Israelites. It highlights **God's Awesome Holiness and Power**, manifested in the consuming fire and thunder at Mount Horeb, which instilled a profound and necessary fear in the people, emphasizing the vast chasm between sinful humanity and a perfectly righteous God (see [Exodus 19:18](/exodus/19-18 "Exodus 19:18 - The Mountain Smoked")). Furthermore, it sets the stage for **The Giving of the Law**, as Moses' function was to "shew you the word of the LORD," making God's will accessible and understandable to a people who could not endure direct divine communication (compare [Exodus 20:18-19](/exodus/20-18 "Exodus 20:18-19 - The People's Fear at Sinai")). The verse also implicitly touches on the theme of **Divine Accommodation**, where God graciously adapts His communication to human capacity.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Stood (Hebrew, _ʿāmad_):** This verb implies a position of active service, readiness, and often, intercession. Moses was not merely present but actively positioned himself as an intermediary, ready to convey God's message. It denotes a deliberate and divinely appointed posture for a specific function.
* **Between (Hebrew, _bên_):** Literally "between" or "in the midst of." This preposition precisely defines Moses' spatial and functional role as a conduit, separating and connecting God and Israel simultaneously. It highlights the necessary distance between a holy God and a sinful people, which Moses bridged.
* **Fire (Hebrew, _ʾēš_):** A powerful and recurring biblical symbol of God's presence, holiness, and consuming glory. It represents the unapproachable nature of God's unmediated presence to sinful humanity, necessitating a go-between. The "fire" here is both terrifying and indicative of divine purity.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"(I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD":** Moses recounts his unique and divinely appointed role as the sole intermediary at Mount Horeb. His standing "between" signifies his position as a necessary bridge, enabling communication from a holy God to a sinful people. His purpose was to "shew," or make known and explain, the very "word of the LORD," emphasizing that the Law was not of human origin but divine revelation, faithfully transmitted.
* **"for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;)":** This parenthetical clause explains the *reason* for Moses' mediatorial role. The Israelites were overcome with profound fear due to the terrifying manifestation of God's presence—the "fire" on Mount Horeb (as described in [Exodus 19:18](/exodus/19-18 "Exodus 19:18 - The Fire on Mount Sinai")). Their fear, a natural response to God's consuming holiness, prevented them from ascending the mountain to receive God's word directly, highlighting the vast chasm between divine purity and human sinfulness.
* **"saying,":** This single word acts as a crucial transition, indicating that the following verses (Deuteronomy 5:6ff) are the direct words of the LORD, spoken through Moses, specifically the Ten Commandments. It reinforces Moses' role as a faithful conveyor of God's exact message, not his own.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs **Recapitulation** as Moses retells a foundational event from the past to a new generation, reinforcing its significance and authority. The use of **Parenthesis** ("for ye were afraid... into the mount;") effectively explains the necessity of Moses' mediation, providing crucial context for his unique role and the people's response. **Symbolism** is evident in the "fire," which powerfully represents God's consuming holiness, unapproachable glory, and the awe-inspiring nature of His presence. The entire passage is framed by **Narrative Retrospection**, where Moses looks back at a pivotal moment in Israel's history to instruct and exhort the present generation, lending gravitas and urgency to his message.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 5:5 profoundly establishes the theological necessity of mediation between a holy God and sinful humanity. The terror of the Israelites at Mount Horeb vividly illustrates the unbridgeable chasm created by sin, demonstrating that direct access to God's unmediated presence is impossible for fallen beings without divine provision. Moses' unique position as the one who "stood between" underscores God's gracious initiative to communicate His will and establish a covenant, even when humanity is incapable of approaching Him directly. This sets a vital precedent for understanding God's character as both holy and merciful, always providing a way for His people to know Him and His commandments, thereby laying the groundwork for the ultimate mediator.
* [Exodus 20:19](/exodus/20-19 "Exodus 20:19 - The People's Request for Moses as Mediator")
* [Galatians 3:19](/galatians/3-19 "Galatians 3:19 - The Law Given Through a Mediator")
* [Hebrews 12:18-24](/hebrews/12-18 "Hebrews 12:18-24 - Old Covenant Fear vs. New Covenant Grace")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Deuteronomy 5:5 invites us to reflect on the profound nature of God's holiness and our inherent human limitations in His presence. The Israelites' fear at the mountain was not merely a reaction to a spectacle, but a deep, appropriate response to the overwhelming purity and power of a perfectly righteous God. This should prompt us to cultivate a healthy reverence and awe for the Lord, recognizing His immense majesty and transcendence. It also highlights the profound grace of God in providing a mediator. What does it mean for us today that we do not have to face God's consuming fire directly, but can approach Him through a different, perfect mediator? How does this understanding shape our worship, our prayer life, and our daily walk? It reminds us that our access to God is not earned but is a gift, made possible by divine intervention, and should inspire both humility and gratitude.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the Israelites' fear at Mount Horeb inform your understanding of God's holiness and humanity's sinfulness?**
* **In what ways does Moses' mediatorial role in this verse foreshadow the need for a greater, more perfect mediator in your own life?**
* **How should the concept of God's "word" being "shewn" to us through a mediator impact our approach to Scripture and divine revelation today?**

### FAQ
**Why was Moses the only one who could go up the mountain and stand between God and the people?**

Answer: Moses was uniquely chosen and appointed by God for this specific mediatorial role, a privilege rooted in God's sovereign election and Moses' developing relationship with the LORD. His intimate communion with God, as described in passages like [Exodus 33:11](/exodus/33-11 "Exodus 33:11 - The Lord Spoke to Moses Face to Face"), allowed him to withstand God's direct presence in a way the rest of the sinful Israelite community could not. The people themselves, overwhelmed by the terrifying display of God's power and holiness (the "fire," thunder, and lightning, as seen in [Exodus 20:18-19](/exodus/20-18 "Exodus 20:18-19 - The People's Fear and Request")), explicitly requested that Moses speak to God on their behalf, acknowledging their inability to bear His direct voice. Thus, Moses' role was a divine provision, a necessary bridge due to both God's unapproachable holiness and humanity's inherent sinfulness.

**What does "the word of the LORD" refer to in this context?**

Answer: In Deuteronomy 5:5, "the word of the LORD" primarily refers to the Ten Commandments, which Moses is about to reiterate immediately following this verse (beginning in [Deuteronomy 5:6](/deuteronomy/5-6 "Deuteronomy 5:6 - The First Commandment")). More broadly, it encompasses the entire covenant Law given at Mount Horeb, which served as the foundational constitution for the nation of Israel and the framework for their relationship with God. Moses' role was to "shew" or make known this divine revelation, explaining its meaning and implications to the people so they could understand and obey God's will for their lives. It signifies the authoritative, divine pronouncements that would govern Israel's existence as God's covenant people.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Deuteronomy 5:5, with its vivid depiction of Moses as the necessary mediator between a holy God and a fearful, sinful people, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate and perfect mediation of Jesus Christ. Just as the Israelites could not approach God directly because of the "fire" of His holiness, so too fallen humanity remains separated from God by the chasm of sin. Moses, though a faithful servant, was a temporary and imperfect mediator, a shadow of the one to come ([Hebrews 3:1-6](/hebrews/3-1 "Hebrews 3:1-6 - Jesus Greater than Moses")). The New Testament reveals Jesus as the "one mediator between God and men" ([1 Timothy 2:5](/1_timothy/2-5 "1 Timothy 2:5 - Jesus, the One Mediator")), who, unlike Moses, did not merely stand *between* God and humanity, but fully embodied both, being truly God and truly man ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus removed the barrier of sin, allowing believers to approach God not with terror, but with confidence and grace ([Hebrews 4:16](/hebrews/4-16 "Hebrews 4:16 - Approach the Throne of Grace with Confidence")). He is the new and living way ([Hebrews 10:19-20](/hebrews/10-19 "Hebrews 10:19-20 - The New and Living Way")), fulfilling Moses' mediatorial role by bringing humanity into a true, reconciled relationship with God, ushering in a new covenant founded on better promises ([Hebrews 8:6](/hebrews/8-6 "Hebrews 8:6 - A Better Covenant")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Galatians 3:19

¶ Wherefore then [serveth] 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.

Exodus 20:18

¶ And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw [it], they removed, and stood afar off.

Exodus 20:21

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God [was].

Exodus 19:16

¶ And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that [was] in the camp trembled.

Hebrews 12:18

¶ For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

Hebrews 12:24

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.

Hebrews 9:24

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: