Moses’ intercessory role

²³ Now once you heard the voice from the darkness while the mountain was blazing with fire, you came to me—more specifically, all the chiefs of your tribes and your elders came— ²⁴ and you said: “Look here! The Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness. We’ve heard his voice come out of the very fire itself. We’ve seen firsthand that God can speak to a human being and they can survive! ²⁵ But why should we die? Surely this massive fire will consume us! If we hear any more of the Lord our God’s voice, we will die.