Chapter 20
The Ten Commandments spoken to Moses, or to all the people together? There is nothing saying that Moses and Aaron went back up the mountain before the commandments were spoken. Chapter 19 ends with Moses going down to get Aaron, then the commandments come. Possibly to just Moses and Aaron also as the last verses of 19 tells Moses to go and get Aaron and bring him back up the mountain also, but reading all the way through, it seems to me these words were spoken from the mountain to all the people and scared them to death.
2022 - I believe the Ten were spoken by God from the mountain directly to the people of Israel. To them all. 20:1 says "And God spoke all these words...". And this one, which leaves little doubt:
"22 And the LORD said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven." [Exo 20:22 ESV]
This is what distinguishes the Ten from the rest of the Law. These Ten were spoken by God to each and every individual Israelite. These were not "passed on" to them by Moses. They heard these words. These are a different sort of covenant than the Law that will come later. More than that, these were spoken to ALL that were assembled, to the descendants of Jacob and to the mixed company, even to the uncircumcised. Therefore, these Ten were not abrogated by Jesus when he came. Jesus abrogated what came after, but the Ten are still binding on all. For the most part, the Ten are universal truths accepted by all - Christian, Hindu, Muslim....everyone. BUT, what about "Remember the Sabbath...". Modern Christians don't abstain from work on the Sabbath. We ignore this one for the most part. Islam says you can steal from non-Muslims. That is not what the Ten say. Can't lie about other people either, even if they are non-Muslim. Honoring father and mother gets stepped on a lot too I fear.
2026 - One thing though...this was not spoken to the whole world, except perhaps symbolically. There was no intermediary here. God spoke directly to all who were near the mountain. I believe He spoke audibly and they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears. There was no going back as to whether they knew to do right or not. The Ten are the Fundamental Code of Morality for Israel first, and through them, for all mankind, everywhere, and always. We need to do better on the Sabbath. We walk on it all the time.
The commandments themselves are listed in vss 3-17.
12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. [Exo 20:12 ESV]
Called the first commandment with promise. Long life. But that isn't really what it says. It says long in the land the Lord is giving you. This promise is to those who would live in Canaan. That's why we don't really see it...possibly. BUT, Martha showed me Eph 6:1, 2. Paul thinks it is more universal.
After the 10 are spoken, the people tell Moses:
19 and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die." [Exo 20:19 ESV]
I think after hearing the 10, they are too afraid of God's voice to listen anymore. So they ask Moses to do it for them. But the nation of priests were given the 10 commandments directly, man, woman, and child. It seems pretty clear that Moses was down in the camp, and that they all heard God's 10 Commandments together.
This is Moses' answer to them when they ask him to speak to God and leave them out of it:
20 Moses said to the people, "Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of Him may be before you, that you may not sin." [Exo 20:20 ESV]
God's intention was to "put the fear of God" into them, because if we have the right kind of fear, if we realize what we are in comparison to Him, we would dare not defy Him. Isn't the discipline of children much the same? A healthy and respectful fear of parents, as stand-ins for God?
Confirmed in vs 22:
22 And the LORD said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. [Exo 20:22 ESV]
Moses has gone closer, as the people asked him to do for them, because they are too afraid to hear any more. And God reminds the people, through Moses, that he gave those first 10 to them directly.
However, we still have not been specifically told that Moses and Aaron have gone back up. This does not seem to have happened yet. So I am not sure how that all fits in.
Then some rules about how to build altars. Earth or unhewn stone. No steps leading up to it.