Exodus 20:18-21 - The People's Reaction

¹⁸ All the people were seeing the thundering and the lightning, and heard the sound of the horn, and saw the mountain smoking -- and when the people saw it they trembled with fear and kept their distance. ¹⁹ They said to Moses, "You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak with us, lest we die."

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 so that you do not sin." ²¹ The people kept their distance, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.