5:28-31 - The Lord heard you when you spoke to me and the Lord said to me, "I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children for ever!

"Go, tell them to return to their tents. But you stay here with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws that you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess."

In response to Israel's actions Yahweh made two decisions. First, he accepted their decisions for an intermediary—"everything they said was good" (v28). Having an intermediary may not be the as wonderful as direct communion, but finding a people who fear but still committed to "keep his commands always" must certainly be the better of all possible options. Israel's history, even before this, has not given Yahweh many reasons to think well of them. Because of this we find Yahweh's wistful longing; "Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me . . . so that it may go well with them" (v29)—the ache and yearnings of a Father whose chief concern is the welfare of His children.

Following this decision, Yahweh commands Moses to disassemble the people (v30). Moses, however, was to remain to receive further revelations. These revelations are described as "all the commands, decrees and laws [they are to] follow in the land I am giving them to possess." This is, of course, the same label used elsewhere in Deuteronomy to refer to Moses' teachings on the plains of Moab (see, e.g., 4:1, 5, 10, 14; 6:1; 12:1). What now Moses declares to GenB on the plains of Moab, in other words, do not find their source elsewhere; they flow from the headspring of Horeb itself. Hence too is Deuteronomy's authority to be found.

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