Difference between revisions of "The Decalogue: Direct From Hashem or Via Moshe/2/en"

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<point><b>Moshe's role</b> – Since the nation was not on a high enough prophetic level to understand Hashem, Hashem spoke only to Moshe, who then relayed Hashem's messages to the people.</point>
 
<point><b>Moshe's role</b> – Since the nation was not on a high enough prophetic level to understand Hashem, Hashem spoke only to Moshe, who then relayed Hashem's messages to the people.</point>
<point><b>"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים"</b> – This phrase is difficult for this position, since according to these exegetes, there was no "face to face" encounter, as Hashem was speaking to Moshe rather than the people.<fn><multilink><a href="HaIkkarim3-8" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Albo</a><a href="HaIkkarim3-8" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Albo, Sefer HaIkkarim 3:8</a><a href="Sefer HaIkkarim" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Albo</a></multilink>&#160;notes this difficulty.</fn>&#160; They would need to explain that the words "פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" refer only to the manner in which the nation heard Hashem's voice.&#160; This was indeed direct, although the words were unintelligible.</point>
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<point><b>"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים"</b> – This phrase is difficult for this position, since according to these exegetes, there was no "face to face" encounter, as Hashem was speaking to Moshe rather than the people.<fn><multilink><a href="AbarbanelShemot19" data-aht="source">Abarbanel</a><a href="AbarbanelShemot19" data-aht="source">Shemot 19:23</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Abarbanel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel</a></multilink>&#160;notes this difficulty.</fn>&#160; They would need to explain that the words "פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" refer only to the manner in which the nation heard Hashem's voice.&#160; This was indeed direct, although the words were unintelligible.</point>
 
<point><b>"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם"</b> – This verse is understood, according to its simple sense, to refer to Moshe's mediating role during the giving of the Decalogue.</point>
 
<point><b>"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם"</b> – This verse is understood, according to its simple sense, to refer to Moshe's mediating role during the giving of the Decalogue.</point>
 
<point><b>"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ"</b> – This position finds support from this verse, as it makes no mention of Hashem intending to speak to the nation, only of them listening as Hashem speaks to Moshe.</point>
 
<point><b>"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ"</b> – This position finds support from this verse, as it makes no mention of Hashem intending to speak to the nation, only of them listening as Hashem speaks to Moshe.</point>

Version as of 07:33, 6 June 2019

The Decalogue: Direct From Hashem or Via Moshe?

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Overview

The Torah's contrasting portraits of Hashem's revelation to the nation lead commentators to varying understandings of what the nation grasped directly from Hashem and what they understood only via Moshe. On one end of the spectrum, Rambam and R. D"Z Hoffmann focus on the verses which present Moshe as an intermediary, asserting that the people heard only the voice of Hashem, but could not distinguish His words. Moshe, thus, acted as a mediator or translator for all ten.

On the other end of the spectrum, many commentators look at the depiction of the episode as a "face to face" encounter. They, thus, maintain that the nation understood all ten commandments directly from Hashem. While Ibn Ezra and others assume that Hashem conversed directly with the people, R. Saadia, in contrast, suggests that the nation only overheard Hashem's conversation with Moshe.

A middle ground is charted by Rashi, Ramban, and others, who attempt to harmonize the various verses by positing that there was a split in the commandments. The nation understood only the first two from Hashem, but needed Moshe to explain the final eight.

Understood None

The nation heard only the voice of Hashem, but understood none of His words, and Moshe's mediation between the people and Hashem was thus needed throughout the entire Decalogue.  Commentators disagree whether the voice was directed at the nation or if they merely overheard the sounds of the Divine conversation with Moshe.

Overheard Voice

The people listened as Hashem communicated the Decalogue to Moshe, but they only heard the Divine voice and could not decipher His words.

Moshe's role – Since the nation was not on a high enough prophetic level to understand Hashem, Hashem spoke only to Moshe, who then relayed Hashem's messages to the people.
"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" – This phrase is difficult for this position, since according to these exegetes, there was no "face to face" encounter, as Hashem was speaking to Moshe rather than the people.3  They would need to explain that the words "פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" refer only to the manner in which the nation heard Hashem's voice.  This was indeed direct, although the words were unintelligible.
"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם" – This verse is understood, according to its simple sense, to refer to Moshe's mediating role during the giving of the Decalogue.
"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ" – This position finds support from this verse, as it makes no mention of Hashem intending to speak to the nation, only of them listening as Hashem speaks to Moshe.
"קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים" – To support their position, these commentators point to the many verses in the description of the event in Devarim which consistently refer to the voice that the nation heard, rather than the words. See Devarim 4:12, 4:33-36, and 5:19-22.4
"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל" – Rambam suggests that these words refer to the role Moshe played during the Decalogue, when he relayed to the nation every statement of Hashem exactly as he heard it.5
"וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם" – According to this approach, this verse refers to Moshe's relaying of the ten commandments, which appear one verse later.6
"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים" – Rambam assumes that Moshe is the unstated audience of this verse, and it is to him that Hashem addressed all of His words.
Singular form – Rambam explains that since Hashem was speaking just to Moshe, He used the singular ("לְךָ", "עָשִׂיתָ", "תִּגְנֹב" etc.), rather than the plural which might have been expected if the speech was aimed at all of the Israelites.
"דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה" – These sources do not address the issue of the nation's fear but would likely explain that the sound of Hashem's voice alone was enough to scare the people. Thus, after the giving of the Decalogue, they requested that in the future Moshe receive Hashem's words in private.  Had the nation not been fearful, perhaps all communications between Hashem and Moshe would have been overheard by the nation.
Switch from 1st to 3rd person – This approach would likely attribute the switch from first to third person to literary variation and not give it any additional significance.7
"אנכי ולא יהיה לך מפי הגבורה שמענום" – Rambam explains this statement of Chazal to mean that the nation was able to cognitively grasp the first two commandments, on their own, without any need for a prophetic experience.
Purpose of Sinaitic revelation – Rambam states that the main purpose of the revelation was, not to instill belief in Hashem, but to teach the nation to believe in Moshe's prophecy.  This was best achieved by having the nation watch as Hashem spoke to their leader. This is supported by Hashem's words, "הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַב הֶעָנָן בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ וְגַם בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם".
Prophecy for the masses – Rambam's position is likely motivated by his belief that indiscriminate prophecy is impossible.  The nation was not significantly prepared or trained to understand Hashem. However, Rambam agrees that specific people, such as Aharon and his sons, could potentially have understood something, depending on their spiritual level.

Heard Voice Directly

Hashem spoke to the people directly, but due to their distance, they could make out only a voice and not distinct words.

Moshe's role – Since the people were not sanctified enough to come close to Hashem they stood further away than Moshe.  Thus, although Hashem addressed His words to all, Moshe needed to act as a translator to relay and explain what the nation could not hear or comprehend.8
"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" – R. D"Z Hoffmann would assert that the encounter was considered face to face since Hashem was addressing Himself to the nation as a whole and not just to Moshe.
"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם" – This verse is understood simply to refer to Moshe's role as a middleman, both in terms of his physical positioning on the mountain in between Hashem and the nation and his job as translator during the delivering of the Decalogue.
"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ" – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, Hashem is telling Moshe that He will appear to him in the presence of the entire nation so that they will no longer doubt his prophecy.  This, though, does not insinuate that Hashem did not also direct His words at the rest of the people, but more simply that the positioning boosted the nation's belief in Moshe.
"קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים" – R. D"Z Hoffmann brings support for the idea that the nation did not comprehend Hashem's words from the repeated emphasis on having heard His voice rather than His words. See Devarim 4:12, 4:33-36, and 5:19-22.9
"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל" – According to R. Hoffmann, this verse refers to Moshe's dialogue with Hashem in Shemot 19:19-25 and not to the Decalogue.  Only when relaying the warnings is there a conversation where Hashem sometimes responds to Moshe.  During the revelation itself, Moshe repeated Hashem's words to the people, but Hashem's words were not a response to Moshe and would not be aptly described as "יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל‏‎".10
"וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם" – R. D"Z Hoffmann asserts that this verse refers to transmitting Hashem's warnings to the nation, and not to the Decalogue.
"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים" – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, Hashem did communicate the entire Decalogue to the nation.  They simply needed a go-between to understand what He said.
Singular form – R. D"Z Hoffmann would likely attribute no significance to the singular rather than plural formulation, as there are many instances in Torah where Hashem addresses the nation and refers to them as a singular unit.11 Thus, this is not sufficient evidence that Hashem directed His words at Moshe alone.
The nation's fear – "דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה" – R. D"Z Hoffmann assumes that this event occurred after the giving of the Ten Commandments and suggests that had the nation not feared, Hashem would have relayed the rest of the commandments to them as well.  He even raises the possibility that the original plan was that the after the Decalogue, the nation would approach and perhaps even ascend the mountain to partake in the establishing of the covenant over the commandments.
Switch from 1st to 3rd person – R. D"Z Hoffmann agrees with Ibn Ezra's view that the first person to third person switch is insignificant, as "משפט אנשי לשון הקודש לדבר ככה".
Purpose of Sinaitic revelation – As Hashem could have created a scenario in which all the people could understand Him despite their distance, R. D"Z Hoffmann's approach is only logical if one posits that Hashem intentionally positioned Moshe closer, requiring him to act as translator, while still addressing His words to all. This pushed the people to recognize Moshe's stature as prophet, but simultaneously connected them to Hashem and promoted their belief in Him.
Prophecy for the masses – R. D"Z Hoffmann suggests that the people were at a lower level of sanctity, requiring a greater distance and thus lower prophetic capabilities.

Understood All Ten

The nation understood the entire Decalogue from Hashem. This position subdivides regarding whether Hashem's words were aimed at the people or Moshe.

Overheard Words

Hashem's spoke to Moshe only, but He intended that the nation would listen in on this conversation.

Moshe's role – R. Saadia and R. Maimon do not suggest that Moshe played an intermediary role in the sense of explaining or relaying commandments in Hashem's stead, but do assert that the positioning (having the nation listening in to Hashem and Moshe's conversation) set him up as a "go-between" of sorts and highlighted his elevated status. R. Saadia also adds that after each of Hashem's statements, Moshe repeated it to the people.13
"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" – This phrase is somewhat difficult for this approach, since one would not normally refer to overheard speech as a "face to face" encounter. These commentators might suggest that Moshe is simply saying that, despite the positioning, the nation understood Hashem's words clearly, as if the statements were said to them face to face.
"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם" – R. Saadia and R. Maimon suggest that the phrase refers to Moshe's role during revelation itself.  According to R. Saadia, Moshe literally stood between the nation and Hashem in order to repeat to them Hashem's words.14
"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ" – According to R. Saadia and R. Maimon, the verse is understood according to its simple meaning. Hashem did, in fact, direct His speech to Moshe and was only overheard by the rest of the people. Such a method had the extra benefit of instilling belief in Moshe.
"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" – R. Maimon suggests that there is no stated audience in this sentence since the audience was all who were present: Moshe, Aharon and the nation as a whole.  Hashem spoke to all (despite directing His words at Moshe).  This position might also point to the word "כָּל" as evidence that all ten utterances were said by Hashem.15
"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל" – R. Saadia connects this verse to the above "בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ", suggesting that he thinks that it, too, refers to Hashem's speech during the Decalogue.16  He asserts that the verse comes to inform the reader that, to be heard over the loud blast of the shofar, both Moshe and Hashem needed to speak at a high volume.17 R. Maimon who does not assert that Moshe spoke at all during the Decalogue might suggest that this refers to Moshe and Hashem's earlier conversation in verses 20-25.
The nation's fear – "דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה" – According to this approach, this scene is found in its chronological place and only occurred after Hashem finished relaying the entire Decalogue.
Switch from 1st to 3rd person – This position would agree with Ibn Ezra below that the switch is an example of legitimate, normal, variation in Tanakh and carries no extra significance.
Purpose of Sinaitic revelation – This approach understands that the episode had a dual objective, to instill faith in Moshe as Hashem's messenger, and to inculcate belief in Hashem Himself.  The former was accomplished by having Hashem direct His words at Moshe, elevating him above the nation, while the latter was fulfilled when the people heard Hashem speak.
Prophecy for the masses – This approach assumes that all can prophesy if Hashem so desires, even without extensive preparation. R. Maimon, though, does qualify that each person understood Hashem's words differently, according to their own abilities and level.

Heard Words Directly

Hashem spoke directly to the people themselves, and they, not Moshe, were His target audience for the entire Decalogue.

Moshe's role – According to these sources, Moshe did not play any significant role during the Revelation. He, like the rest of the nation, simply listened to Hashem.  According to Abarbanel and Shadal, even physically, Moshe was positioned amidst the people and was not higher up on the mountain.18
"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" – These commentators understand the phrase "פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" to refer to a direct, unmediated encounter.  R. Levi in the Tanchuma describes the experience as one in which each member of the nation felt as if Hashem was speaking to him personally.
"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם" – According to most of these commentators, these words refer to the mediating role that Moshe assumed after receiving the Decalogue, when giving over the rest of the commandments.19 Alternatively, this position could posit, as does Ramban,20 that this refers to Moshe's role before the Decalogue when he acted as a go-between to relay all of Hashem's instructions to prepare the nation.
"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" – Ibn Ezra supports the idea that Hashem communicated all the commandments directly from the text's usage of the words "‎‏כָּל הַדְּבָרִים"‎.21 Shadal adds proofs from Devarim 4:12-13, 4:36 and 5:19-21, all of which emphasize how Hashem spoke (and did not produce merely the sound of a voice) to the nation.22
"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ"
  • Spoke to all – According to Ibn Ezra, this verse does not insinuate that Hashem was to speak to Moshe alone, but only that when Hashem did speak to him (along with everyone else), his prophetic stature would be verified. The nation had doubted Moshe's prophecy, believing that if Hashem speaks to a person, he cannot live afterwards.  Thus, Hashem tells Moshe that when the nation sees Him speaking to Moshe during the giving of the Decalogue, they will finally recognize that their preconception was false.
  • Change of plan - According to Ralbag and Abarbanel, Hashem originally told Moshe that He would speak to him alone and the nation would overhear, leading them to believe in Moshe's prophecy.  Moshe then clarified to Hashem that the nation preferred to not have a mediator, but rather desired a direct face to face encounter. As a result, Hashem acquiesced and changed the original plan.23
  • Before the Decalogue – Shadal asserts that this refers to the nation hearing Hashem's conversation with Moshe before the Decalogue.
The nation's fear - "דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה" – According to these sources, this scene is found in its chronological place and only occurred after Hashem finished relaying the entire Decalogue.  According to Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, and Ralbag, were it not for this fear, Hashem would have relayed all 613 commandments to the people directly.24
"כִּי יְרֵאתֶם מִפְּנֵי הָאֵשׁ וְלֹא עֲלִיתֶם בָּהָר"
  • According to Ibn Ezra, Moshe is saying that the nation feared from the fire, despite the fact that they did not go up the mountain.
  • This position could also maintain that the original plan (had the nation not been overcome by fear) was to ascend the mountain after the giving of the Decalogue and to hear the rest of the 613 commandments from perhaps an even closer vantage point and at a higher spiritual level.25
"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל"
  • Before the Decalogue – According to Ibn Ezra, Abarbanel, and Shadal,26 this refers to the conversation between Moshe and Hashem before the giving of the Decalogue and, as such, provides no information regarding how Hashem delivered the commandments.27
  • Before and during – Ralbag maintains that the verse refers to Hashem's words both before and during the Decalogue.28  The mention of Moshe speaking refers only to the earlier conversation, but the fact that Hashem spoke "בְקוֹל" can refer to both.29
  • During the DecalogueR. Eliezer suggests that that the verse refers to the Decalogue but is simply saying that before Hashem spoke to the nation, He waited for Moshe to tell Him that they were ready.30
Switch from 1st to 3rd person – Ibn Ezra argues that it is a normal for the text to switch between first and third person; in other places too, such as Shemot 23:18-19, Hashem alternates between speaking of Himself in first and third persons.31 Ibn Ezra also explains the specific location of the switch,  pointing out that after the nation accepted Hashem as their God in the first two commandments, He could then refer to Himself as the Israelites' God in third person.
Purpose of Sinaitic revelation
  • This position highlights the goal of teaching the nation to believe in Hashem.  As Moshe says in Sefer Devarim, after hearing Hashem directly, "אַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת כִּי ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים"‎.32
  • According to Shadal, there may have been a dual purpose of instilling belief in both Moshe and Hashem.  By hearing Hashem speak to Moshe before the actual revelation, the nation recognized his prophetic stature, and by hearing Hashem on their own during revelation, they came to believe in God.
Prophecy for the masses – This approach assumes that anyone can prophesy, even without extended preparation.  Nonetheless, most of these commentators do limit the level of prophecy of the people. Thus, R. Yose b. R. Chanina in the Tanchuma says that each person grasped Hashem's word according to his own capabilities, while Ralbag and Abarbanel emphasize how the nation could only experience Revelation via their physical senses, hearing a concrete (rather than mental) voice.33

Understood Only Two

The nation understood only two commandments directly from Hashem. The commentators disagree as to how the nation received the other eight:

Eight From Moshe

Due to the nation's fear, Hashem stopped speaking to them and instead spoke only to Moshe, who then relayed the final eight commandments to the nation.

Moshe's role – Moshe acted as an intermediary for the last eight commandments, relaying them to the nation in Hashem's stead.
Why the split? According to these sources, the original plan was for Hashem to say all ten commandments directly to the nation.  After Hashem relayed the second commandment, though, the nation became frightened and requested that Moshe mediate.
"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" – This phrase describes the first part of the encounter, when the nation heard and understood the first two commandments directly from Hashem.
"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם" – This clause refers to the second part of the experience when Moshe served as an intermediary to deliver the final eight commandments.
The nation's fear – "דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה" – According to these sources, this episode took place in the middle of the Decalogue, between the second and third commandments.  It is only written out of order so as not to interrupt the flow of the storyline and to keep the Decalogue in one continuous list.  R. Yosef Bekhor Shor adds that had it not been for their fear, the nation might have heard all the commandments in this manner.  Alternatively, Hashem had never planned on relaying more than the ten commandments regardless of their fears.35
"כִּי יְרֵאתֶם מִפְּנֵי הָאֵשׁ וְלֹא עֲלִיתֶם בָּהָר" – This verse seems to imply that, were it not for their fears, the people could have ascended the mountain.  This poses a difficulty for this approach which maintains that the people expressed their fears midway through the Decalogue, as at that point it was prohibited from ascending the mountain regardless of whether they were afraid.  Thus, this approach might need to explain, as Ibn Ezra above, that Moshe is saying that despite the fact that they did not ascend the mountain, they were still in fear.36
Switch from 1st to 3rd person – R. Yosef Kara adduces support for this approach from the fact that the Decalogue switches from first person to third person immediately after the second commandment.  If this is when Moshe began to speak, the third person references to Hashem make sense.
"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל" – Rashi explains that when Moshe relayed the eight commandments, Hashem gave Moshe's voice extra strength so that he could be heard.37
"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים" – Ibn Ezra argues against this position from the word "כָּל" which suggests that there was no differentiation between the commandments.  Rashi explains that the verse comes to teach that, originally, Hashem said all ten commandments simultaneously and only afterwards distinguished each one.
"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים... לֵאמֹר" – Rashi might suggest that the audience of Hashem's words is left ambiguous, because there were two different, consecutive, audiences for the different sections of the Decalogue.  Hashem first spoke to the nation and then to Moshe alone.
"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ" – This verse is difficult for these sources since they maintain that the original plan was not to speak to Moshe, but rather directly to the nation.  They could explain that this refers to the nation listening to Hashem's earlier conversation, when He instructs Moshe before the Decalogue.
Purpose of Sinaitic revelation – This position could posit that the revelation was aimed at instilling belief in Hashem, rather than Moshe as prophet.  It was only a concession to the people's fear that led Moshe to play any part at all.
Prophecy for the masses – These commentators assume that Hashem sometimes grants prophetic powers to the uninitiated.

Voice but No Words

Hashem communicated also the other eight commandments to the nation, but in these they discerned only His voice and needed Moshe to serve as an interpreter.

Why the split? Ramban suggests that Hashem intentionally desired that Moshe explain the final commandments to the nation, thereby displaying his exalted prophetic status, but that He also wanted the nation to understand the first two from Him directly, as these relate to belief and serve as the basis for the rest of Torah.38
"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" – According to Ramban, the people heard the entire Decalogue "face to face", but only comprehended the first two commandments.
"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם" – This clause refers to Moshe's intermediary role during the second part of the encounter, when Moshe explained the final eight commandments.
Switch from 1st to 3rd person – To support the change of speaker, Ramban points to the fact that only the first two commandments speak of Hashem in first person.
"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים" – The word "כָּל" is what motivates Ramban to suggest that the nation actually heard all of the commandments (even if they did not comprehend all).
The nation's fear – "דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה" – Ramban asserts that this took place before the Decalogue. Even before Hashem began to speak, the nation distanced themselves even further than required by the boundary and requested that Moshe speak.39  Ramban maintains that the similar description in Devarim which speaks of the elders conveying their fears refers to a different episode, which took place after the Decalogue.  Assuming that Hashem was to give over the rest of the commandments in the same manner, the elders asked Moshe that he instead receive them alone.  Hashem agreed since He had never planned on doing otherwise.
"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל" – Ramban maintains that these words refer to Moshe and Hashem's conversation during the three days of preparations for the revelation.40
"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ" – According to Ramban, this refers to the Decalogue. Hashem tells Moshe that when the nation experiences prophecy and hears Hashem speak, they will finally recognize that it is Hashem who regularly speaks with Moshe.  This will lead them to believe in both.
Purpose of Sinaitic revelation – Revelation had a dual purpose, to instill belief in both Hashem and Moshe as His prophet.  The latter was necessary since it was to be Moshe's job to give over the rest of the commandments.
Prophecy for the masses – This approach assumes that even without lengthy preparation one can prophesy if Hashem so chooses.