King James Bible
"And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it."
Moses responds to God's command by reminding Him of the previous instructions that prevent the people from ascending. This shows Moses as a careful mediator who takes divine commands seriously and seeks clarity when instructions seem to conflict. Moses references God's earlier command to establish physical boundaries around the mountain. These barriers protected the Israelites from unauthorized approach to God's holy presence, emphasizing the dangerous sanctity of the divine encounter at Sinai. The mountain itself required consecration, being set apart as holy ground for God's manifestation. This sanctification process underscored the radical separation between the divine and human realms, preparing the space for the giving of the covenant law.