Midras Keluaran 19:25: Midrash Tanchuma, Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Shemot Rabbah & Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer

Another interpretation [of] "I pleaded with the Lord" (Deuteronomy 3:23): This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Ecclesiastes 9:11), "The race is not won by the swift, [nor the battle by the valiant; nor is bread won by the wise, nor wealth by the intelligent, nor favor by the learned; for the time of mischance comes to all]." "The race is not won by the swift," that is Asahel, as stated (II Samuel 2:18), "Asahel was swift of foot, like a gazelle in the open field." He was running after Avner, [and] Avner said to him (II Samuel 2:22), "Turn yourself away from behind me," but he was confident that he [could] flee (if necessary), as he was swift of foot. What is written? "And he refused to turn away, so Avner struck him in the belly with a backward thrust of his spear." "Nor the battle by the valiant," that is Avner. What is written when he went to David? "Yoav took him aside within the gate to talk to him privately; there he struck him in the belly" (II Samuel 3:27). Thus, "nor the battle by the valiant." "Nor is bread won by the wise," that is Shlomo, as it is stated (I Kings 5:11), "And he was wiser than all men." Yet the Holy One, blessed be He, brought him down from his thrown, and had an angel designated to bring him a loaf of bread and a plate of barley every day. Thus, "nor is bread won by the wise. "Nor wealth by the intelligent," that is Iyov; as it is stated (Job 19:21), " Pity me, pity me, you are my friends; for the hand of God has struck me." "Nor favor by the learned," that is Yehoshua. He said two things in front of his master (Moshe) and these were them: "And Yehoshua son of Nun, Moshe's attendant [from his youth, spoke up and said, 'My lord Moshe, restrain them']" (Numbers 11:28). [To this] Moshe said to him (Numbers 11:29), "Would that all the nation of the Lord be prophets!" And the [other time] was with the story of the [golden] calf, as it is stated (Exodus 32:17), "When Yehoshua heard the sound of the people in its boisterousness, he said to Moshe, 'There is a sound of war in the camp.'" [And to this] Moshe said to him, "Yehoshua, they are depending on you and trusting you to acquire the land and [yet] you do not know how to distinguish between one sound and another; 'It is not the sound of the tune of triumph...' (Exodus 32:18)." Thus, "nor favor by the learned." Another interpretation: "The race is not won by the swift," that is Moshe, as he leaped like a lion at the giving of the Torah. What is written over there? "And Moshe went up to God" (Exodus 19:3). [But then it is written (Exodus 19:25), "And Moshe went down to the people." "Nor the battle by the valiant," that is [also] Moshe. As he gored angels above, but when he saw Og, the king of Bashan, he was frightened. "Nor is bread won by the wise," that is [also] Moshe. As it is stated (Proverbs 21:22), "One wise man prevailed over a city of warriors." [Yet] it states (Exodus 34:28), "he did not eat bread." "Nor wealth by the intelligent," that is [also] Moshe, as it is stated about him (Exodus 34:9), "If I have found favor in Your eyes, may the Lord go among us." Rav Huna asked Shemuel, "What is [the meaning of] 'for the time of mischance (fega, which is a word also used for a prayer encounter) comes to all?'" He said to him, "It is in the future that a person will pray and be answered." He said, "Moshe seized prayer [but was not answered], as stated, 'I pleaded with the Lord....'"

(Ibid. 25) "And Moses went down to the people and he said (this warning) to them": He said it to them immediately, without delay.

“Moses reported the statement of the people to the Lord” (Exodus 19:8) – at that moment, the Holy One blessed be He sought to give them the Torah and to speak with them, but Moses was standing [on the mountain]. The Holy One blessed be He said: What shall I do about Moses? Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a king who sought to issue a proclamation without the input of his chief official. He said to him: ‘Do such and such.’ He said to him: ‘It is already done.’ He then said to him: ‘Go and summon so-and-so the adviser and let him come with you.’ When he went, the king did what he sought to do. So too, the Holy One blessed be He sought to give the Ten Commandments. Moses was standing to His side. The Holy One blessed be He said: When I reveal the firmament to them and say: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2), they will say: ‘Who spoke; was it the Holy One blessed be He or Moses?’ Rather, let Moses descend, and afterward I will say: “I am the Lord your God.” So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and they shall wash their garments” (Exodus 19:10). He said to Him: ‘I already sanctified them,’ as it is stated: “As you have warned us, saying: [Demarcate the mountain and sanctify it]” (Exodus 19:23). He said to him: “Go, descend, and you shall ascend and Aaron with you” (Exodus 19:24). When Moses descended, the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself, as it is stated: “Moses descended to the people” (Exodus 19:25), [and] immediately, “God spoke.”