Шмот 19:8 Мидраш: Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Shir HaShirim Rabbah, Midrash Aggadah & Bamidbar Rabbah

(Exodus 12:1) "saying": Go and say it to them immediately. These are the words of R. Yishmael. As it is written (Exodus 34:34) "And he went out and spoke to the children of Israel what he had been commanded." R. Eliezer says: (The intent is) Go out and say it to them and return word to Me, viz. (Ibid. 19:8) "and Moses returned the words of the people to the L–rd," and (Ezekiel 9:11) "And, behold, the man clothed in linen on whose loins was the scribe's slate returned word saying I have done according to all that You have commanded me," and (Iyyov 38:35) "Did you dispatch lightning bolts, so that they should go forth and say to you 'Here we are'"? The messengers of the Holy One Blessed be He are not as those of flesh and blood. The messengers of flesh and blood must return to their sender. Not so Your messengers, but "Did You dispatch lightning bolts so that they should go forth?" It is not written "and they shall return and say." Wherever they go they are before You and they say we have fulfilled Your embassy, in fulfillment of (Jeremiah 23:24) "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?"

Rabbi Yoḥanan interpreted the verse as regarding the Israelites when they ascended Mount Sinai.⁸³Rabbi Yoḥanan interpreted the verse “let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth” as referring to when the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai before the giving of the Torah. [This is analogous] to a king who sought to take a wife, well-born and of distinguished lineage. He sent a messenger to her, who spoke to her [and proposed marriage]. She said: ‘I am not worthy to be even his maidservant;⁸⁴This means she is agreeing to marry him. however, I wish to hear it from his mouth.’ When that messenger returned to the king his face was glad, but his conversation was not comprehensible to the king.⁸⁵The messenger was glad that the woman had agreed to marry the king, but embarrassed to report that hearing the king’s proposal only from the messenger was insufficient for her, and therefore he did not clearly communicate her response. The king, who was clever, said: From the fact that his face is glad, apparently she accepted, but his conversation is not comprehensible to me, so apparently she said: I want to hear it from his mouth. So too, Israel is the well-born woman, the messenger is Moses, the king is the Holy One blessed be He. At that moment: “Moses returned the statement of the people to the Lord” (Exodus 19:8). Why, then, does the [next] verse state: “Moses related the statement of the people to the Lord” (Exodus 19:9)? Because it is stated: “Behold, I am coming to you in a thickness of cloud, so that the people will hear while I speak with you, and they will believe also in you forever. Moses related the statement of the people to the Lord” (Exodus 19:9).⁸⁶In this verse God indicated that He would not speak directly to the people, but rather He would speak to Moses, and Moses would speak to the people. [Moses] said to Him: ‘This is what they demanded.’⁸⁷Moses told God that the people wanted Him to speak directly to them. He said to [Moses]: ‘Does one listen to a baby [and give him] everything he asks?’ Rabbi Pinḥas [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: The proverb says: One who was bitten by a snake, a rope frightens him. So too, Moses said: ‘Yesterday,⁸⁸When God appeared to him at the burning bush. because I said to Him: “But they will not believe me (Exodus 4:1),” I received my just deserts through them; now what can I do for them?’⁸⁹Moses had been punished previously for indicating to God that he thought they would not believe God had spoken to him. Therefore he was fearful of relaying their request for God to speak directly to them.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: This is what they demanded: They said: ‘We wish to see the glory of our King.’ Rabbi Pinḥas [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: It was revealed before the Holy One blessed be He that Israel is destined to exchange His glory for that of another, as it is stated: “They exchanged their glory” (Psalms 106:20). [God agreed to speak to them] so that they would not say: ‘Had He shown us His glory and His greatness, we would have believed in Him. Now that He did not show us His glory and His greatness, we do not believe in Him.’ [This is] to uphold what is stated: “Do not enter into judgment with your servant, [for no living man will be justified before You]” (Psalms 143:2).

(Ibid. 8) "And all the people answered together": They did not answer deceptively, and they did not consult each other, but they were all one in heart and answered (Ibid.) "Whatever the L–rd has spoken we shall do."