Deuteronomy 5:1-6

The Ten Commandments

1 Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, "Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am proclaiming as you hear them today. Learn and follow them carefully.
2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.
3 He did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with all of us who are alive here today.
4 The Lord spoke to you face to face from the fire on the mountain.
5 At that time I was standing between the Lord and you to report the word[a] of the Lord to you, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain. And He said:
6 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.[b]

Deuteronomy 5:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 5

In this chapter Moses, after a short preface, De 5:1-5, repeats the law of the decalogue, or ten commands, with some little variation, De 5:6-21, and then reminds the Israelites of the terrible manner in which it was delivered to them, De 5:22,23 which put them upon making a request that Moses might be a mediator between God and them, and hear what the Lord had to say, and report it to them; to which they promised obedience, De 5:24-27 and which being agreeable to the Lord was granted, De 5:28-31, and this laid them under a greater obligation to observe the commands of God, and keep them, De 5:32,33.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. One Hb ms, DSS, Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg read words
  • [b]. Ex 20:2-17
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