Deuteronomy 5:1-6

The Ten Commandments Repeated

1 Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I am speaking today in your hearing, that you may learn them and observe them carefully.
2 "The LORD our God made 1a covenant with us at Horeb.
3 "2The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of us alive here today.
4 "The LORD spoke to you 3face to face at the mountain 4from the midst of the fire,
5 while 5I was standing between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; 6for you were afraid because * of the fire and did not go up the mountain. He said,
6 '7I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

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.

Cross References 7

  • 1. Exodus 19:5; Malachi 4:4
  • 2. Jeremiah 31:32; Hebrews 8:9
  • 3. Numbers 14:14; Deuteronomy 34:10
  • 4. Deuteronomy 4:33
  • 5. Galatians 3:19
  • 6. Ex 19:16, 21-24; Exodus 20:18; Hebrews 12:18-21
  • 7. Exodus 20:2-17; Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalms 81:10

Footnotes 5

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