Deuteronomy 5:4-9

4 The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.

5 (At that time I stood between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD, 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 Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

7 “You shall have no other gods before^[a] me.

8 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

Deuteronomy 5:4-9 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

• 1. S Deuteronomy 4:12; Deuteronomy 4:12,33,36
• 2. S Numbers 14:14
• 3. S Exodus 19:18
• 4. Galatians 3:19
• 5. S Genesis 3:10; Hebrews 12:18-21; Exodus 20:18,21
• 6. S Exodus 13:3; S Exodus 29:46
• 7. Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalms 81:10
• 8. Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 4:15-18; Psalms 78:58; Psalms 97:7
• 9. S Numbers 26:11
• 10. Exodus 34:7; S Numbers 10:35; Numbers 14:18

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "besides"