Deuteronomy 5:5-15

5 (I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to show you the word of the LORD: for you were afraid because of the fire, and didn't go up onto the mountain;) saying,

6 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Mitzrayim, out of the house of bondage.

7 You shall have no other gods before me.

8 "You shall not make an engraved image for yourself, [nor] any likeness [of anything] that is in heaven above, or that is in the eretz beneath, or that is in the water under the eretz:

9 you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them; for I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me;

10 and showing lovingkindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my mitzvot.

11 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

12 "Observe the day of Shabbat, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.

13 Six days shall you labor, and do all your work;

14 but the seventh day is a Shabbat to the LORD your God: [in it] you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates; that your man-servant and your maid-servant may rest as well as you.

15 You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Mitzrayim, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the day of Shabbat.

Deuteronomy 5:5-15 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.