Deuteronomy 5:14

14 but 1the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, 2that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.

Deuteronomy 5:14 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 5:14

Nor thine ox, nor thine ass
In ( Exodus 20:10 ) , it is only in general said,

nor thy cattle:
here by way of illustration and explanation the ox and the ass are particularly mentioned; the one being used in ploughing ground, and treading out the corn, and the other in carrying burdens; and it is added,

nor any of thy cattle;
as their camels, or whatever else they were wont to use in any kind of service; they were none of them to do any kind of work on the sabbath day. The following clause also is not used before, which expresses the end of this institution:

that thy manservant and thy maidservant may have rest as well as
thee;
which if the cattle had not rest, they could not have, being obliged to attend them at the plough or elsewhere; and this respects not only hired, but bond servants and maidens.

Deuteronomy 5:14 In-Context

12 "'Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.
13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
16 "'Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Exodus 16:29, 30; Hebrews 4:4
  • 2. [Exodus 23:12]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.