Deuteronomy 5:5-21

The Ten Commandments

5 At that time I was standing between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD, because you were afraid of the fire and would not go up the mountain. And He said: ¹

6 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

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

8 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath.

9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

10 but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations ^[b] of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

11 You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.

12 Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has 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 which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do.

15 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. That is why the LORD your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

16 Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so 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. ^[c]

17 You shall not murder. ^[d]

18 You shall not commit adultery. ^[e]

19 You shall not steal. ^[f]

20 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. ^[g]

21 You shall not covet ^[h] your neighbor’s wife. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house or field, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Deuteronomy 5:5-21 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. (Exodus 20:1–17)

Footnotes

• [a] Or besides Me
• [b] Hebrew loving devotion to thousands; forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.
• [c] Cited in Matthew 15:4, Matthew 19:19, Mark 7:10, Luke 18:20, and Ephesians 6:2–3
• [d] Cited in Matthew 5:21, Matthew 19:18, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Romans 13:9, and James 2:11
• [e] Cited in Matthew 5:27, Matthew 19:18, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Romans 13:9, and James 2:11
• [f] Cited in Matthew 19:18, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, and Romans 13:9
• [g] Cited in Matthew 19:18, Mark 10:19, and Luke 18:20
• [h] Cited in Romans 7:7 and Romans 13:9