Deuteronomy 5:1-22

The Ten Commandments

1 Moses summoned all Israel and said: Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them.
2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.
3 It was not with our ancestors[a] that the LORD made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today.
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[b] 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,
10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
11 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
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 it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.
15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
16 “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
17 “You shall not murder.
18 “You shall not commit adultery.
19 “You shall not steal.
20 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
21 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
22 These are the commandments the LORD proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

Deuteronomy 5:1-22 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 36

  • 1. S Exodus 18:20
  • 2. Exodus 19:5; Jeremiah 11:2; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 10:15-17
  • 3. S Genesis 17:9; S Exodus 3:1
  • 4. Deuteronomy 11:2-7
  • 5. Numbers 26:63-65; Hebrews 8:9
  • 6. S Deuteronomy 4:12; Deuteronomy 4:12,33,36
  • 7. S Numbers 14:14
  • 8. S Exodus 19:18
  • 9. Galatians 3:19
  • 10. S Genesis 3:10; Hebrews 12:18-21; Exodus 20:18,21
  • 11. S Exodus 13:3; S Exodus 29:46
  • 12. Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalms 81:10
  • 13. Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 4:15-18; Psalms 78:58; Psalms 97:7
  • 14. S Numbers 26:11
  • 15. Exodus 34:7; S Numbers 10:35; Numbers 14:18
  • 16. S Exodus 34:7
  • 17. Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 7:9; Nehemiah 1:5; Jeremiah 32:18; Daniel 9:4
  • 18. Psalms 139:20
  • 19. Leviticus 19:12; Deuteronomy 10:20; Matthew 5:33-37
  • 20. Exodus 16:23-30; Exodus 31:13-17; Mark 2:27-28; Exodus 20:8
  • 21. S Genesis 2:2; Matthew 12:2; Mark 2:27; Hebrews 4:4
  • 22. Job 31:13; Jeremiah 34:9-11
  • 23. Jeremiah 17:21,24
  • 24. S Genesis 15:13
  • 25. Exodus 6:1; Psalms 108:6; Jeremiah 32:21
  • 26. S Deuteronomy 4:34
  • 27. Malachi 1:6
  • 28. Exodus 21:17; Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 19:3; Deuteronomy 27:16; Ezekiel 22:7; Matthew 15:4*; Matthew 19:19*; Mark 7:10*; Mark 10:19*; Luke 18:20*; Ephesians 6:2-3*; Colossians 3:20
  • 29. S Deuteronomy 4:40; Deuteronomy 11:9; Proverbs 3:1-2
  • 30. Genesis 9:6; Leviticus 24:17; Ecclesiastes 3:3; Jeremiah 40:15; Jeremiah 41:3; Matthew 5:21-22*; Matthew 19:19*; Mark 10:19*; Luke 18:20*; Romans 13:9*; James 2:11*
  • 31. Leviticus 20:10; Matthew 5:27-30; Matthew 19:18*; Mark 10:19*; Luke 18:20*; Romans 13:9*; James 2:11*
  • 32. Leviticus 19:11; Matthew 19:19*; Mark 10:19*; Luke 18:20*; Romans 13:9*
  • 33. S Exodus 23:1; Matthew 19:18*; Mark 10:19*; Luke 18:20*
  • 34. Romans 7:7*; Romans 13:9*
  • 35. S Exodus 20:21
  • 36. S Exodus 24:12; Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 4:13

Footnotes 2

Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.