And God spake all these words
Which follow, commonly called the decalogue, or ten commands; a
system or body of laws, selected and adapted to the case and
circumstances of the people of Israel; striking at such sins as
they were most addicted to, and they were under the greatest
temptation of falling into the commission of; to prevent which,
the observation of these laws was enjoined them; not but that
whatsoever of them is of a moral nature, as for the most part
they are, are binding on all mankind, and to be observed both by
Jew and Gentile; and are the best and shortest compendium of
morality that ever was delivered out, except the abridgment of
them by our Lord, ( Matthew
22:36-40 ) , the ancient Jews had a notion, and which Jarchi
delivers as his own, that these words were spoken by God in one
word; which is not to be understood grammatically; but that those
laws are so closely compacted and united together as if they were
but one word, and are not to be detached and separated from each
other; hence, as the Apostle James says, whosoever offends in one
point is guilty of all, ( James 2:10 ) , and if
this notion was as early as the first times of the Gospel, one
would be tempted to think the Apostle Paul had reference to it, (
Romans 13:9 )
( Galatians 5:14 ) though
indeed he seems to have respect only to the second table of the
law; these words were spoke in an authoritative way as commands,
requiring not only attention but obedience to them; and they were
spoken by God himself in the hearing of all the people of Israel;
and were not, as Aben Ezra observes, spoken by a mediator or
middle person, for as yet they had not desired one; nor by an
angel or angels, as the following words show, though the law is
said to be spoken by angels, to be ordained by them, in the hands
of a mediator, and given by the disposition of them, which
perhaps was afterwards done, see ( Acts 7:53 ) ( Galatians
3:19 ) ( Hebrews 2:2 ) . (See
Gill on Acts
7:53). (See Gill on
Galatians 3:19). (See Gill on Hebrews
2:2).
saying;
as follows.