Deuteronomy 5:1-10

1 Then Moshe called to all Isra'el and said to them, "Listen, Isra'el, to the laws and rulings which I am announcing in your hearing today, so that you will learn them and take care to obey them.

2 ADONAI our God made a covenant with us at Horev.

3 ADONAI did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us -with us, who are all of us here alive today.

4 ADONAI spoke with you face to face from the fire on the mountain.

5 At that time I stood between ADONAI and you in order to tell you what ADONAI was saying; because, on account of the fire, you were afraid and wouldn't go up onto the mountain. He said, t

6 "'I am ADONAI your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you lived as slaves. c

7 "'You are to have no other gods before me.

8 You are not to make for yourselves a carved image or any kind of representation of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath or in the water below the shoreline -

9 you are not to bow down to them or serve them; for I, ADONAI your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents, also the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

10 but displaying grace to the thousandth generation of those who love me and obey my mitzvot.

Deuteronomy 5:1-10 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.