Deuteronomy 5:11-21

11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him innocent that takes his name in vain.

12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God has commanded thee.

13 Six days thou shalt labour and do all thy work,

14 but the seventh day is the sabbath unto the LORD thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son nor thy daughter nor thy manslave nor thy maidslave nor thine ox nor thine ass nor any animal of thine nor thy stranger that is within thy gates, that thy manslave and thy maidslave may rest as well as thou.

15 And remember that thou wast a slave in the land of Egypt and that the LORD thy God brought thee out of there with a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore, the LORD thy God has commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God has commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God gives thee.

17 Thou shalt not murder.

18 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

19 Thou shalt not steal.

20 Thou shalt not give false testimony against thy neighbour.

21 Thou shalt not desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field or his manslave or his maidslave, his ox or his ass or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Deuteronomy 5:11-21 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.