EXODUS 20:1 Covenant Words and Rules. This section records what will later be referred to as the “Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 24:7) and includes: the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1); instructions on worship (Exodus 20:22; Exodus 23:10); rules and principles for community life (Exodus 21:1); and ins... [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:2 I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF... EGYPT. Throughout Israel’s history, the Lord will identify himself in terms of his deliverance of the nation from Egypt (e.g., Judges 6:8; 1 Samuel 10:18; Psalms 81:10; Jeremiah 34:13). ⇐... [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:3 YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS. The Lord demands exclusive covenant loyalty. As the one true God, he cannot tolerate the worship of any “other gods” (Exodus 22:20; Exodus 23:13, Exodus 23:24, Exodus 23:32). BEFORE ME. This Hebrew expression most likely refers to worshiping o... [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:4 YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELF A CARVED IMAGE. The Lord commands Israel not to craft an image of anything in HEAVEN or EARTH for worship. This is because the Lord is a JEALOUS God (see Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 6:15). The Lord has no physical form and cannot be contained... [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:5 A JEALOUS GOD. God the Creator is worthy of all honor from his creation. His creatures are functioning properly only when they give him the honor and worship that he deserves. God’s jealousy shows his concern for his creatures’ well-being. VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATH... [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:7 Taking the Lord’s name IN VAIN (see note on Deut. 5:11) refers primarily to taking a deceptive oath in God’s name or invoking God’s name to justify a dishonest act (Leviticus 19:12). It also forbids using God’s name in magic, or irreverently, or disrespectfully (Leviticus... [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:8 Israel is to REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY by keeping it HOLY (see notes on Deut. 5:12–15). The Lord had already begun to form the people’s life in the rhythm of collecting manna for SIX DAYS (Exodus 20:9) and resting on the SEVENTH DAY as a SABBATH (see Exodus 16:22). Here the... [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:12 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER. “Honor” means to show the proper respect due to the person and his or her role. Both Jesus and Paul underline the importance of this command (Mark 7:1; Ephesians 6:1; 1 Timothy 5:4). This is the only one of the Ten Commandments with a sp... [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:13 The sixth through eighth commandments present general prohibitions not to MURDER (see note on Deut. 5:17), COMMIT ADULTERY, or STEAL. These are the minimum standards for a just society. Israel is later called to be holy and to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and... [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:16 Acting as a FALSE WITNESS (see Exodus 23:1) suggests a legal trial in which false testimony could lead to unjust punishment for one’s NEIGHBOR. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:17 While the previous four commandments focus on actions committed or words spoken (vv. Exodus 20:13), the tenth commandment warns against allowing the heart to COVET... ANYTHING THAT IS YOUR NEIGHBOR’S. Coveting may cause a person to murder, steal, or lie in order to obtain... [ Continue Reading ]
EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:22 These verses introduce the first section of laws following the Ten Commandments (Exodus 21:1), and Exodus 23:10 closes the section. Both the opening and closing verses focus on Israel’s worship. Israel’s relationship with the Lord is her first priority. The rules of Exodu... [ Continue Reading ]