Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Exodus 20:13-15

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 might (Deuteronomy 6:4), and to show their neighbors goodwill and generosity (Leviticus 19:18). When Jesus refers to the law in the Sermon on the Mount (“you have heard that it was said,” Matthew 5:21), he is correcting the mistaken assumption that these laws (as understood by the Pharisees) revealed all of what it meant to be a child of God. (See Matthew 5:21, Matthew 5:27; and note on Matt. 5:21–48.)

⇐ ⇔ ⇒
Continues after advertising

See also Exodus 20:13-15 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT Against _murder_ and _cruelty_. Verse Exodus 20:13. _THOU SHALT NOT KILL._] This commandment, which is general, prohibits _murder_ of every kind. 1. All _actions_ by which the...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The Hebrew name which is rendered in our King James Version as the ten commandments occurs in Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Deuteronomy 10:4. It literally means “the Ten Words.” The Ten Commandmen

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 THE COVENANT REVEALED _ 1. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1)_ 2. Jehovah's gracious provision (Exodus 20:18) This law covenant is now stated. It was given three times. First orally here,...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXODUS 20-24, 34. THE CODES IN EXODUS. Recent study has by many converging lines of argument, based on subject matter, choice of words, relation to the context, idiomatic phrasing, comparison with the...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    II. THE SHALT NOTS. 13. THOU SHALT NOT KILL. Life is placed at the head of these commandments, not as being the highest earthly possession, but because it is the basis of human existence, and in the...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The _sixth_commandment. The sanctity of human life to be upheld (cf. Genesis 9:5-6 P). Here the duty is laid down simply as a Divine command: the human penalty for infringing it is prescribed elsewher...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THOU SHALT NOT KILL— For a full exposition of this commandment we refer to that of our Saviour, Matthew 5:21; Matthew 5:48 see Genesis 9:6. The words are better rendered, _thou shalt do no murder._ An...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 20 AND GOD SPAKE ALL THESE WORDS, SAYING, (2) I am Je-ho-vah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of E-gypt, out of the house of bondage. (3) Thou shalt have no ot...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _THOU SHALT NOT KILL._ Thou shalt not kill. 'Killing' is not what is prohibited, otherwise the judicial infliction of capital punishment, as well as the slaughter of an enemy in defensive war, would...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    20:13 kill. (c-4) Murder....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (VV. 1-21) Exodus 20-23, containing (1) the Decalogue (Gk. = 'Ten Words' or 'Commandments') and (2) a code of laws regulating the religious and social life of the people, and call...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: *ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS TO MOSES EXODUS CHAPTER S 19 TO 40 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 20 GOD’S TEN *COMMANDMENTS – VERSES 1-17 V1 God spoke all these wor...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THOU SHALT NOT KILL. — From the peculiar duties owed by children to their parents, the Divine legislator went on to lay down those general duties which men owe to their fellow-men. And of these the fi...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לֹ֥֖א תִּֿרְצָֽ֖ח׃ ס...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT. "Thou shalt do no murder."-- Exodus 20:13. We have now clearly passed to the consideration of man's duty to his fellow-man, as a part of his duty to his Maker. It is no longer...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE “TEN WORDS” SPOKEN AT SINAI Exodus 20:1 The Law was given by the disposition of angels, through the medium of Moses. See John 1:17; Acts 7:53. It tells us, not what God is, for that is only shown...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here we have the Ten Words of the moral Law. They are introduced by a proclamation of God concerning Himself: first as to His name, "I am Jehovah"; second, as to His relation to them, "thy God"; and,...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Thou shalt not (i) kill. (i) But love and preserve your brother's life....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Kill. These precepts are to be taken in their full extent, as prohibiting not only the ultimate act, but every thing which leads to it. Magistrates are authorized to inflict capital punishment. We are...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    This is the sixth commandment. Our Lord explains the extent of it, Matthew 5:21....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    "In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai." Up to this point all the dealings of God have been the...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    The sum of this Commandment is, that we should not unjustly do violence to any one. In order, however, that God may the better restrain us from all injury of others, He propounds one particular form o...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 19 THROUGH 23. But having thus terminated the course of grace, the scene changes entirely. They do not keep the feast on the mountain, whither God, as He had...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THOU SHALT NOT KILL. Not meaning any sort of creatures, for there are some to be killed for the food and nourishment of men, and others for their safety and preservation; but rational creatures, men,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Thou shalt not kill. Ver. 13. _Thou shalt not kill._] A crying sin. Genesis 4:8,26 _; _ Gen 4:24 For the which God makes inquisition, Psa 9:12 and strangely brings it to light. It was a saying of Kin...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Thou shalt not kill_ Thou shalt not do any thing hurtful to the health or life of thy own body, or any other's. This doth not forbid our necessary defence, or the magistrates putting offenders to dea...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The ten Commandements. 18 The people are afraid. 20 Moses comforteth them. 22 Idolatrie is forbidden. 24 Of what sort the Altar should be. 1 AND God spake all these words, saying, 2 [NOTE: Deut...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Thou shalt not kill, the duty of preserving the life which God has given to man being enjoined here in all its branches and manifestations....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE COMMANDMENTS CONCERNING THE LOVE OF ONE'S NEIGHBOR...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SECOND SECTION The Threefold Law of the Covenant for the Covenant People on the Basis of the Prophetic, Ethico-religious Divine Law of the Ten Commandments. Historical Prophecy Exodus 20-31 A. THE T...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (vs.1-17) Before God gives the ten commandments, He makes is abundantly clear that Israel's obedience to law had nothing to do with God's previous grace toward them in delivering...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    12-17 The laws of the SECOND table, that is, the last six of the ten commandments, state our duty to ourselves and to one another, and explain the great commandment, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    To wit any man or woman, without authority, and without just cause; which exception must necessarily be understood, because many other scriptures command the magistrate to kill great offenders. And th...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    It is of the utmost importance to understand the true character and object of the moral law, as set forth in this chapter. There is a tendency in the mind to confound the principles of law and grace,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 20:13 not H3808 murder H7523 (H8799) Exodus 21:14, Exodus 21:20,...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SECOND FIVE WORDS - MAN'S RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS GOD FOR HIS NEIGHBOUR (EXODUS 20:13). These commands are absolute. They reveal the sanctity in God's eyes of a man's right to fair treatment by his...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:13 There are very sad and fearful thoughts connected with these commandments. But there are also very blessed thoughts connected with them. I. Is it nothing to remember that the Lord God Hi...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:13 I. That this commandment was intended, as some suppose, to forbid the infliction of capital punishment, is inconceivable. The Mosaic law itself inflicted death for murder, Sabbath-breakin...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:1. _And God spake all these words saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me._ God...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Ten commandments delivered to Moses at Sinai. CHARACTERS: God, Moses. CONCLUSION: A holy and righteous God has holy and righteous standards. Those who love God will constantly endeavor to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 20:1. _God spake all these words._ In compassion to man, and the increasing weakness of human traditions, it has pleased the infinitely wise and Holy One to renew the evidences of revelation at...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Thou shalt not kill._ THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT I. That this Commandment was intended, as some suppose, to forbid the infliction of capital punishment, is inconceivable. The Mosaic law itself inflicted...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Exodus 20:13_ THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT One great source of mischief to society is disrespect to parents; against this God has guarded His people, by directing them to...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE DELIVERY OF THE MORAL LAW. Every necessary preparation had now been made. The priests, as well as the people, had "sanctified themselves." A wholesome dread of "breaking" through the fe...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And God spake these words, saying (Exodus 20:1), Now the people said, "All that the Lord commands, we will do." All right this is what the Lord has spoken. Now these are the commandments of God. I am...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Exodus 21:14 Exodus 21:20 Exodus 21:29 Genesis 4:8 Genesis 9:5...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    BREAKING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Exodus 20:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We have today a study on the Ten Commandments. These Commandments were written upon two tables of stone. The first four, written on one...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Exodus 20:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS As introductory to this study we wish to answer some statements relative to the Christian and the Law. 1. SAINTS ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW FOR SALVA...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Thou shalt not kill — Thou shalt not do any thing hurtful to the health, or life of thy own body, or any other's. This doth not forbid our own necessary defence, or the magistrates putting offenders t...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    How could God command people not to kill, and then, in Exodus 21:12, command that murderers be put to death? PROBLEM: In the Ten Commandments, God prohibits killing when He says, “Thou shalt not kill”...

Continues after advertising