Exodus
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Exodus 20
Exodus 20
Commentary · verses 1-26
Commentary · verses 1-3
Verses 1-3: the First Commandment.
1And God spake all these words, saying,
1And God spake all these words, saying,
Commentary · verses 2-17
Verses 2-17: the Ten Commandments.
2I am Jehovah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Commentary · verses 4-6
Verses 4-6: the Second Commandment.
4Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I Jehovah thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate me, 6and showing lovingkindness unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Commentary · verse 7
Verse 7: the Third Commandment.
7Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Commentary · verses 8-11
Verses 8-11: the Fourth Commandment.
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; 10but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Commentary · verse 11
There were a lot of don't-s. The first three commandments focused on God and the individual. In verse 10, the word "gates" was the Hebrew word "sha `ar" (Strong's #8179) which came from the root word "sha `ar" (Strong's #8176) which meant "to think." Proverbs 23:7 used this word for "thinketh" in: "For as he thinketh within himself, so is he..." The point was that no one from the believer's house could do what the believer thought on the Sabbath. Everyone associated with the believer could only do what the Law told him to do on the Sabbath. There were no loopholes for the believer to be a first cause on the Sabbath. God, via the Law, was the first cause on the Sabbath.
12Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Commentary · verse 12
Verse 12: the Fifth Commandment.
Verse 12 recorded the only commandment that was a principle and gave a value. This commandment focused on the individual and specific people: mother and father. It did not tell people HOW to honor their father and mother because every father and mother is honored in a way unique to them. A principle presents an objective (WHAT) with a benefit (WHY), however, it does not state specifically HOW to achieve the objective. That was left to the uniqueness of the individual.
The rest of the commandments were laws. A law states a what/how not to do and threatens a penalty (WHY). You do not gain anything by following a law. A law treats everyone the same; it denies uniqueness. The purpose of laws are to prevent chaos and destructive behavior, which was what the righteous in the Book of Genesis constantly encountered.
Commentary · verse 13
Verse 13: the Sixth Commandment.
13Thou shalt not kill.
14Thou shalt not commit adultery.
13Thou shalt not kill.
14Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Commentary · verse 14
Verse 14: the Seventh Commandment.
James 2:11 referenced the previous two verses.
Commentary · verse 15
Verse 15: the Eighth Commandment.
15Thou shalt not steal.
15Thou shalt not steal.
Commentary · verse 16
Verse 16: the Ninth Commandment.
16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.
16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
Commentary · verse 17
Verse 17: the Tenth Commandment.
The last six commandments dealt with relationship and community.
Doctrines on this passage
18And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off.
19And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
18And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
19And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
Commentary · verses 18-19
People asked Moses to speak with them instead of God. This was a critical moment in the history of Israel. God wanted to deal directly with the people. The people asked God to have Moses act as the "middleman." The people wanted to deal directly with Moses as their leader. Was this because they could not threaten and/or try to control God? Obviously, Israel was not mature enough to be led directly by God.
20And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before you, that ye sin not.
20And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
Commentary · verse 20
Moses told them that God had come to help them not sin. The Law ought to have been a benefit.
21And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
22And Jehovah said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
23Ye shall not make other gods with me; gods of silver, or gods of gold, ye shall not make unto you.
21And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
22And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
23Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
Commentary · verses 21-23
God wanted no images of Him. He is the real Being, not an inanimate creation of man. Man was made in the image of God. Worshipping an image of God is the same as worshipping man, which is idolatry.
24An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in every place where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee.
25And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
24An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
25And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
Commentary · verses 24-25
God wanted an altar created without the use of a man-made tool.
26Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.
26Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
Commentary · verse 26
The rest of the chapters that covered the third part of a Covenant (sharing) focused on specific rules for community. This was a "forced" community. Notice, everyone (regardless of hierarchy within the community) was required to equal out Justice as soon as possible. The members of this community did not have the freedom to determine how or when to respond.
Exodus chapters 20-23 documented the third part of a covenant: God "sharing" the Law. The fourth part of a covenant was "death."