5 Moses is the mean between God and the people. 6 The Law is repeated. 23 The people are afraid at God’s voice. 29 The Lord wisheth that the people would fear him. 32 They must neither decline to the right hand nor left.

Then Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the ordinances and the laws which [a]I propose to you this day, that ye may learn them, and take heed to observe them.

(A)The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

The Lord [b]made not this covenant with our fathers only, but with us, even with us all here alive this day.

The Lord talked with you [c]face to face in the Mount, out of the midst of the fire.

(At that time I stood between the Lord and you, to declare unto you the word of the Lord: for ye were afraid at the sight of the fire, and went not up into the mount) and he said,

(B)I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of [d]bondage.

Thou shalt have none [e]other gods before my face.

Thou shalt make thee no graven image or any likeness of that that is in heaven above, or which is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth.

Thou shalt neither bow thyself unto them, nor serve them: for (C)I the Lord thy God am a [f]jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, even unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me:

10 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that [g]love me, and keep my commandments.

11 Thou 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.

12 Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.

13 Six days [h]thou shalt labor, and shalt do all thy work:

14 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: thou shalt not do any work therein, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maid, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, neither any of thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates: that thy manservant and thy maid may rest as well as thou.

15 For, remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand, and a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to observe the Sabbath day.

16 [i]Honor thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee upon the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

17 (D)Thou shalt not kill.

18 (E)Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

19 (F)Neither shalt thou steal.

20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor.

21 (G)Neither shalt [j]thou covet thy neighbor’s wife, neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor’s house, his field, nor his manservant, nor his maid, his ox, nor his ass, nor ought that thy neighbor hath.

22 ¶ These words the Lord spake unto all your multitude in the mount of the midst of the fire, the cloud and the darkness, with a great voice, and [k]added no more thereto: and wrote them upon two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

23 And when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire) then ye came to me, all the chief of your tribes, and your Elders:

24 And ye said, Behold, the Lord our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness, and (H)we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he (I)liveth.

25 Now therefore, why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, we shall die.

26 For what [l]flesh was there ever that heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire as we have, and lived?

27 Go thou near and hear all that the Lord our God saith: and declare thou unto us all that the Lord our God saith unto thee: (J)and we will hear it, and do it.

28 Then the Lord heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me: and the Lord said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said, all that they have spoken.

29 Oh [m]that there were such an heart in them to fear me, and to keep all my commandments always: that it might go well with them, and with their children forever.

30 Go, say unto them, Return you into your tents.

31 But stand thou here with me, and I will tell thee all the commandments, and the ordinances, and the laws, which thou shalt teach them: that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.

32 Take heed therefore, that ye do as the Lord your God hath commanded you: [n]turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left.

33 But walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may [o]live, and that it may go well with you: and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:1 Hebrew, I speak in your ears.
  2. Deuteronomy 5:3 Some read, God made not this covenant, that is, in such ample forth and with such signs and wonders.
  3. Deuteronomy 5:4 So plainly that ye need not to doubt thereof.
  4. Deuteronomy 5:6 Or, servant.
  5. Deuteronomy 5:7 God bindeth us to serve him only, without superstition and idolatry.
  6. Deuteronomy 5:9 That is, of his honor, not permitting it to be given to others.
  7. Deuteronomy 5:10 The first degree to keep the commandments, is to love God.
  8. Deuteronomy 5:13 Meaning, since God permitteth six days to our labors, that we ought willingly to dedicate the seventh to serve him wholly.
  9. Deuteronomy 5:16 Not for a show, but with true obedience, and due reverence.
  10. Deuteronomy 5:21 He speaketh not only of that resolute will, but that there be no motion or affection.
  11. Deuteronomy 5:22 Teaching us by his example to be content with his word, and add nothing thereto.
  12. Deuteronomy 5:26 Or, man.
  13. Deuteronomy 5:29 He requireth of us nothing but obedience, showing also that of ourselves we are unwilling thereunto.
  14. Deuteronomy 5:32 Ye shall neither add nor diminish, Deut. 4:2.
  15. Deuteronomy 5:33 As by obedience, God giveth us all felicity: so of disobeying God proceed all our miseries.

The Ten Commandments(A)

Moses summoned all Israel and said:

Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws(B) I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. The Lord our God made a covenant(C) with us at Horeb.(D) It was not with our ancestors[a] that the Lord made this covenant, but with us,(E) with all of us who are alive here today.(F) The Lord spoke(G) to you face to face(H) out of the fire(I) on the mountain. (At that time I stood between(J) the Lord and you to declare to you the word of the Lord, because you were afraid(K) of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And he said:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt,(L) out of the land of slavery.(M)

“You shall have no other gods before[b] me.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.(N) You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents(O) to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,(P) 10 but showing love to a thousand(Q) generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.(R)

11 “You shall not misuse the name(S) of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.(T)

12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,(U) as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day(V) is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant,(W) nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.(X) 15 Remember that you were slaves(Y) in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand(Z) and an outstretched arm.(AA) Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

16 “Honor your father(AB) and your mother,(AC) as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long(AD) and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

17 “You shall not murder.(AE)

18 “You shall not commit adultery.(AF)

19 “You shall not steal.(AG)

20 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.(AH)

21 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”(AI)

22 These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness;(AJ) and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets(AK) and gave them to me.

23 When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leaders of your tribes and your elders(AL) came to me. 24 And you said, “The Lord our God has shown us(AM) his glory and his majesty,(AN) and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them.(AO) 25 But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer.(AP) 26 For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived?(AQ) 27 Go near and listen to all that the Lord our God says.(AR) Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey.”(AS)

28 The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good.(AT) 29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me(AU) and keep all my commands(AV) always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!(AW)

30 “Go, tell them to return to their tents. 31 But you stay here(AX) with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess.”

32 So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you;(AY) do not turn aside to the right or to the left.(AZ) 33 Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you,(BA) so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days(BB) in the land that you will possess.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:3 Or not only with our parents
  2. Deuteronomy 5:7 Or besides