The Law · Chapter 20 of 40

Exodus 20

At Sinai God speaks the Ten Commandments, opening with His identity as the One who brought Israel out of Egypt. He commands exclusive worship, no idols, reverence for His name, sabbath rest, and honor for parents, and forbids murder, adultery, theft, false witness, and coveting. The people, terrified by thunder and smoke, beg Moses to speak for them, and he draws near to the darkness where God is.

What happens in Exodus 20

God speaks all these words directly to the assembled people. He identifies Himself as the LORD who delivered them from bondage, then gives the commandments: have no other gods, make no graven image, do not take His name in vain, remember the sabbath, honor father and mother, and do not kill, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet. The people witness thunderings, lightnings, the trumpet, and the smoking mountain, and they tremble, standing far off.

They plead with Moses to be their mediator, fearing they will die if God speaks directly. Moses reassures them that God has come to prove them and instill His fear so they will not sin. Moses draws near to the thick darkness where God is, and God adds instructions about altars of earth and unhewn stone.

Exodus 20 in context

Israel has arrived at Mount Sinai roughly three months after leaving Egypt. God has proposed a covenant: if they obey His voice, they will be His treasured people. The Ten Commandments are the heart of that covenant law, the moral foundation of Israel's life with God.

This is the first time God addresses the whole nation directly, in fire and cloud.

Main themes of Exodus 20

Exodus 20 (KJV)

1And God spake all these words, saying, 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. 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. 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. 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. 12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 13Thou shalt not kill. 14Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15Thou shalt not steal. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 26Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

Verses to carry from Exodus 20

“I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”Exodus 20:2

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”Exodus 20:3

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”Exodus 20:12

Reflection

We often read the commandments as a burden, but notice where they start: with a God who already set His people free. He does not command in order to earn our rescue; He commands because He has rescued us. Obedience is love answering love.

A prayer from Exodus 20