Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Deuteronomy » Chapter 5 » Verse 1-33

Deuteronomy 5:1-33 King James Version (KJV)

1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

4 The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,

5 (I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to show you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,

6 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

8 Thou shalt not make 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 waters beneath the earth:

9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto 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,

10 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that 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 thou shalt labor, and do all thy work:

14 But 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, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

16 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, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

17 Thou shalt not kill.

18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

19 Neither shalt thou steal.

20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor.

21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbor's.

22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness, and 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 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 any more, then we shall die.

26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath 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 shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.

28 And 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 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!

30 Go say to them, Get you into your tents again.

31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.

32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.


Deuteronomy 5:1-33 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And Moses H4872 called H7121 all Israel, H3478 and said H559 unto them, Hear, H8085 O Israel, H3478 the statutes H2706 and judgments H4941 which I speak H1696 in your ears H241 this day, H3117 that ye may learn H3925 them, and keep, H8104 and do H6213 them.

2 The LORD H3068 our God H430 made H3772 a covenant H1285 with us in Horeb. H2722

3 The LORD H3068 made H3772 not this covenant H1285 with our fathers, H1 but with us, H587 even us, who are all of us H428 here alive H2416 this day. H3117

4 The LORD H3068 talked H1696 with you face H6440 to face H6440 in the mount H2022 out of the midst H8432 of the fire, H784

5 (I stood H5975 between the LORD H3068 and you at that time, H6256 to shew H5046 you the word H1697 of the LORD: H3068 for ye were afraid H3372 by reason H6440 of the fire, H784 and went not up H5927 into the mount;) H2022 saying, H559

6 I am the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which brought thee out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the house H1004 of bondage. H5650

7 Thou shalt have none other H312 gods H430 before H6440 me.

8 Thou shalt not make H6213 thee any graven image, H6459 or any likeness H8544 of any thing that is in heaven H8064 above, H4605 or that is in the earth H776 beneath, or that is in the waters H4325 beneath the earth: H776

9 Thou shalt not bow down H7812 thyself unto them, nor serve H5647 them: for I the LORD H3068 thy God H430 am a jealous H7067 God, H410 visiting H6485 the iniquity H5771 of the fathers H1 upon the children H1121 unto the third H8029 and fourth H7256 generation of them that hate H8130 me,

10 And shewing H6213 mercy H2617 unto thousands H505 of them that love H157 me and keep H8104 my commandments. H4687

11 Thou shalt not take H5375 the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 thy God H430 in vain: H7723 for the LORD H3068 will not hold him guiltless H5352 that taketh H5375 his name H8034 in vain. H7723

12 Keep H8104 the sabbath H7676 day H3117 to sanctify H6942 it, as the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath commanded H6680 thee.

13 Six H8337 days H3117 thou shalt labour, H5647 and do H6213 all thy work: H4399

14 But the seventh H7637 day H3117 is the sabbath H7676 of the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 in it thou shalt not do H6213 any work, H4399 thou, nor thy son, H1121 nor thy daughter, H1323 nor thy manservant, H5650 nor thy maidservant, H519 nor thine ox, H7794 nor thine ass, H2543 nor any of thy cattle, H929 nor thy stranger H1616 that is within thy gates; H8179 that thy manservant H5650 and thy maidservant H519 may rest H5117 as well as thou.

15 And remember H2142 that thou wast a servant H5650 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 brought H3318 thee out thence through a mighty H2389 hand H3027 and by a stretched out H5186 arm: H2220 therefore the LORD H3068 thy God H430 commanded H6680 thee to keep H6213 the sabbath H7676 day. H3117

16 Honour H3513 thy father H1 and thy mother, H517 as the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath commanded H6680 thee; that thy days H3117 may be prolonged, H748 and that it may go well H3190 with thee, in the land H127 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee.

17 Thou shalt not kill. H7523

18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery. H5003

19 Neither shalt thou steal. H1589

20 Neither shalt thou bear H6030 false H7723 witness H5707 against thy neighbour. H7453

21 Neither shalt thou desire H2530 thy neighbour's H7453 wife, H802 neither shalt thou covet H183 thy neighbour's H7453 house, H1004 his field, H7704 or his manservant, H5650 or his maidservant, H519 his ox, H7794 or his ass, H2543 or any thing that is thy neighbour's. H7453

22 These words H1697 the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto all your assembly H6951 in the mount H2022 out of the midst H8432 of the fire, H784 of the cloud, H6051 and of the thick darkness, H6205 with a great H1419 voice: H6963 and he added no more. H3254 And he wrote H3789 them in two H8147 tables H3871 of stone, H68 and delivered H5414 them unto me.

23 And it came to pass, when ye heard H8085 the voice H6963 out of the midst H8432 of the darkness, H2822 (for the mountain H2022 did burn H1197 with fire,) H784 that ye came near H7126 unto me, even all the heads H7218 of your tribes, H7626 and your elders; H2205

24 And ye said, H559 Behold, the LORD H3068 our God H430 hath shewed H7200 us his glory H3519 and his greatness, H1433 and we have heard H8085 his voice H6963 out of the midst H8432 of the fire: H784 we have seen H7200 this day H3117 that God H430 doth talk H1696 with man, H120 and he liveth. H2425

25 Now therefore why should we die? H4191 for this great H1419 fire H784 will consume H398 us: if we hear H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 our God H430 any more, H3254 then we shall die. H4191

26 For who is there of all flesh, H1320 that hath heard H8085 the voice H6963 of the living H2416 God H430 speaking H1696 out of the midst H8432 of the fire, H784 as we have, and lived? H2421

27 Go thou near, H7126 and hear H8085 all that the LORD H3068 our God H430 shall say: H559 and speak H1696 thou unto us all that the LORD H3068 our God H430 shall speak H1696 unto thee; and we will hear H8085 it, and do H6213 it.

28 And the LORD H3068 heard H8085 the voice H6963 of your words, H1697 when ye spake H1696 unto me; and the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, I have heard H8085 the voice H6963 of the words H1697 of this people, H5971 which they have spoken H1696 unto thee: they have well H3190 said all that they have spoken. H1696

29 O that there were such H2088 an H4310 heart H3824 in them, H5414 that they would fear H3372 me, and keep H8104 all my commandments H4687 always, H3117 that it might be well H3190 with them, and with their children H1121 for ever! H5769

30 Go H3212 say H559 to them, Get H7725 you into your tents H168 again. H7725

31 But as for thee, stand H5975 thou here by me, H5978 and I will speak H1696 unto thee all the commandments, H4687 and the statutes, H2706 and the judgments, H4941 which thou shalt teach H3925 them, that they may do H6213 them in the land H776 which I give H5414 them to possess H3423 it.

32 Ye shall observe H8104 to do H6213 therefore as the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath commanded H6680 you: ye shall not turn aside H5493 to the right hand H3225 or to the left. H8040

33 Ye shall walk H3212 in all the ways H1870 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath commanded H6680 you, that ye may live, H2421 and that it may be well H2895 with you, and that ye may prolong H748 your days H3117 in the land H776 which ye shall possess. H3423


Deuteronomy 5:1-33 American Standard (ASV)

1 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and observe to do them.

2 Jehovah our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

3 Jehovah made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

4 Jehovah spake with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,

5 (I stood between Jehovah and you at that time, to show you the word of Jehovah: for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,

6 I am Jehovah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

7 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

8 Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, `nor' any likeness `of anything' that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

9 thou 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, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate me;

10 and showing lovingkindness unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

11 Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain: for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

12 Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Jehovah thy God commanded thee.

13 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;

14 but 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, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou.

15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

16 Honor thy father and thy mother, as Jehovah thy God commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.

17 Thou shalt not kill.

18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

19 Neither shalt thou steal.

20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor.

21 Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's wife; neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor's.

22 These words Jehovah spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them unto me.

23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

24 and ye said, Behold, Jehovah our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth speak with man, and he liveth.

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

26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath 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 Jehovah our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that Jehovah our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.

28 And Jehovah heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and Jehovah 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 that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!

30 Go say to them, Return ye to your tents.

31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.

32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as Jehovah your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

33 Ye shall walk in all the way which Jehovah your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.


Deuteronomy 5:1-33 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Moses calleth unto all Israel, and saith unto them, `Hear, Israel, the statutes and the judgments which I am speaking in your ears to-day, and ye have learned them, and have observed to do them.

2 Jehovah our God made with us a covenant in Horeb;

3 not with our fathers hath Jehovah made this covenant, but with us; we -- these -- here to-day -- all of us alive.

4 Face to face hath Jehovah spoken with you, in the mount, out of the midst of the fire;

5 I am standing between Jehovah and you, at that time, to declare to you the word of Jehovah, for ye have been afraid from the presence of the fire, and ye have not gone up into the mount; saying:

6 `I Jehovah `am' thy God, who hath brought thee out from the land of Egypt, from a house of servants.

7 `Thou hast no other gods in My presence.

8 `Thou dost not make to thee a graven image, any similitude which `is' in the heavens above, and which `is' in the earth beneath, and which `is' in the waters under the earth;

9 thou dost not bow thyself to them nor serve them, for I Jehovah thy God `am' a zealous God, charging iniquity of fathers on children, and on a third `generation', and on a fourth, to those hating Me;

10 and doing kindness to thousands, to those loving Me, and to those keeping My commands.

11 `Thou dost not take up the Name of Jehovah thy God for a vain thing, for Jehovah doth not acquit him who taketh up His Name for a vain thing.

12 `Observe the day of the sabbath -- to sanctify it, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee;

13 six days thou dost labour, and hast done all thy work,

14 and the seventh day `is' a sabbath to Jehovah thy God; thou dost not do any work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy handmaid, and thine ox, and thine ass, and all thy cattle, and thy sojourner who `is' within thy gates; so that thy man-servant, and thy handmaid doth rest like thyself;

15 and thou hast remembered that a servant thou hast been in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God is bringing thee out thence by a strong hand, and by a stretched-out arm; therefore hath Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the day of the sabbath.

16 `Honour thy father and thy mother, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee, so that thy days are prolonged, and so that it is well with thee, on the ground which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee.

17 `Thou dost not murder.

18 `Thou dost not commit adultery.

19 `Thou dost not steal.

20 `Thou dost not answer against thy neighbour -- a false testimony.

21 `Thou dost not desire thy neighbour's wife; nor dost thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, and his man-servant, and his handmaid, his ox, and his ass, and anything which `is' thy neighbour's.

22 `These words hath Jehovah spoken unto all your assembly, in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness -- a great voice; and He hath not added, and He writeth them on two tables of stone, and giveth them unto me.

23 `And it cometh to pass as ye hear the voice out of the midst of the darkness, and of the mountain burning with fire, that ye come near unto me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders,

24 and say, Lo, Jehovah our God hath shewed us His honour, and His greatness; and His voice we have heard out of the midst of the fire; this day we have seen that God doth speak with man -- and he hath lived.

25 `And, now, why do we die? for consume us doth this great fire -- if we add to hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more -- then we have died.

26 For who of all flesh `is' he who hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire like us -- and doth live?

27 Draw near thou, and hear all that which Jehovah our God saith, and thou, thou dost speak unto us all that which Jehovah our God speaketh unto thee, and we have hearkened, and done it.

28 `And Jehovah heareth the voice of your words, in your speaking unto me, and Jehovah saith unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee; they have done well `in' all that they have spoken.

29 O that their heart had been thus to them, to fear Me, and to keep My commands all the days, that it may be well with them, and with their sons -- to the age!

30 `Go, say to them, Turn back for yourselves, to your tents;

31 and thou here stand thou with Me, and let Me speak unto thee all the command, and the statutes, and the judgments which thou dost teach them, and they have done in the land which I am giving to them to possess it.

32 `And ye have observed to do as Jehovah your God hath commanded you, ye turn not aside -- right or left;

33 in all the way which Jehovah your God hath commanded you ye walk, so that ye live, and `it is' well with you, and ye have prolonged days in the land which ye possess.


Deuteronomy 5:1-33 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, Hear, Israel, the statutes and the ordinances that I speak in your ears this day, and learn them, and keep them to do them.

2 Jehovah our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

3 Not with our fathers did Jehovah make this covenant, but with us, [even] us, those [who are] here alive all of us this day.

4 Face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire Jehovah spoke with you

5 (I stood between Jehovah and you at that time, to declare to you the word of Jehovah; for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up to the mountain), saying,

6 I am Jehovah thy God who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

7 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

8 Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image, any form of what is in the heavens above, or what is in the earth beneath, or what is in the waters under the earth:

9 thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I, Jehovah thy God, am a jealous ùGod, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons, and upon the third and upon the fourth [generation] of them that hate me,

10 and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

11 Thou shalt not idly utter the name of Jehovah thy God; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that idly uttereth his name.

12 Keep the sabbath day to hallow it, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee.

13 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work;

14 but the seventh day is the sabbath of Jehovah thy God: thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy bondman, nor thy handmaid, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy sojourner that is within thy gates; that thy bondman and thy handmaid may rest as well as thou.

15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and that Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence with a powerful hand and with a stretched-out arm; therefore Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee to observe the sabbath day.

16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may be well with thee in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.

17 Thou shalt not kill.

18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

19 Neither shalt thou steal.

20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.

21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, nor his bondman, nor his handmaid, his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's.

22 These words Jehovah spoke to all your congregation on the mountain from the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the obscurity, with a great voice, and he added no more; and he wrote them on two tables of stone, and gave them to me.

23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, and the mountain burned with fire, that ye came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

24 and ye said, Behold, Jehovah our God has shewn us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice from the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God talks with man, and he lives.

25 And now, why should we die? for this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more, we shall die.

26 For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we, and has lived?

27 Come thou near, and hear all that Jehovah our God will say; and speak thou to us all that Jehovah our God will speak to thee; and we will hear it, and do it.

28 And Jehovah heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke to me; and Jehovah said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people that have spoken to thee: they have well spoken all that they have spoken.

29 Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments continually, that it might be well with them and with their sons for ever!

30 Go, say unto them, Get you into your tents again.

31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.

32 Take heed then to do as Jehovah your God hath commanded you: turn not aside to the right hand or to the left.

33 In all the way that Jehovah your God hath commanded you shall ye walk, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.


Deuteronomy 5:1-33 World English Bible (WEB)

1 Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, Hear, Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that you may learn them, and observe to do them.

2 Yahweh our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

3 Yahweh didn't make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

4 Yahweh spoke with you face to face on the mountain out of the midst of the fire,

5 (I stood between Yahweh and you at that time, to show you the word of Yahweh: for you were afraid because of the fire, and didn't go up onto the mountain;) saying,

6 "I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

7 You shall have no other gods before me.

8 "You shall not make an engraved image for yourself, [nor] any likeness [of anything] that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

9 you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them; for I, Yahweh, your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me;

10 and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

11 "You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain: for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

12 "Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Yahweh your God commanded you.

13 Six days shall you labor, and do all your work;

14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God: [in it] you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates; that your man-servant and your maid-servant may rest as well as you.

15 You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Yahweh your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

16 "Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God commanded you; that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

17 "You shall not murder.

18 "Neither shall you commit adultery.

19 "Neither shall you steal.

20 "Neither shall you give false testimony against your neighbor.

21 "Neither shall you covet your neighbor's wife; neither shall you desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

22 These words Yahweh spoke to all your assembly on the mountain out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. He wrote them on two tables of stone, and gave them to me.

23 It happened, when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

24 and you said, Behold, Yahweh our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God does speak with man, and he lives.

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

26 For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?

27 Go you near, and hear all that Yahweh our God shall say: and speak you to us all that Yahweh our God shall speak to you; and we will hear it, and do it.

28 Yahweh heard the voice of your words, when you spoke to me; and Yahweh said to me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken to you: they have well said all that they have spoken.

29 Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!

30 Go tell them, Return you to your tents.

31 But as for you, stand you here by me, and I will speak to you all the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.

32 You shall observe to do therefore as Yahweh your God has commanded you: you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

33 You shall walk in all the way which Yahweh your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.


Deuteronomy 5:1-33 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 And Moses sent for all Israel, and said to them, Give ear, O Israel, to the laws and the decisions which I give you today, and give attention to them so that you may keep and do them.

2 The Lord our God made an agreement with us in Horeb.

3 The Lord did not make this agreement with our fathers but with us, who are all living and present here today.

4 The word of the Lord came to you face to face on the mountain, out of the heart of the fire,

5 (I was between the Lord and you at that time, to make clear to you the word of the Lord: because, through fear of the fire, you did not go up the mountain;) saying,

6 I am the Lord your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the prison-house.

7 You are to have no other gods but me.

8 You may not make for yourselves an image in the form of anything in heaven or on earth or in the waters under the earth:

9 You may not go down on your faces before them or give them worship: for I, the Lord your God, am a God who will not give his honour to another; and I will send punishment on the children for the wrongdoing of their fathers, to the third and fourth generation of my haters;

10 And I will have mercy through a thousand generations on those who have love for me and keep my laws.

11 You are not to make use of the name of the Lord your God for an evil purpose; whoever takes the Lord's name on his lips for an evil purpose will be judged as a sinner by the Lord.

12 Keep the Sabbath day as a holy day, as you have been ordered by the Lord your God.

13 On six days do all your work:

14 But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on that day do no work, you or your son or your daughter, or your man-servant or your woman-servant, or your ox or your ass or any of your cattle, or the man from a strange country who is living among you; so that your man-servant and your woman-servant may have rest as well as you.

15 And keep in mind that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord your God took you out of that land by his strong hand and his stretched-out arm: for this reason the Lord has given you orders to keep the Sabbath day.

16 Give honour to your father and your mother, as you have been ordered by the Lord your God; so that your life may be long and all may be well for you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

17 Do not put anyone to death without cause.

18 Do not be false to the married relation.

19 Do not take the property of another.

20 Do not give false witness against your neighbour;

21 Or let your desire be turned to your neighbour's wife, or his house or his field or his man-servant or his woman-servant or his ox or his ass or anything which is your neighbour's.

22 These words the Lord said to all of you together on the mountain, out of the heart of the fire, out of the cloud and the dark, with a great voice: and he said no more; he put them in writing on the two stones of the law and gave them to me.

23 And after hearing the voice which came out of the dark while the mountain was burning with fire, all the heads of your tribes and your chiefs came to me,

24 And said, The Lord has let us see his glory and his power, and his voice has come to us out of the fire: today we have seen that a man may go on living even after hearing the voice of God.

25 Why then is death to be our fate? For if the voice of the Lord our God comes to us any more, death will overtake us, and we will be burned up in this great fire.

26 For what man is there in all the earth, who, hearing the voice of the living God as we have, out of the heart of the fire, has been kept from death?

27 Do you go near: and after hearing everything which the Lord our God has to say, give us an account of all he has said to you, and we will give ear, and do it.

28 Then the Lord, hearing your words to me, said to me, The words which this people have said to you have come to my ears: what they have said is well said.

29 If only they had such a heart in them at all times, so that they might go in fear of me and keep my orders and that it might be well for them and for their children for ever!

30 Now say to them, Go back to your tents.

31 But as for you, keep your place here by me, and I will give you all the orders and the laws and the decisions which you are to make clear to them, so that they may do them in the land which I am giving them for their heritage.

32 Take care, then, to do whatever the Lord your God has given you orders to do; let there be no turning away to the right hand or to the left.

33 Go on walking in the way ordered for you by the Lord your God, so that life may be yours and it may be well for you, and your days may be long in the land of your heritage.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 5

Commentary on Deuteronomy 5 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible


Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 5

In this chapter Moses, after a short preface, Deuteronomy 5:1, repeats the law of the decalogue, or ten commands, with some little variation, Deuteronomy 5:6, and then reminds the Israelites of the terrible manner in which it was delivered to them, Deuteronomy 5:22 which put them upon making a request that Moses might be a mediator between God and them, and hear what the Lord had to say, and report it to them; to which they promised obedience, Deuteronomy 5:24 and which being agreeable to the Lord was granted, Deuteronomy 5:28, and this laid them under a greater obligation to observe the commands of God, and keep them, Deuteronomy 5:32.


Verse 1

And Moses called all Israel,.... The heads of the various tribes, and elders of the people, as he had on occasion been used to do; unless it can be thought that at different times he repeated the following laws to separate parties and bodies of them, until they had all heard them:

and said unto them, hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day; the laws, moral, ceremonial, and judicial, which he was about to repeat, and afresh declare unto them, being what they had all a concern in, and under obligation to regard.


Verse 2

The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Which is Sinai, as Aben Ezra observes; it being the same mountain, only it had two tops, which bore these different names; for certain it is that the decalogue after repeated was given at Sinai, and had the nature and form of a covenant; see Exodus 24:7.


Verse 3

The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers,.... That is, not with them only, as Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Abendana remark; for certain it is that this covenant was made, or law was given, to the immediate fathers of this present generation of Israelites, whose carcasses had fallen in the wilderness; unless this is to be understood of their more remote ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with whom the covenant of grace was made, or afresh made manifest, especially with the former; when the law, the covenant here spoken of, was not delivered until four hundred and thirty years after, Galatians 3:16,

but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day; many of them were then present at the giving of the law, and though under twenty years of age, could remember it, and the circumstances of it; and besides, they were the same people to whom it was given, though not consisting wholly of the same individuals.


Verse 4

The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount,.... Meaning, not in that free, friendly, and familiar manner, in which he sometimes talked with Moses, of whom this phrase is used, Exodus 33:11, but publicly, audibly, clearly, and distinctly, or without the interposition of another; he did not speak to them by Moses, but to them themselves; he talked to them without a middle person between them, as Aben Ezra expresses it: without making use of one to relate to them what he said; but he talked to them directly, personally:

out of the midst of the fire; in which he descended, and with which the mountain was burning all the time he was speaking; which made it very awful and terrible, and pointed at the terrors of the legal dispensation.


Verse 5

I stood between the Lord and you at that time,.... Between the Word of the Lord and you, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; that is, about that time, not at the exact precise time the ten commandments were delivered, for these were spoken immediately to the people; but when the ceremonial law was given, which was ordained by angels, in the hand of a mediator, Galatians 3:19, and which was at the request of the people as follows, terrified by the appearance of the fire out of which the moral law was delivered:

to show you the word of the Lord; not the decalogue, that they heard with their own ears, but the other laws which were afterwards given, that were of the ceremonial and judicial kind:

for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount; lest they should be consumed by it: and indeed bounds were set about the mount, and they were charged not to break through:

saying; this word is in connection with the preceding verse, the Lord's talking out of the midst of the fire, when he said what follows.


Verses 6-11

I am the Lord thy God,.... This is the preface to the ten commandments, and is the same with that in Exodus 20:2; see Gill on Exodus 20:2, and those commands are here delivered in the same order, and pretty near in the same words, with a little variation, and a few additions; which I shall only observe, and refer to Exodus 20:1 for the sense of the various laws.


Verse 12-13

Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it,.... Or observe it, by setting it apart as a time of natural rest, and for the performance of holy and religious exercises; see Exodus 20:8, where the phrase is a little varied, "remember the sabbath day to keep it holy"; it having been instituted before:

as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; not at Sinai only, for the same might then have been observed of all the rest of the commands, but before the giving of the law, at the first of the manna; see Exodus 16:23.


Verse 14

Nor thine ox, nor thine ass,.... In Exodus 20:10, it is only in general said:

nor thy cattle: here by way of illustration and explanation the ox and the ass are particularly mentioned; the one being used in ploughing ground, and treading out the corn, and the other in carrying burdens; and it is added:

nor any of thy cattle; as their camels, or whatever else they were wont to use in any kind of service; they were none of them to do any kind of work on the sabbath day. The following clause also is not used before, which expresses the end of this institution:

that thy manservant and thy maidservant may have rest as well as thee; which if the cattle had not rest, they could not have, being obliged to attend them at the plough or elsewhere; and this respects not only hired, but bond servants and maidens.


Verse 15

And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt,.... Even a bondservant; for Egypt was an house of bondage, and there the Israelites were made to serve in hard bondage; of which they are reminded, that their hearts might be touched with it, and inclined to show pity to persons in somewhat similar circumstances; calling to mind how sweet a little rest would have been unto them when in Egypt:

and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm; signifying that their deliverance from their state of bondage was not owing to themselves, nor to any creature, but to the mercy and kindness of God, and to his almighty power; and therefore they were under the greatest obligations to observe any command and institution of his he should think fit to make; and particularly this of the sabbath, which was made on that account, as follows:

wherefore the Lord thy God commandeth thee to keep the sabbath day; in commemoration of their rest from Egyptian bondage.


Verse 16

Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee,.... And is the first commandment with promise, as the apostle observes, Ephesians 6:2 with a promise of long life and happiness in the land of Canaan, as follows:

that thy days may be prolonged; see Exodus 20:12 here it is added:

and that it may go well with thee; and which the apostle also has in the place referred to:

in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee; the land of Canaan; which the same apostle explains to a greater latitude:

that thou mayest live long on the earth; applying it to Christians under the Gospel dispensation, whether Jews or Gentiles.


Verses 17-20

Thou shalt not kill,.... The following commands begin with the copulative "and", different from the manner in which they are expressed, Exodus 20:17 which joins these together, and them with the preceding ones; hence the law is by some said to be one copulative, and may serve to illustrate a passage in James 2:10.


Verse 21

Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife,.... Here a neighbour's wife is put before his house, different from Exodus 20:17 and "his field" is added, which with what follows take in everything that is a man's property; and which is not to be desired or coveted in an unlawful manner by another, and much less should any means be made use of to deprive him of it; but "lust" is the thing intended and prohibited, be it after what it may, which is another man's: see Matthew 5:28, of a man's field, see Isaiah 5:8.


Verse 22

These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount,.... The above ten words or commands, which were spoken so audibly and loudly by the Lord himself on Mount Sinai, that the whole congregation of the people of Israel heard them:

out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness; in which the Lord was; see Deuteronomy 4:11,

with a great voice, and he added no more; ceased speaking; after he had delivered the ten commands, he said no more at that time. The Targum of Jonathan is,"with a great voice which ceased not.'It ceased not until all were delivered, and then it did; it was a continued voice, yet clear and distinct:

and he wrote them iwo tables of stone; marble stone, as the Targum of Jonathan; which is much more likely than what the paraphrase has on Deuteronomy 4:13, this is an emblem of the duration of the law:

and delivered them unto me; to Moses, and by him to be delivered to the people, who though they had heard them would be apt to forget them; and therefore they were written, that they might read them, and meditate on them, and be careful to keep them.


Verse 23

And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness,.... The thick darkness, where God was, and with which the mountain was covered, Exodus 20:21.

for the mountain did burn with fire; which is a reason both why the Lord spoke out of the midst of the fire, the mountain on which he descended burning with it and also for his speaking out of the midst of darkness, because not only a thick cloud covered the mountain, but it was altogether on a smoke, which ascended as the smoke of a furnace, Exodus 19:16.

that ye come near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes and your elders; or wise men, as the Targum of Jonathan; by which it appears, that not only the common people were frightened at what they heard and saw on Mount Sinai, but those of the first rank and eminence among them, who were the most famous for their authority and wisdom.


Verse 24

And ye said, behold, the Lord our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness,.... In descending on Mount Sinai in the manner he did, and giving the law from thence with such solemnity; for there was a glory in the ministration of it, as the apostle argues 2 Corinthians 3:7, it being delivered with so much majesty, and such a glorious apparatus attending it; see Deuteronomy 33:2. Aben Ezra interprets this of the appearance of fire in which the Lord was, "and his greatness", of the thunders and lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet:

and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire; the ten words, as the same interpreter rightly notes, which were vocally and audibly expressed out of the fire:

we have seen this day, that God doth talk with man, and he liveth; they had proof of it in themselves; God had been talking with them out of the fire, and yet it did not reach and consume them, but they were still alive.


Verse 25

Now therefore why should we die?.... Since we are now alive, and have so wonderfully escaped the danger we were exposed unto, let us be careful that we are not liable to it again:

for this great fire will consume us: if it continues, and we are exposed to it; perhaps some of them might remember the fire that burnt in the uttermost parts of the camp at Taberah, and the destruction of Korah and the two hundred and fifty men with him by fire, Numbers 11:1,

if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die; for it was such a voice of words they could not endure as to the matter of them, and therefore entreated the word might not be spoken to them any more; it being the killing letter, and the ministration of condemnation and death; and the manner in which it was delivered was so terrible, that they concluded they could not live, but must die if they heard it again; and imagined that if the fire continued, the flames of it would spread and reach them, and they would not be able to escape them.


Verse 26

For who is there of all flesh,.... What man was there in any age, that was ever heard of or can be named:

that hath heard the voice of the living God; who lives in and of himself, and is the author and giver of life to all his creatures, whereby he is distinguished from and is opposed unto the lifeless deities of the Gentiles; and which makes him and his voice heard the more awful and tremendous, and especially as

speaking out of the midst of the fire: which was the present case:

as we have, and lived? of this there never was the like instance; for though some had seen God and lived, as Jacob did, and therefore called the name of the place where he saw him Penuel, Genesis 32:30, and Moses had heard the voice of the angel of the Lord out of a bush, which seemed to be burning, and was not consumed, Exodus 3:2, yet none ever heard the voice of the Lord out of real fire, and particularly expressing such words as he did, but the Israelites. Zoroastres, the founder of the Magi among the Persians, and of their religion, seems to have had respect to this, and to have applied falsely this to himself, which belonged to Moses and the people of Israel; for it is saidF11Hyde Hist. Relig. Vet. Pers. c. 8. p. 160. ,"one reason the Persians have fire in so much veneration is, because they say that Zoroastres, being caught up to heaven, did not see God, but heard him speaking with him out of the midst of fire.'


Verse 27

Go thou near,.... To the mount, and to God on it:

and hear all that the Lord our God shall say; for they supposed, by the continuance of the Lord on the mount, and the fire burning on it, that he had more to say, which they were not averse to hear; but desired it might be not immediately delivered to them, but by the means of Moses; the sound of the words, and the sight of the fire, being so terrible to them:

and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee: they did not doubt, knowing the faithfulness of Moses, his declaring all unto them that should be told him by the Lord; and they were desirous that he should, they did not want to have anything withheld from them, only they could not bear to see and hear things immediately from the Lord:

and we will hear it and do it; hearken to it, and receive it, as the word of God, and not man, and yield a ready and cheerful obedience, even to everything that should be required; see Exodus 20:19.


Verse 28

And the Lord heard the voice of your word, when ye spake unto me,.... Not only in a general way, as he hears and knows all that is spoken by men; for there is not a word on the tongue, formed upon it, and uttered by it, but what is altogether known to him; but in a special and particular manner observed, took notice of, approved, and was well pleased with what these people said:

and the Lord said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee; not only heard the sound of them, but took notice of the sense and meaning of them, and listened to them with pleasure and delight:

they have well said all that they have spoken; expressing such an awe and reverence of the divine Majesty, desiring to have a mediator between God and them, and purposing and promising to hearken to and obey whatsoever he should command by him.


Verse 29

O that there were such an heart in them,.... Not that there is properly speaking such volitions and wishes in God; but, as Aben Ezra observes, the Scripture speaks after the language of the children of men; and may be considered as upbraiding them with want of such an heart, and with weakness to do what they had promised; and, at most, as approving of those things they spoke of as grateful to him, and profitable to them: the words may be rendered, "who will giveF12מי יתן "quis det", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius; "quis dabit", Piscator. that they had such an heart"; not to me, but to them, as Aben Ezra notes; they cannot give it to themselves, nor can any creature give it to them; none but God can, and therefore they ought to have prayed to him to give them an heart to hearken and do; agreeably to which is the Arabic version,"it is to be wished by them, that such an heart would continue with them;'which they by their language signified was in them: that they would fear me; which is not naturally in the heart of man, is a gift of God, a part of the covenant of grace, is implanted in regeneration, and is no inconsiderable branch of it; it is opposed to pride, and is consistent with faith and joy, and is increased by views of the grace and goodness of God, and is a distinguishing character of a good man:

and keep all my commandments always; not only one, but all, and not only at some certain times, but continually; and which are to be kept in faith from a principle of love, with a view to the glory of God, and in the strength of Christ; and to this the fear of God is necessary, for where there is no fear of God, there is no regard to his commandments; but where there is a reverential fear of God, there are faith, hope, love, and every other grace; yea, the Spirit, the author of all, who is in the saints, to enable them to walk in the statutes of the Lord, and to keep his judgments and do them; and such keep the commandments of God, not from a slavish fear, but from a sense of divine goodness:

that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever; for the fear of God, and the keeping of his commandments, issue in the good of men, in their own good, their inward peace, and spiritual welfare; in the good of others, their neighbours, servants, and children, by way of example and instruction; and even in the public peace and prosperity of a nation in which they dwell: not that these things are meritorious of eternal life, but are what are approved of by the Lord, and are grateful to him; which is the chief view in the expression of the text.


Verse 30

Go say to them, get you into your tents again. Which they had left, being brought by Moses, at the direction of God, to the foot of Mount Sinai, to receive the law from his mouth; this being done, they are ordered to return to their tents again, to their families, wives, and children.


Verse 31

But as for thee, stand thou here by me,.... On the mount by him whither he was called up; Moses was not permitted to go to his tent when the children of Israel were, but was ordered to wait upon the Lord to receive instructions from him, which he was to communicate to the people, being a kind of a mediator between God and them, as they requested, and which was granted them:

and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments: all laws, moral, ceremonial, and judicial, which belong to them as men, as in a church state, and members of a body politic:

which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them; for all doctrine is in order to practice, without which all instructions, and theoretical notions, signify little: and these they were more especially to do, and some of them peculiarly:

in the land which I give them to possess it: the land of Canaan, and which laid on them no small obligation to do the commandments of God; since of his free favour and good will, and as a pure gift of his, he had bestowed upon them a land flowing with milk and honey, into which he was just now about to bring them; as nothing can more strongly engage souls to a cheerful obedience to the service of God, whether in private or in public, than the consideration of the great and good things which God of his rich grace bestows upon them, and has promised to them, and prepared for them, and will quickly put them into the possession of; and upon such an account Moses presses the observance of the commands of God in the following verses.


Verse 32

Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God doth command you,.... Observe every precept, as to matter and manner, which the Lord has commanded, and that under a sense of the great obligations laid on them by him, in giving them freely so good a land to possess:

you shall not turn to the right hand or to the left; but walk in the way of the commandments of God, and not depart from them at all, but follow the Lord in his own ways fully. The phrase is expressive of a strict and close attention to the word of God, without deviating from it in the least; for every sin, which is a transgression of some command of God or another, is a going out of the way that directs unto; see Isaiah 30:21.


Verse 33

Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you,.... None are to be avoided or departed from on any consideration whatever; see Psalm 119:6 an instance of this we have in Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luke 1:6 that ye may live; corporeally, comfortably, in all the outward enjoyments of life needful for them, particularly in the possession of the land of Canaan, and the benefits of it; for these promises of life upon obedience seem to reach no further, unless as types and emblems of what is enjoyed through the obedience and righteousness of Christ, as the following phrases show:

and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess; the land of Canaan; though the Jewish writersF13Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 27. p. 418. carry it further, even to heaven and eternal happiness; and so may we in the sense before given.