16 Thou shalt not bear H6030 false H8267 witness H5707 against thy neighbour. H7453
Now G1161 the chief priests, G749 and G2532 elders, G4245 and G2532 all G3650 the council, G4892 sought G2212 false witness G5577 against G2596 Jesus, G2424 to G3704 put G2289 him G846 to death; G2289 But G2532 found G2147 none: G3756 yea, G2532 though many G4183 false witnesses G5575 came, G4334 yet found they G2147 none. G3756 G1161 At the last G5305 came G4334 two G1417 false witnesses, G5575
Whoso privily H5643 slandereth H3960 H3960 his neighbour, H7453 him will I cut off: H6789 him that hath an high H1362 look H5869 and a proud H7342 heart H3824 will not I suffer. H3201 Mine eyes H5869 shall be upon the faithful H539 of the land, H776 that they may dwell H3427 with me: he that walketh H1980 in a perfect H8549 way, H1870 he shall serve H8334 me. He that worketh H6213 deceit H7423 shall not dwell H3427 within H7130 my house: H1004 he that telleth H1696 lies H8267 shall not tarry H3559 in my sight. H5869
And set H3427 two H8147 men, H582 sons H1121 of Belial, H1100 before him, to bear witness H5749 against him, saying, H559 Thou didst blaspheme H1288 God H430 and the king. H4428 And then carry him out, H3318 and stone H5619 him, that he may die. H4191 And the men H582 of his city, H5892 even the elders H2205 and the nobles H2715 who were the inhabitants H3427 in his city, H5892 did H6213 as Jezebel H348 had sent H7971 unto them, and as it was written H3789 in the letters H5612 which she had sent H7971 unto them. They proclaimed H7121 a fast, H6685 and set H3427 Naboth H5022 on high H7218 among the people. H5971 And there came H935 in two H8147 men, H582 children H1121 of Belial, H1100 and sat H3427 before him: and the men H582 of Belial H1100 witnessed H5749 against him, even against Naboth, H5022 in the presence of the people, H5971 saying, H559 Naboth H5022 did blaspheme H1288 God H430 and the king. H4428 Then they carried him forth H3318 out H2351 of the city, H5892 and stoned H5619 him with stones, H68 that he died. H4191
That all of you have conspired H7194 against me, and there is none that sheweth H1540 H241 me that my son H1121 hath made a league H3772 with the son H1121 of Jesse, H3448 and there is none of you that is sorry H2470 for me, or sheweth H1540 H241 unto me that my son H1121 hath stirred up H6965 my servant H5650 against me, to lie in wait, H693 as at this day? H3117 Then answered H6030 Doeg H1673 the Edomite, H130 which was set H5324 over the servants H5650 of Saul, H7586 and said, H559 I saw H7200 the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 coming H935 to Nob, H5011 to Ahimelech H288 the son H1121 of Ahitub. H285 And he enquired H7592 of the LORD H3068 for him, and gave H5414 him victuals, H6720 and gave H5414 him the sword H2719 of Goliath H1555 the Philistine. H6430 Then the king H4428 sent H7971 to call H7121 Ahimelech H288 the priest, H3548 the son H1121 of Ahitub, H285 and all his father's H1 house, H1004 the priests H3548 that were in Nob: H5011 and they came H935 all of them to the king. H4428 And Saul H7586 said, H559 Hear H8085 now, thou son H1121 of Ahitub. H285 And he answered, H559 Here I am, my lord. H113 And Saul H7586 said H559 unto him, Why have ye conspired H7194 against me, thou and the son H1121 of Jesse, H3448 in that thou hast given H5414 him bread, H3899 and a sword, H2719 and hast enquired H7592 of God H430 for him, that he should rise H6965 against me, to lie in wait, H693 as at this day? H3117 Then Ahimelech H288 answered H6030 the king, H4428 and said, H559 And who is so faithful H539 among all thy servants H5650 as David, H1732 which is the king's H4428 son in law, H2860 and goeth H5493 at thy bidding, H4928 and is honourable H3513 in thine house? H1004 Did I then H3117 begin H2490 to enquire H7592 of God H430 for him? be it far from me: H2486 let not the king H4428 impute H7760 any thing H1697 unto his servant, H5650 nor to all the house H1004 of my father: H1 for thy servant H5650 knew H3045 nothing H1697 of all this, less H6996 or more. H1419 And the king H4428 said, H559 Thou shalt surely H4191 die, H4191 Ahimelech, H288 thou, and all thy father's H1 house. H1004 And the king H4428 said H559 unto the footmen H7323 that stood H5324 about him, Turn, H5437 and slay H4191 the priests H3548 of the LORD; H3068 because their hand H3027 also is with David, H1732 and because they knew H3045 when he fled, H1272 and did not shew H1540 H241 it to me. But the servants H5650 of the king H4428 would H14 not put forth H7971 their hand H3027 to fall H6293 upon the priests H3548 of the LORD. H3068 And the king H4428 said H559 to Doeg, H1673 Turn H5437 thou, and fall H6293 upon the priests. H3548 And Doeg H1673 the Edomite H130 turned, H5437 and he fell H6293 upon the priests, H3548 and slew H4191 on that day H3117 fourscore H8084 and five H2568 persons H376 that did wear H5375 a linen H906 ephod. H646 And Nob, H5011 the city H5892 of the priests, H3548 smote H5221 he with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 both men H376 and women, H802 children H5768 and sucklings, H3243 and oxen, H7794 and asses, H2543 and sheep, H7716 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719
One H259 witness H5707 shall not rise up H6965 against a man H376 for any iniquity, H5771 or for any sin, H2403 in any sin H2399 that he sinneth: H2398 at the mouth H6310 of two H8147 witnesses, H5707 or at the mouth H6310 of three H7969 witnesses, H5707 shall the matter H1697 be established. H6965 If a false H2555 witness H5707 rise up H6965 against any man H376 to testify H6030 against him that which is wrong; H5627 Then both H8147 the men, H582 between whom the controversy H7379 is, shall stand H5975 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 before H6440 the priests H3548 and the judges, H8199 which shall be in those days; H3117 And the judges H8199 shall make diligent H3190 inquisition: H1875 and, behold, if the witness H5707 be a false H8267 witness, H5707 and hath testified H6030 falsely H8267 against his brother; H251 Then shall ye do H6213 unto him, as he had thought H2161 to have done H6213 unto his brother: H251 so shalt thou put H1197 the evil H7451 away H1197 from among H7130 you. And those which remain H7604 shall hear, H8085 and fear, H3372 and shall henceforth H3254 commit H6213 no more any H1697 such evil H7451 among H7130 you. And thine eye H5869 shall not pity; H2347 but life H5315 shall go for life, H5315 eye H5869 for eye, H5869 tooth H8127 for tooth, H8127 hand H3027 for hand, H3027 foot H7272 for foot. H7272
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 20
Commentary on Exodus 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Ex 20:1-26. The Ten Commandments.
1. And God spake all these words—The Divine Being Himself was the speaker (De 5:12, 32, 33), in tones so loud as to be heard—so distinct as to be intelligible by the whole multitude standing in the valleys below, amid the most appalling phenomena of agitated nature. Had He been simply addressing rational and intelligent creatures, He would have spoken with the still small voice of persuasion and love. But He was speaking to those who were at the same time fallen and sinful creatures, and a corresponding change was required in the manner of God's procedure, in order to give a suitable impression of the character and sanctions of the law revealed from heaven (Ro 11:5-9).
2. I am the Lord thy God—This is a preface to the ten commandments—the latter clause being specially applicable to the case of the Israelites, while the former brings it home to all mankind; showing that the reasonableness of the law is founded in their eternal relation as creatures to their Creator, and their mutual relations to each other.
3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me—in My presence, beside, or except Me.
4, 5. Thou shalt not make … any graven image … thou shalt not bow down thyself to them—that is, "make in order to bow." Under the auspices of Moses himself, figures of cherubim, brazen serpents, oxen, and many other things in the earth beneath, were made and never condemned. The mere making was no sin—it was the making with the intent to give idolatrous worship.
8. Remember the sabbath day—implying it was already known, and recognized as a season of sacred rest. The first four commandments [Ex 20:3-11] comprise our duties to God—the other six [Ex 20:12-17] our duties to our fellow men; and as interpreted by Christ, they reach to the government of the heart as well as the lip (Mt 5:17). "If a man do them he shall live in them" [Le 18:5; Ne 9:29]. But, ah! what an if for frail and fallen man. Whoever rests his hope upon the law stands debtor to it all; and in this view every one would be without hope were not "the Lord our Righteousness" [Jer 23:6; 33:16] (Joh 1:17).
18-21. all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings—They were eye and ear witnesses of the awful emblems of the Deity's descent. But they perceived not the Deity Himself.
19. let not God speak with us, lest we die, &c.—The phenomena of thunder and lightning had been one of the plagues so fatal to Egypt, and as they heard God speaking to them now, they were apprehensive of instant death also. Even Moses himself, the mediator of the old covenant, did "exceedingly quake and fear" (Heb 12:21). But doubtless God spake what gave him relief—restored him to a frame of mind fit for the ministrations committed to him; and hence immediately after he was enabled to relieve and comfort them with the relief and comfort which he himself had received from God (2Co 1:4).
22, 23. the Lord said unto Moses—It appears from De 4:14-16, that this injunction was a conclusion drawn from the scene on Sinai—that as no similitude of God was displayed then, they should not attempt to make any visible figure or form of Him.
24. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me—a regulation applicable to special or temporary occasions.
25. thou shalt not build it of hewn stone, &c.—that is, carved with figures and ornaments that might lead to superstition.
26. by steps—a precaution taken for the sake of decency, in consequence of the loose, wide, flowing garments of the priests.