17 Thou shalt not covet H2530 thy neighbour's H7453 house, H1004 thou shalt not covet H2530 thy neighbour's H7453 wife, H802 nor his manservant, H5650 nor his maidservant, H519 nor his ox, H7794 nor his ass, H2543 nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. H7453
But G1161 godliness G2150 with G3326 contentment G841 is G2076 great G3173 gain. G4200 For G1063 we brought G1533 nothing G3762 into G1519 this world, G2889 and it is certain G1212 G3754 we can G1410 carry G1627 nothing G3761 G5100 out. G1627 And G1161 having G2192 food G1305 and G2532 raiment G4629 let us be G714 therewith G5125 content. G714 But G1161 they that will G1014 be rich G4147 fall G1706 into G1519 temptation G3986 and G2532 a snare, G3803 and G2532 into many G4183 foolish G453 and G2532 hurtful G983 lusts, G1939 which G3748 drown G1036 men G444 in G1519 destruction G3639 and G2532 perdition. G684 For G1063 the love of money G5365 is G2076 the root G4491 of all G3956 evil: G2556 which G3739 while some G5100 coveted after, G3713 they have erred G635 from G575 the faith, G4102 and G2532 pierced G4044 themselves G1438 through G4044 with many G4183 sorrows. G3601
Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 For three H7969 transgressions H6588 of Israel, H3478 and for four, H702 I will not turn away H7725 the punishment thereof; because they sold H4376 the righteous H6662 for silver, H3701 and the poor H34 for a pair of shoes; H5275 That pant H7602 after the dust H6083 of the earth H776 on the head H7218 of the poor, H1800 and turn aside H5186 the way H1870 of the meek: H6035 and a man H376 and his father H1 will go H3212 in unto the same maid, H5291 to profane H2490 my holy H6944 name: H8034
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, H6153 H6256 that David H1732 arose H6965 from off his bed, H4904 and walked H1980 upon the roof H1406 of the king's H4428 house: H1004 and from the roof H1406 he saw H7200 a woman H802 washing H7364 herself; and the woman H802 was very H3966 beautiful H2896 to look upon. H4758 And David H1732 sent H7971 and enquired H1875 after the woman. H802 And one said, H559 Is not this Bathsheba, H1339 the daughter H1323 of Eliam, H463 the wife H802 of Uriah H223 the Hittite? H2850 And David H1732 sent H7971 messengers, H4397 and took H3947 her; and she came in H935 unto him, and he lay H7901 with her; for she was purified H6942 from her uncleanness: H2932 and she returned H7725 unto her house. H1004
To keep H8104 thee from the evil H7451 woman, H802 from the flattery H2513 of the tongue H3956 of a strange woman. H5237 Lust H2530 not after her beauty H3308 in thine heart; H3824 neither let her take H3947 thee with her eyelids. H6079
He that loveth H157 silver H3701 shall not be satisfied H7646 with silver; H3701 nor he that loveth H157 abundance H1995 with increase: H8393 this is also vanity. H1892 When goods H2896 increase, H7235 they are increased H7231 that eat H398 them: and what good H3788 is there to the owners H1167 thereof, saving H518 the beholding H7207 H7212 of them with their eyes? H5869
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.