23 Ye shall not make H6213 with me gods H430 of silver, H3701 neither shall ye make H6213 unto you gods H430 of gold. H2091
Thou shalt have no other H312 gods H430 before me. H6440 Thou shalt not make H6213 unto thee any graven image, H6459 or any likeness H8544 of any thing that H834 is in heaven H8064 above, H4605 or that is in the earth H776 beneath, or that is in the water H4325 under the earth: H776 Thou shalt not bow down H7812 thyself to 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;
They feared H3373 the LORD, H3068 and served H5647 their own gods, H430 after the manner H4941 of the nations H1471 whom they carried away H1540 from thence.
As for you, O house H1004 of Israel, H3478 thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Go H3212 ye, serve H5647 ye every one H376 his idols, H1544 and hereafter H310 also, if ye will not hearken H8085 unto me: but pollute H2490 ye my holy H6944 name H8034 no more with your gifts, H4979 and with your idols. H1544
And them that worship H7812 the host H6635 of heaven H8064 upon the housetops; H1406 and them that worship H7812 and that swear H7650 by the LORD, H3068 and that swear H7650 by Malcham; H4428
And when the people H5971 saw H7200 that Moses H4872 delayed H954 to come down H3381 out of the mount, H2022 the people H5971 gathered themselves together H6950 unto Aaron, H175 and said H559 unto him, Up, H6965 make H6213 us gods, H430 which shall go H3212 before H6440 us; for as for this Moses, H4872 the man H376 that brought H5927 us up out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 we wot H3045 not what is become of him. And Aaron H175 said H559 unto them, Break off H6561 the golden H2091 earrings, H5141 which are in the ears H241 of your wives, H802 of your sons, H1121 and of your daughters, H1323 and bring H935 them unto me. And all the people H5971 brake off H6561 the golden H2091 earrings H5141 which were in their ears, H241 and brought H935 them unto Aaron. H175 And he received H3947 them at their hand, H3027 and fashioned H6696 it with a graving tool, H2747 after he had made H6213 it a molten H4541 calf: H5695 and they said, H559 These be thy gods, H430 O Israel, H3478 which brought H5927 thee up out of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
And when they arose early H7925 on the morrow H4283 morning, H1242 behold, Dagon H1712 was fallen H5307 upon his face H6440 to the ground H776 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD; H3068 and the head H7218 of Dagon H1712 and both H8147 the palms H3709 of his hands H3027 were cut off H3772 upon the threshold; H4670 only the stump of Dagon H1712 was left H7604 to him. Therefore neither the priests H3548 of Dagon, H1712 nor any that come H935 into Dagon's H1712 house, H1004 tread H1869 on the threshold H4670 of Dagon H1712 in Ashdod H795 unto this day. H3117
So these nations H1471 feared H3373 the LORD, H3068 and served H5647 their graven images, H6456 both their children, H1121 and their children's H1121 children: H1121 as did H6213 their fathers, H1 so do H6213 they unto this day. H3117
In their setting H5414 of their threshold H5592 by my thresholds, H5592 and their post H4201 by H681 my posts, H4201 and the wall H7023 between me and them, they have even defiled H2930 my holy H6944 name H8034 by their abominations H8441 that they have committed: H6213 wherefore I have consumed H3615 them in mine anger. H639
They drank H8355 wine, H2562 and praised H7624 the gods H426 of gold, H1722 and of silver, H3702 of brass, H5174 of iron, H6523 of wood, H636 and of stone. H69
But hast lifted up H7313 thyself against H5922 the Lord H4756 of heaven; H8065 and they have brought H858 the vessels H3984 of his house H1005 before H6925 thee, and thou, H607 and thy lords, H7261 thy wives, H7695 and thy concubines, H3904 have drunk H8355 wine H2562 in them; and thou hast praised H7624 the gods H426 of silver, H3702 and gold, H1722 of brass, H5174 iron, H6523 wood, H636 and stone, H69 which see H2370 not, H3809 nor H3809 hear, H8086 nor H3809 know: H3046 and the God H426 in whose hand H3028 thy breath H5396 is, and whose are all H3606 thy ways, H735 hast thou not H3809 glorified: H1922
Ye cannot G3756 G1410 drink G4095 the cup G4221 of the Lord, G2962 and G2532 the cup G4221 of devils: G1140 ye cannot G3756 G1410 be partakers G3348 of the Lord's G2962 table, G5132 and G2532 of the table G5132 of devils. G1140 Do we provoke G3863 G2228 the Lord G2962 to jealousy? G3863 are we G2070 stronger than G3361 G2478 he? G846
Be ye G1096 not G3361 unequally yoked together G2086 with unbelievers: G571 for G1063 what G5101 fellowship G3352 hath righteousness G1343 with G2532 unrighteousness? G458 and G1161 what G5101 communion G2842 hath light G5457 with G4314 darkness? G4655 And G1161 what G5101 concord G4857 hath Christ G5547 with G4314 Belial? G955 or G2228 what G5101 part G3310 hath he that believeth G4103 with G3326 an infidel? G571 And G1161 what G5101 agreement G4783 hath the temple G3485 of God G2316 with G3326 idols? G1497 for G1063 ye G5210 are G2075 the temple G3485 of the living G2198 God; G2316 as G2531 God G2316 hath said, G2036 G3754 I will dwell G1774 in G1722 them, G846 and G2532 walk in G1704 them; and G2532 I will be G2071 their G846 God, G2316 and G2532 they G846 shall be G2071 my G3427 people. G2992
Let G2603 no man G3367 beguile G2603 you G5209 of your reward G2603 in G1722 a voluntary G2309 humility G5012 and G2532 worshipping G2356 of angels, G32 intruding into G1687 those things which G3739 he hath G3708 not G3361 seen, G3708 vainly G1500 puffed up G5448 by G5259 his G846 fleshly G4561 mind, G3563 And G2532 not G3756 holding G2902 the Head, G2776 from G1537 which G3739 all G3956 the body G4983 by G1223 joints G860 and G2532 bands G4886 having nourishment ministered, G2023 and G2532 knit together, G4822 increaseth G837 with the increase G838 of God. G2316
And G1161 we know G1492 that G3754 the Son G5207 of God G2316 is come, G2240 and G2532 hath given G1325 us G2254 an understanding, G1271 that G2443 we may know G1097 him that is true, G228 and G2532 we are G2070 in G1722 him that is true, G228 even in G1722 his G846 Son G5207 Jesus G2424 Christ. G5547 This G3778 is G2076 the true G228 God, G2316 and G2532 eternal G166 life. G2222 Little children, G5040 keep G5442 yourselves G1438 from G575 idols. G1497 Amen. G281
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.