Moses uniquely frames the Horeb covenant as binding "us" rather than "our fathers," creating immediate present-tense urgency for commandments given to a previous generation.
Deuteronomy 5
The Ten Commandments
1Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, “Hear, Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears today, that you may learn them, and observe to do them.”
2The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
3The LORD didn’t make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive today.
4The LORD spoke with you face to face on the mountain out of the middle of the fire,
5(I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to show you the LORD’s word; for you were afraid because of the fire, and didn’t go up onto the mountain) saying,
6“I am the LORD 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 a carved image for yourself—any likeness of what is in heaven above, or what is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
9You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD 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
10and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
11“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name.
12“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.
13You shall labor six days, and do all your work;
14but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, in which you shall not do any work—neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
15You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
16“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
17“You shall not murder.
18“You shall not commit adultery.
19“You shall not steal.
20“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
21“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
Moses as Mediator
22The LORD spoke these words to all your assembly on the mountain out of the middle of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice. He added no more. He wrote them on two stone tablets, and gave them to me.
23When you heard the voice out of the middle of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;
24and you said, “Behold, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the middle of the fire. We have seen today that God does speak with man, and he lives.
25Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the LORD our God’s voice any more, then we shall die.
26For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the middle of the fire, as we have, and lived?
27Go near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say, and tell us all that the LORD our God tells you; and we will hear it, and do it.”
28The LORD heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me; and the LORD 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.
29Oh 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 to your tents.’
31But as for you, stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandments, 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.”
32You shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God has commanded you. You shall not turn away to the right hand or to the left.
33You shall walk in all the way which the LORD 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.
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Theme
Moses recounts the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Horeb, emphasizing that this covenant was made directly with the present generation of Israelites. He rehearses each commandment in detail, highlighting God's direct communication with the people through fire, cloud, and darkness. The chapter concludes with the people's fearful response to God's awesome presence, leading them to request that Moses serve as mediator between them and the LORD.
Context
This chapter bridges Moses' historical review in chapters 1-4 with the detailed legal code that follows in chapters 6-26.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-5 Introduction to the Covenant Moses calls Israel to hear the statutes and recalls God's direct covenant with them at Horeb.
- 6-21 The Ten Commandments Moses recites the complete Decalogue, from exclusive worship of God to prohibitions against coveting.
- 22-27 Divine Manifestation and People's Fear God spoke from fire and darkness, writing the commandments on stone tablets while the people trembled in fear.
- 28-33 Moses Appointed as Mediator God approves the people's request for Moses to serve as intermediary due to their fear of direct divine encounter.
The Ten Commandments
5:1–5:21 law speech solemn
Moses recounts the Ten Commandments given at Horeb, emphasizing the covenant relationship between God and Israel. The commandments establish fundamental principles for worship, ethics, and social order.
quotation_chain
Moses uniquely frames the Horeb covenant as binding "us" rather than "our fathers," creating immediate present-tense urgency for commandments given to a previous generation.
Moses as Mediator
5:22–5:33 law narration fearful
The people request Moses to mediate between them and God due to their fear of divine presence. God approves this arrangement and emphasizes the importance of obedience to his commands.
person_contrast
Moses uniquely receives divine endorsement as mediator when God declares "they have well said" about the people's request, establishing the prophetic office through popular demand rather than divine appointment.
Insights
Moses uniquely receives divine endorsement as mediator when God declares "they have well said" about the people's request, establishing the prophetic office through popular demand rather than divine appointment.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Deuteronomy 5:1 5 references
Lexicals 5
Deuteronomy 4:1 Lexical
Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances which I teach you, to do them, that you may live and go in and…
Ezra 7:10 Lexical
For Ezra had set his heart to seek the LORD’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Deuteronomy 4:5 Lexical
Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do so in the mi…
Deuteronomy 6:1 Lexical
Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that y…
Deuteronomy 4:14 Lexical
The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go…
Deuteronomy 5:3 1 reference
Deuteronomy 5:5 1 reference
Deuteronomy 5:8 1 reference
Deuteronomy 5:9 4 references
Lexicals 4
Exodus 20:5 Lexical
you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniqui…
Numbers 14:18 Lexical
‘The LORD is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and he will by no mean…
Exodus 34:7 Lexical
keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the g…
Exodus 34:14 Lexical
for you shall worship no other god; for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 5:13 1 reference
Deuteronomy 5:14 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 23:12 Lexical
“Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and…
Exodus 20:10 Lexical
but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daug…
Exodus 20:17 Lexical
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his fema…
Leviticus 16:29 Lexical
“It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls…
Leviticus 23:3 Lexical
“‘Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no k…
Deuteronomy 5:15 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 20:33 Lexical
As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will b…
1 Kings 8:42 Lexical
(for they shall hear of your great name and of your mighty hand and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays t…
Ezekiel 20:34 Lexical
I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered with a mighty…
Deuteronomy 11:2 Lexical
Know this day—for I don’t speak with your children who have not known, and who have not seen the chastisement of the LOR…
Deuteronomy 7:19 Lexical
the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the LO…
Deuteronomy 5:16 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 20:12 Lexical
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
Deuteronomy 22:7 Lexical
You shall surely let the hen go, but the young you may take for yourself, that it may be well with you, and that you may…
Deuteronomy 4:40 Lexical
You shall keep his statutes and his commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your c…
Deuteronomy 25:15 Lexical
You shall have a perfect and just weight. You shall have a perfect and just measure, that your days may be long in the l…
Deuteronomy 11:9 Lexical
and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give to them and to their offspri…
Deuteronomy 5:20 2 references
Deuteronomy 5:21 2 references
Deuteronomy 5:22 5 references
Lexicals 5
Deuteronomy 9:10 Lexical
The LORD delivered to me the two stone tablets written with God’s finger. On them were all the words which the LORD spok…
Deuteronomy 10:4 Lexical
He wrote on the tablets, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spoke to you on the mounta…
Deuteronomy 18:16 Lexical
This is according to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not…
Joel 2:2 Lexical
A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, a great an…
Deuteronomy 4:11 Lexical
You came near and stood under the mountain. The mountain burned with fire to the heart of the sky, with darkness, cloud,…
Deuteronomy 5:23 2 references
Deuteronomy 5:24 2 references
Deuteronomy 5:26 1 reference
Deuteronomy 5:29 1 reference
Deuteronomy 5:31 5 references
Lexicals 5
Deuteronomy 6:1 Lexical
Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that y…
Deuteronomy 4:1 Lexical
Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances which I teach you, to do them, that you may live and go in and…
Deuteronomy 4:5 Lexical
Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do so in the mi…
Deuteronomy 4:14 Lexical
The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go…
Deuteronomy 7:11 Lexical
You shall therefore keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances which I command you today, to do them.
Deuteronomy 5:32 5 references
Lexicals 5
Deuteronomy 2:27 Lexical
“Let me pass through your land. I will go along by the highway. I will turn neither to the right hand nor to the left.
2 Chronicles 34:2 Lexical
He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, and walked in the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn away to the…
Joshua 23:6 Lexical
“Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that you not turn a…
Proverbs 4:27 Lexical
Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
2 Samuel 2:21 Lexical
Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” Bu…
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Lemma
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Translation Notes
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Historical Context
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Timeline
Exodus
c. 1446 BCIsrael's miraculous deliverance from Egyptian slavery under Moses' leadership, including the ten plagues and Red Sea crossing. This foundational event established Israel as God's chosen nation.
The commandments begin by identifying God as Israel's deliverer from Egypt.
The Ten Commandments