Exodus20

Exodus 20 records God's direct revelation of the Ten Commandments to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. These divine laws begin with foundational principles of monotheism and proper worship, forbidding idolatry and the misuse of God's name, and establishing the Sabbath. The commandments then outline moral precepts concerning respect for parents, the sanctity of life, marriage, property, truthfulness, and covetousness. The chapter concludes with the people's fear of God's direct voice and initial instructions for building altars.
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The Lord Declares the Covenant

1
And God spake all these words, saying, ​
2
I am Jehovah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. ​

The First Four Commandments: Duty to God

3
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ​
4
Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: ​
5
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, upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate me, ​
6
and showing lovingkindness unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. ​
7
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. ​
8
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. ​
9
Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;
10
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, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11
for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. ​

The Last Six Commandments: Duty to Neighbor

12
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee. ​
13
Thou shalt not kill. ​
14
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15
Thou shalt not steal.
16
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
17
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s. ​

The People’s Fear and Request

18
And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. ​
19
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
20
And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before you, that ye sin not. ​
21
And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

Instructions for Worship and Altars

22
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. ​
23
Ye shall not make other gods with me; gods of silver, or gods of gold, ye shall not make unto you.
24
An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in every place where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee. ​
25
And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. ​
26
Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.

Study Notes for Exodus 20

Verse 1

This verse introduces the Decalogue, emphasizing that the following stipulations are the direct, spoken word of God, establishing them as foundational divine law.

Verse 2

The preamble establishes God’s identity based on His redemptive act (the Exodus) before demanding obedience. This shows the law is rooted in grace and deliverance.

Verse 3

This foundational command demands exclusive loyalty (monotheism). 'Before me' implies that no other deity is acceptable in Yahweh’s presence or alongside Him.

Verse 4

This prohibits the creation of any physical representation of the deity, safeguarding God’s transcendence and protecting Israel from surrounding pagan idolatry.

Verse 5

God’s jealousy refers to His zealous protection of the covenant relationship. The threat of judgment (3rd and 4th generation) emphasizes the lasting consequences of covenant infidelity.

Verse 6

The promise of mercy extending to 'thousands' of generations starkly contrasts with the limited scope of judgment, underscoring God’s patience and desire for loving obedience.

Verse 7

This commandment addresses the misuse or trivialization of God’s revealed name (Yahweh), which includes swearing false oaths or invoking the name for selfish or magical purposes.

Verse 8

The command to 'remember' indicates the Sabbath was known previously, but its observance is formalized here as a required sign of the covenant relationship.

Verse 11

The theological basis for the Sabbath rest is rooted in the creation week (Genesis 2:1–3), connecting Israel’s holiness directly to the divine pattern for the cosmos.

Verse 12

This is the transition commandment, bridging duties to God and duties to humans. It is the only command with a specific promise of blessing tied to obedience: longevity in the promised land.

Verse 13

The Hebrew word *ratsach* means 'murder' or unlawful killing, affirming the sanctity of human life, which is made in the image of God.

Verse 17

This commandment is unique as it addresses the internal attitude (desire) rather than just the external action. It serves as a fence protecting all preceding laws concerning property and relationships.

Verse 18

The terrifying display of thunder and fire at Mount Sinai emphasized the awesome holiness of God and the seriousness of the covenant being established.

Verse 20

Moses explains that the purpose of God’s terrifying appearance was not to destroy, but to test and instill a proper, reverent fear (awe) that would motivate obedience and prevent sin.

Verse 22

This begins the 'Book of the Covenant' (Exodus 21–23). God reiterates the divine authority of the law, confirming He spoke directly to them from the heavens.

Verse 24

The requirement for an 'altar of earth' or unhewn stone emphasizes simplicity and purity in worship. The focus is on the locus where God meets them, not the material grandeur of the structure.

Verse 25

The prohibition against using tools on the stones ensures that the altar remains natural and untainted by human artifice, preventing the pollution of man’s 'improvement' upon God’s design.

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