Deuteronomy 5: Moses repeats the Ten Commandments
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What happens?
Moses calls all Israel together and reminds them of the covenant Yahweh made with them at Horeb. He repeats the Ten Commandments that Yahweh spoke from the fire on the mountain. Then he tells how the people were afraid and asked him to go near and listen for them, and how Yahweh agreed and told him to stay and receive the commandments to teach them.
Who is speaking?
After the opening words of verse 1, Moses speaks to Israel in the whole chapter. None of it is in gold: Moses recites the Ten Commandments in verses 6 to 21, quotes what the people said at the mountain in verses 24 to 27, and reports what Yahweh said to him in verses 28 to 31. These are Moses' words telling what God said, so they are not in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
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.”
In plain English: Moses called all Israel together and said to them, "Listen, Israel, to the statutes and the rules (this Bible: ordinances) that I am speaking in your hearing (literally: in your ears) today, so that you may learn them and be careful to do them."
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2Yahweh our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
In plain English: Yahweh our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.
Good to know: Deuteronomy calls the mountain of the covenant Horeb, the name also used at the burning bush in . The name Horeb is in 9 verses of Deuteronomy, and Sinai in only 1, . Exodus 19 calls it Mount Sinai ().
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3Yahweh didn’t make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive today.
In plain English: Yahweh did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, yes, us, all of us who are here alive today.
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4Yahweh spoke with you face to face on the mountain out of the middle of the fire,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke with you face to face on the mountain, out of the middle of the fire.
Good to know: Verse 4 says Yahweh spoke with the people "face to face", and verse 5 says Moses stood between Yahweh and the people to tell them his word, because they were afraid. The text gives both and does not explain how they fit together.
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5(I stood between Yahweh and you at that time, to show you Yahweh’s word; for you were afraid because of the fire, and didn’t go up onto the mountain) saying,
In plain English: (At that time I stood between Yahweh and you, to tell you Yahweh's word, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) He said (literally: saying):
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6“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
In plain English: "I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (this Bible: bondage).
Good to know: Here Moses repeats the Ten Commandments that God speaks in to . In Deuteronomy they are Moses' words to Israel, telling what God said, so they are not in gold. The two lists are almost word for word the same. The notes on verses 12, 14, 15, 16, 20 and 21 show the main places where the wording differs. How Jewish readers and the churches count the ten is in the note on .
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7“You shall have no other gods before me.
In plain English: "You are to have no other gods before me (literally: on my face; or: besides me).
The Hebrew words: "Before me" is literally "on my face", as in . It can be read as in my presence, or as besides me.
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8“You shall not make a carved image for yourself—any likeness of what is in heaven above, or what is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
In plain English: "You are not to make yourself a carved image (an idol): no likeness of anything in the sky above, or on the earth below, or in the water under the earth.
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9You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh 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
In plain English: You are not to bow down to them or serve them, because I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God. I visit the wrongdoing (this Bible: iniquity) of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
The Hebrew word: "Jealous" is qanna, which the dictionary gives as "jealous". It is used only of God, in only 5 verses: , , , this verse and .
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10and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
In plain English: and I show loving kindness (or: covenant loyalty) to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
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11“You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God; for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name.
In plain English: "You are not to misuse (literally: lift up for emptiness) the name of Yahweh your God, because Yahweh will not hold guiltless anyone who misuses his name.
The Hebrew words: "Misuse" is literally "lift up ... for emptiness". The word for emptiness is shav, which the dictionary gives as "uselessness", "guile", and "in vain".
How it is translated: This Bible says "false" or a longer form in 23 of the 48 verses that use shav, and "vain" in 13.
What changes: Read as "in vain", the verse forbids using Yahweh's name emptily or lightly. Read as "falsely", it forbids swearing a false oath by his name. The Hebrew allows both.
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12“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Yahweh your God commanded you.
In plain English: "Keep (this Bible: observe) the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Yahweh your God commanded you.
The Hebrew word: "Observe" is shamar, "to guard" or "keep". In the command begins with a different word, "Remember" (zakar). Deuteronomy also adds "as Yahweh your God commanded you".
Church tradition: Jewish readers and some churches keep the Sabbath on the seventh day, Saturday. Many churches worship on Sunday, the first day of the week, and churches differ on how this commandment applies today. The text names only "the seventh day".
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13You shall labor six days, and do all your work;
In plain English: For six days you are to work and do all your work,
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14but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh 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.
In plain English: but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. On it you are not to do any work: not you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your ox, your donkey, any of your livestock, or the foreigner (or: stranger) who lives inside your gates. This is so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
Good to know: Here the list of those who rest names "your ox" and "your donkey" as well as "your livestock", and adds a reason: so that your male and female servants may rest as you do. names only "your livestock" and does not give this reason.
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15You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm. Therefore Yahweh your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
In plain English: Remember that you were a slave (this Bible: servant) in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. That is why Yahweh your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
Good to know: The reason given for the Sabbath is different. In it is creation: Yahweh made heaven and earth in six days and rested on the seventh. Here it is remembering that Israel were slaves in Egypt and that Yahweh brought them out.
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16“Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God commanded you, that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
In plain English: "Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and it may go well with you in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.
Good to know: Deuteronomy adds two things that are not in : "as Yahweh your God commanded you" and "that it may go well with you".
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17“You shall not murder.
In plain English: "You are not to murder.
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18“You shall not commit adultery.
In plain English: "You are not to commit adultery.
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19“You shall not steal.
In plain English: "You are not to steal.
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20“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
In plain English: "You are not to give false (literally: empty) testimony against your neighbor.
The Hebrew word: "False" here is shav, "empty", the same word as in . uses a different word, sheqer, which the dictionary gives as "an untruth".
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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.”
In plain English: "You are not to covet your neighbor's wife. And you are not to desire your neighbor's house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
Good to know: puts the house first and the wife second, and uses the word "covet" (chamad) for both. Here the wife comes first, with "covet", and the house comes next with a different word, "desire" (avah, which the dictionary gives as "to wish for"). Deuteronomy also adds "his field".
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22Yahweh 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.
In plain English: Yahweh spoke these words to your whole assembly on the mountain, out of the middle of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice, and he added nothing more. He wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.
Good to know: says the two stone tablets were "written with God's finger". Moses says the same in .
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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;
In plain English: When you heard the voice out of the middle of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders,
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24and you said, “Behold, Yahweh 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.
In plain English: and you said, "Look, Yahweh our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the middle of the fire. Today we have seen that God does speak with people (this Bible: man), and they live.
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25Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear Yahweh our God’s voice any more, then we shall die.
In plain English: So now, why should we die? This great fire will burn us up. If we hear the voice of Yahweh our God any more, we will die.
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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?
In plain English: Who of all flesh (all people) has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the middle of the fire, as we have, and lived?
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27Go near, and hear all that Yahweh our God shall say, and tell us all that Yahweh our God tells you; and we will hear it, and do it.”
In plain English: You go near, and hear everything Yahweh our God will say. Then tell us everything Yahweh our God tells you, and we will listen and do it."
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28Yahweh heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me; and Yahweh 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.
In plain English: Yahweh heard what you said (literally: the voice of your words) when you spoke to me. Yahweh said to me, "I have heard what this people said to you. They have spoken well in everything they have said.
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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!
In plain English: Oh, that they had such a heart (literally: who will give that they had such a heart), to fear me and keep all my commandments always, so that it may go well with them and with their children forever!
The Hebrew words: "Oh that there were" is literally "who will give", a Hebrew way of saying "if only".
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30“Go tell them, ‘Return to your tents.’
In plain English: Go and tell them, 'Go back to your tents.'
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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.”
In plain English: But you, stand here with me, and I will tell you all the commandments, the statutes, and the rules (this Bible: ordinances) that you are to teach them, so that they may do them in the land I am giving them to possess."
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32You shall observe to do therefore as Yahweh your God has commanded you. You shall not turn away to the right hand or to the left.
In plain English: So be careful to do as Yahweh your God has commanded you. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left.
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33You shall walk in all the way which Yahweh 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.
In plain English: Walk in all the way that Yahweh your God has commanded you, so that you may live, and it may go well with you, and you may live long (literally: lengthen your days) in the land you will possess.
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