Introduction

God gives the ten commandments.

Verses
1God spoke all these words, saying,
2“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3“You shall have no other gods before me.
4“You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5you 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, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,
6and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name.
8“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9You shall labour six days, and do all your work,
10but 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 daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates;
11for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.
12“Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
13“You shall not murder.
14“You shall not commit adultery.
15“You shall not steal.
16“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
17“You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour’s.”
18All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance.
19They said to Moses, “Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don’t let God speak with us, lest we die.”
20Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won’t sin.”
21The people stayed at a distance, and Moses came near to the thick darkness where God was.
22The LORD said to Moses, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
23You shall most certainly not make gods of silver or gods of gold for yourselves to be alongside me.
24You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you.
25If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.
26You shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it.’

Questions

1. Why does God say the children of Israel should have no other idols?

v 5 you 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, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,

2. What does God show to those who love him and keep his commandments?

v 6 ... showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

3. Why does God frighten the people with the thunderings, lightnings and smoke on Mount Sinai?

v 20 ... "Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won’t sin."

Summary Points

  • v 1 to 17  God gives the Israelites the ten commandments
    • v 1 to 3 (1) Don't have any other gods
    • v 4 to 6 (2) Don't make or bow down to idols. Although God is a jealous God bringing punishment on those who hate him, he is loving towards those who love him and keep his commandments
    • v 7 (3) Don't misuse God's name
    • v 8 to 11 (4) Keep the seventh day of each week holy. No work is to be done
    • v 12 (5) Honour your parents
    • v 13 (6) Don't murder
    • v 14 (7) Don't commit adultery
    • v 15 (8) Don't steal
    • v 16 (9) Don't tell lies
    • v 17 (10) Don't covet
  • v 18 to 21  The Israelites stay at a distance from mount Sinai, because they are afraid of hearing God speak

  • v 22 to 26  Moses gives instructions from the LORD about not making other gods and about making altars for sacrifices

    Timeline 1500 BC

Audio