Exo 20:1-17 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Exod 20:1-23:33: 20:1–23:33 The Sinai covenant follows very closely the form of the covenants, or suzerain-vassal treaties, that great kings (the suzerains ) in the ancient Near East offered to subject peoples (the vassals ) as follows: (1) An introduction named the great king who was offering the covenant (20:1 ). (2) A historical preamble set out the circumstances that had led to the offer of a treaty (20:2 ). (3) Stipulations, the terms upon which the two parties were to agree, typically included the king’s offer of protection from enemies and care during emergency, while the people would agree to behave in conformity to the preferences of that king. Exodus includes a brief setting forth of the terms of the covenant (20:3-17 ) followed by expanded terms (chs 21–23 ). (4) Another statement indicated where a written copy of the covenant should be kept and when it should be read (24:7 ; 25:16 ). (5) The gods were called upon to witness the agreement (in Exodus, historical markers are substituted for the gods, 24:4 ). (6) The blessings and curses were stated that would follow upon obedience or disobedience to the covenant (23:20-33 ). Utilizing the political form of the covenant, God invited his people into a formal relationship with himself as king while avoiding the pagan overtones that contaminated religious forms of the time. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:1–7:29 ) is a New Testament parallel to this section of Exodus, with the Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12 ) paralleling the Ten Commandments. Summary for Exod 20:1-17: 20:1-17 The brief statement of the terms of the covenant (see also Deut 5:6-21 ). 20:1 This corresponds to the introductory statement in the ancient covenant format. • all these instructions (literally all these words ): When these statements are referred to elsewhere (34:28 ; Deut 4:13 ; 10:4 ), the Hebrew text refers to them as the “Ten Words.” These are not arbitrary commandments, but an explanation of God’s basic instructions for human living given by the Creator of human life.

Summary for Exod 20:1-23:33: 20:1–23:33 ^a The Sinai covenant follows very closely the form of the covenants, or suzerain-vassal treaties, that great kings (the suzerains) in the ancient Near East offered to subject peoples (the vassals) as follows: (1) An introduction named the great king who was offering the covenant (20:1 ^b). (2) A historical preamble set out the circumstances that had led to the offer of a treaty (20:2 ^c). (3) Stipulations, the terms upon which the two parties were to agree, typically included the king’s offer of protection from enemies and care during emergency, while the people would agree to behave in conformity to the preferences of that king. Exodus includes a brief setting forth of the terms of the covenant (20:3-17 ^d) followed by expanded terms (chs 21–23 ^e). (4) Another statement indicated where a written copy of the covenant should be kept and when it should be read (24:7 ^f; 25:16 ^g). (5) The gods were called upon to witness the agreement (in Exodus, historical markers are substituted for the gods, 24:4 ^h). (6) The blessings and curses were stated that would follow upon obedience or disobedience to the covenant (23:20-33 ⁱ). Utilizing the political form of the covenant, God invited his people into a formal relationship with himself as king while avoiding the pagan overtones that contaminated religious forms of the time. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:1–7:29 ^j) is a New Testament parallel to this section of Exodus, with the Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12 ^k) paralleling the Ten Commandments.
Summary for Exod 20:1-17: 20:1-17 ^l The brief statement of the terms of the covenant (see also Deut 5:6-21 ^m). 20:1 ⁿ This corresponds to the introductory statement in the ancient covenant format.

• all these instructions (literally all these words): When these statements are referred to elsewhere (34:28 ^o; Deut 4:13 ^p; 10:4 ^q), the Hebrew text refers to them as the “Ten Words.” These are not arbitrary commandments, but an explanation of God’s basic instructions for human living given by the Creator of human life.
20:2 ^r This sentence corresponds to the preamble in the ancient covenant format. It gives the historical setting that makes such an agreement between two parties both possible and reasonable. We are told that the Lord your God was offering the covenant. It was not some unknown deity that offered this special relationship, but the God of Israel’s ancestors who had revealed his power and his care directly to them. Furthermore, that revelation was an act of gracious rescue on their behalf, demonstrating that he is the only God.
Summary for Exod 20:3-17: 20:3-17 ^s The terms of the covenant specify the behavior the people were expected to manifest if they were to be in a covenant with God. Only the first four instructions (20:2-11 ^t) relate directly to God, while the remaining six (20:12-17 ^u) have to do with human-to-human relationships. A covenant with God stipulates how we are to treat each other because God is profoundly ethical, and he expects us to manifest his character in all our relationships. Other law codes in the ancient Near East did not incorporate such absolute prohibitions, probably because polytheism mitigated against absolute principles. In contrast, covenants with a king did include absolute prohibitions because a single king could demand whatever he wished of his subjects. Here the single king is the sole Creator of the universe, who truly has authority to state absolute principles, demands, and prohibitions.
Summary for Exod 20:3-11: 20:3-11 ^v The first four commandments relate to one’s relationship with God. Observing them would foster a correct understanding of God in contrast to the idolatrous notions of deity that the Israelites had encountered in Egypt and would yet encounter in Canaan. 20:3 ^w Not recognizing any other god is the first step toward learning the truth that there are no other gods besides the Lord (see Deut 4:35 ^x; 6:4 ^y; Isa 43:10-11 ^z; 45:21-22 ^aa).
20:4 ^ab Not making an image of God is the first step toward recognizing that he is transcendent—that he is the Creator of the universe and distinct from it. To represent God as something in creation was inevitably to end up worshiping the creation rather than the Creator, and this immorality had deadly consequences (Rom 1:18-25 ^ac).
Summary for Exod 20:5-6: 20:5-6 ^ad jealous God: God is passionately opposed to our prostituting ourselves with false gods (see Josh 24:19-20 ^ae).

• in the third and fourth generations ... for a thousand generations: It is important to keep both sides of this equation together. God does not punish children for their parents’ sins. Rather, he is saying that our sins affect future generations of descendants. But he is also restricting the natural effects of those sins to three or four generations, while graciously extending the effects of obedience to a thousand generations (see also 34:6-7 ^af; Deut 7:9 ^ag).

• reject (literally hate): The Hebrew words commonly translated “love” (Exod 20:6 ^ah) and “hate” are difficult to translate into English because they include an act of the will as well as the emotional element we are familiar with. In biblical thinking, to “love” is to choose something and to act consistently in accord with that choice. To “hate” is to reject something and to act in ways consistent with that choice. The choice is connected to emotion: Feeling expresses itself in choices, and our choices show how we really feel.
20:7 ^ai In Hebrew, one’s name connotes nature and character (see study note on 3:13-22). To make the name of God empty (NLT, misuse) is to do anything that makes him appear insignificant or worthless. One way to do this is to invoke his name in an oath we do not mean to keep. But there are other, even more significant ways to bring shame on God’s name (see Num 20:12 ^aj; Amos 2:7 ^ak; cp. Matt 6:9 ^al).
Summary for Exod 20:8-11: 20:8-11 ^am The Sabbath day is kept holy when it is dedicated to the Lord (20:10 ^an). Whatever belongs exclusively to God shares his character. This is not to say that the other six days are unholy, but simply that they are for ordinary work (20:9 ^ao). On this day set apart, we are reminded that it is not our work that supplies our needs. Our needs are supplied by God as an act of his grace (20:6 ^ap).
20:11 ^aq To be in covenant with God is to do what God does; since he rested from his work (Gen 2:1-3 ^ar), how can we think that we need no rest?
Summary for Exod 20:12-17: 20:12-17 ^as The remaining six instructions all have to do with human relationships. Many of the stipulations of the covenant with God relate to how people treat each other. This connection of ethical behavior with religious duty is unique in the Old Testament world. There are several ethical law codes known in the ancient Near East, and several of these predate Moses, but all of them are imposed by a human king and have little to do with religion. The pagan gods, meanwhile, were patently unethical and untrustworthy, unlike the God of Israel, whose people worship him by treating others as he does. See also Matt 19:17-19 ^at. 20:12 ^au To honor your father and mother is to recognize that you are not self-sufficient and self-existent. This is one important step on the road to humility. Arrogance may produce notoriety, but humility and gratitude are the foundations of a long, full life. Both Jesus and Paul refer to this command (see Matt 15:4 ^av; Mark 7:10 ^aw; Eph 6:1-3 ^ax).
20:13 ^ay murder: This is the correct rendering of the Hebrew word. There is another word that connotes mere killing. Taking human life is not prohibited, per se, but the intentional killing of another for personal reasons is prohibited. This principle tells us that God values our individual, physical lives. Jesus expanded on this command in Matt 5:21-26 ^az.
20:14 ^ba adultery: Here this term represents all sexual sins, among which adultery most clearly indicates breaking faith. Adulterers satisfy their sexual desires as they please, and they break faith with their spouse in so doing. Jesus expanded on this command in Matt 5:27-30 ^bb.
20:15 ^bc Stealing is another way of saying that I have an absolute right to my own way, whether I have earned it or not. From the divine side, the prohibition says that God values us even down to our possessions.
20:16 ^bd Not telling a lie can be a very individual act, and even a prideful one. But refusing to testify falsely against your neighbor is an unselfish act, in which your neighbor’s reputation and well-being is more important to you than your own.
20:17 ^be This final principle circles back to the first, for “a greedy person is an idolater” (Col 3:5 ^bf). Covetousness is the worship of this world, the belief that possessions, especially those my neighbor possesses, will give me lasting happiness. To believe this is to break one’s covenant of absolute loyalty to God, who alone supplies our needs. See also Rom 7:7 ^bg.