The most famous commandments in the Bible, the "Ten Commandments", are the ones that Moses supposedly received from God on Mount Sinai. They are listed in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. Neither list is numbered or explicitly called "The Ten Commandments." But whatever they were, they didn't last long, since Moses smashed them when he saw the people dancing naked around Aaron's golden calf. The replacement set -- the only one specifically called "the ten commandments" -- is found in Exodus 34, which I'll get to soon, I hope.
There are actually eleven commandments in the traditional ten, and Christians have been arguing about their numbering since the Reformation. Catholics lump the first two together, since they like their graven images. Protestants combine the last two about coveting into one, since they like coveting so much.
To help promote the movie, Cecil B. DeMille had hundreds of ten commandments monuments made and distributed to court houses and public parks throughout the United States. They ran into a bit of trouble, though, because of the disagreement on numbering. Eventually they decided to do like the Bible does and just list the eleven (or so) commandments and let people number them however they like.
Sorry for the long introduction. Here's God's first set of commandments, all eleven (or twelve) of them, along with another four just to confuse things even more.
- Have no other gods before Yahweh.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3
Thou shalt have none other gods before me. Deuteronomy 5:7
- Don't make graven images.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Exodus 20:4a
Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 26:1
Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. Deuteronomy 4:23
Thou shalt not make thee any graven image. Deuteronomy 5:8a
Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image. Deuteronomy 27:15
- Don't make an artistic representation of anything.
Thou shalt not make ... 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. Exodus 20:4b
Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make ... the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth. Deuteronomy 4:16-18
Thou shalt not make ... any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth. Deuteronomy 5:8b
An abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman. Deuteronomy 27:15
- Don't bow down to other gods.
Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them. Exodus 20:5, Deuteronomy 5:9
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods. Exodus 23:24a
Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 26:1
- Don't serve other gods.
Thou shalt not ... serve them [other gods]. Exodus 20:5, Deuteronomy 5:9
Ye shall not go after other gods. Deuteronomy 6:14
Thou shalt not ... go after other gods to serve them. Deuteronomy 28:14
Neither walk after other gods. Jeremiah 7:6
- Don't take the Lord's name in vain.
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain. Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11
Neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. Leviticus 18:21
- Keep the Sabbath day holy.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8
Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. ... The children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. Exodus 31:13-16
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD. Exodus 34:2
Keep my sabbaths. Leviticus 19:3, 26:2
Ye shall keep my sabbaths. Leviticus 19:30
Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Deuteronomy 5:12
Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. Jeremiah 17:21-22
Hallow my sabbaths. Ezekiel 20:20
- Don't work on the Sabbath.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. Exodus 20:9-10
Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest. Exodus 34:21
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. Leviticus 23:3
Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. Deuteronomy 5:13-14
This commandment applies not just to you, but to your children, slaves, strangers, and animals.Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. Jeremiah 17:21-22
- Honor your father and mother.
Honour thy father and thy mother. Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16
Hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother. Proverbs 1:8
Keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother. Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. Proverbs 6:20-21
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee. Proverbs 23:22
Jesus said, ... Honour thy father and thy mother. Matthew 19:18-19
Honour thy father and thy mother. Mark 10:19
- Don't kill.
Thou shalt not kill. Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17, Romans 13:9
Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder. Matthew 19:18
Do not kill. Mark 10:19
Let none of you suffer as a murderer. 1 Peter 4:15
- Don't commit adultery.
Thou shalt not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 5:18, Romans 13:9
Thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her. Leviticus 10:20
Jesus said, ... Thou shalt not commit adultery. Matthew 19:18
Do not commit adultery. Mark 10:19
- Don't steal.
Thou shalt not steal. Exodus 20:15, Deuteronomy 5:19, Romans 13:9
Ye shall not steal. Leviticus 19:11
Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour; neither rob him. Leviticus 19:13
Become not vain in robbery. Psalm 62:10
Jesus said, ... Thou shalt not steal. Matthew 19:18
Do not steal. Mark 10:19
Let none of you suffer as a ... thief. 1 Peter 4:15
- Don't lie.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Exodus 20:16, Deuteronomy 5:20
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Exodus 23:1
Neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. Leviticus 19:11
Let not ... truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart. Proverbs 3:3
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips. Proverbs 24:28
Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour ... and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord. Zechariah 8:16-17
Love the truth. Zechariah 8:19
Jesus said, ... Thou shalt not bear false witness. Matthew 19:18
Do not bear false witness. Mark 10:19
Thou shalt not bear false witness. Romans 13:9
Speaking the truth. Ephesians 4:15
Putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour. Ephesians 4:25
Lie not one to another. Colossians 3:9
- Don't covet your neighbor's wife.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife Exodus 20:17b, Deuteronomy 5:21a
Thou shalt not covet. Romans 7:7, Romans 13:9 But ... covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints. Ephesians 5:3
...covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. Colossians 3:5-6
- Don't covet your neighbor's other stuff.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house ... nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. Exodus 20:17a,c, Deuteronomy 5:21b
Thou shalt not covet. Romans 7:7, Romans 13:9
...covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. Colossians 3:5-6
- Don't make gods of silver or gold.
Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. Exodus 20:23
- Thou shalt make a dirt altar for God and sacrifice animals on it.
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. Exodus 20:24
- If you make God stone altars, thou shalt use natural, uncut stones. (Otherwise you'll pollute it.)
If thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. Exodus 20:25
- Don't go up steps to the altar. (People might see you nakedness.)
Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon. Exodus 20:26
1 comment:
I'd hate to see the ancient Jewish building inspectors make sure every altar is up to code.
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