Every Jot and Tittle: Exodus 21 - The slavery commandments

In the Every Jot and Tittle project, I am listing all of the Bible's commandments from Genesis to Revelation, in accordance with Jesus's words in Matthew 5:18-19. I have no idea how many commandments I'll find, but Jewish tradition claims there are 613.

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Although these the commandments are for Hebrew slaves, they are easily adapted for Bible believers. Just replace "Hebrew" with "Bible believer" in the below commandments and you're all set.

If you buy a Hebrew slave, set him free after six years of slavery.

If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. Exodus 21:2

And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. Deuteronomy 15:12-14

If your Hebrew slave was married when you bought him, you shall free both the slave and his wife after six years of slavery.

If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. Exodus 21:3

If you gave your Hebrew slave a wife and they had children, you shall keep your slave's wife and children and let him go free.

If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. Exodus 21:4

If your Hebrew slave refuses to leave his wife and children, you shall bore a hole in his ear and he shall serve you forever.

And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. Exodus 21:5-6

If he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise. Deuteronomy 15:16-17

If you sell your daughter, she shall not be freed after six years (as are male Hebrew slaves).

And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. Exodus 21:7

If your daughter fails to please her master, she shall be sold again to a Hebrew man.

If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. Exodus 21:8

If the man who bought your daughter gives her to his son, the man who bought her shall treat her as his own daughter.

And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. Exodus 21:9

But if the slave’s owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave but as a daughter. (New Living Translation)

If a man takes another wife, he shall continue to feed, clothe, and have sex with his first wife.

If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. Exodus 21:10

If the man fails to feed, clothe, and have sex with his slave wife, he shall set her free.

And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money. Exodus 21:11

If he fails in any of these three obligations, she may leave as a free woman without making any payment. (New Living Translation)

Every Jot and Tittle: Exodus 20 - The first set of ten (or so) commandments

In the Every Jot and Tittle project, I am listing all of the Bible's commandments from Genesis to Revelation, in accordance with Jesus's words in Matthew 5:18-19. I have no idea how many commandments I'll find, but Jewish tradition claims there are 613.

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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

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

This commandment applies not just to you, but to your children, slaves, strangers, and animals.

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

Every Jot and Tittle: Exodus 1-19

In the Every Jot and Tittle project, I am listing all of the Bible's commandments from Genesis to Revelation, in accordance with Jesus's words in Matthew 5:18-19. I have no idea how many commandments I'll find, but Jewish tradition claims there are 613.

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The famous set of ten commandments occurs first in chapter 20 of the book of Exodus. But there are other commandments that precede them. Here are the ones that I could find.

(Nisan) shall the be first month of the year.

This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Exodus 12:2

On the tenth day of the first month (Nisan), find an unblemished lamb and kill it on the evening of the 14th day.

In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb ... Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. Exodus 12:3-6

After killing the lamb, smear some of its blood on the sides and top of your door post.

Take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses. Exodus 12:7

Roast the lamb and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

Eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs. Exodus 12:8

Don't eat the lamb raw or boiled in water.

Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire. Exodus 12:9a

Eat all of it. Don't leave any until the morning. Burn the leftovers.

Eat ... his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. Exodus 12:9b

Ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. Exodus 12:10

On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD. Leviticus 22:30

Eat it fast, with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand.

Eat it with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover. Exodus 12:11

The Passover shall be kept as a memorial forever.

This day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Exodus 12:14

And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. Exodus 12:17

And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. Exodus 12:24

Eat unleavened bread for seven days during the Passover.

Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread. Exodus 12:15

Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread ... Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. Exodus 13:6-7

Thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee. Exodus 23:15

Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction. Deuteronomy 16:3

During the feast of unleavened bread, all yeast shall be removed from every house.

The first day [of the feast of unleavened bread] ye shall put away leaven out of your houses. Exodus 12:15a

Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses. Exodus 12:19a

There shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. Exodus 13:7

Whoever eats leavened bread during the Passover shall be cut off.

Whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. Exodus 12:15b

Whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. Exodus 12:19b

Don't work on the first or the seventh day of the feast of unleavened bread.

In the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. Exodus 12:16

In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein ... In the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. Leviticus 23:7-8

In the first month (Nisan), eat unleavened bread from the evening of the 14th to the evening of the 21st day of the month. This is the Lord's passover.

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. Exodus 12:18

In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover. Leviticus 23:5

Don't eat any leavened bread during the feast of unleavened bread.

Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread. Exodus 12:20

And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. Leviticus 23:6

When your children ask what is the meaning of Passover, tell them about how God killed the Egyptian children.

And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. Exodus 12:26-27

Thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. Exodus 13:8

(See Exodus 12:27-41 for the exact words that God commands you to say to your kids.)

Strangers, foreigners, paid servants, and uncircumcised people shall not observe the Passover.

And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof ... A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. ... no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. Exodus 12:43-48

Your circumcised slaves shall observe the Passover.

Every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. Exodus 12:44

Eat the Passover lamb in one place, and don't break any of the lamb's bones.

In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. Exodus 12:46

Circumcised strangers may observe the Passover.

When a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it. Exodus 12:48

Circumcised strangers shall be treated as though they were natives and must obey the law of the land.

When a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land. One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. Exodus 12:48-49

All firstborn male humans and animals shall be sanctified to the Lord. They belong to him.

Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. Exodus 13:2

Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God. Nehemiah 10:36

On the Passover, show your son what God did to you when you left Egypt.

Thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. Exodus 13:8

Thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD's. Exodus 13:12

All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male. ... All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty. Exodus 34:19-20

All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God. Deuteronomy 15:19

Remember the day that you came out of Egypt.

And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place ... This day came ye out in the month Abib. Exodus 13:3-4

Every firstborn donkey shall be redeemed either by sacrificing a lamb or breaking the donkey's neck.

Every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. Exodus 13:13

But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. Exodus 34:20

When your son asks you why your are sacrificing lambs and breaking donkeys' necks, tell him that you are doing it because God killed all the firstborn animals in Egypt.

When thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. Exodus 13:14-15

Don't leave your house during the Sabbath.

Abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. Exodus 16:29

Orthodox Jews have created eruvin to get around this law.

Alma 18: Ammon converts King Lamoni

After the King Lamoni had heard the story about Ammon defending the flocks (and seen the Lamanite arms that he cut off), he was very impressed. So impressed, in fact, that he announced that Ammon wasn't merely a man, but the Great Spirit himself. His servants weren't so sure, but the king had made up his mind. 

And when they had all testified to the things which they had seen, and he had learned of the faithfulness of Ammon in preserving his flocks, and also of his great power in contending against those who sought to slay him, he was astonished exceedingly, and said: Surely, this is more than a man. Behold, is not this the Great Spirit who doth send such great punishments upon this people, because of their murders? 18.2

And now, when the king heard these words, he said unto them: Now I know that it is the Great Spirit; and he has come down at this time to preserve your lives, that I might not slay you as I did your brethren. Now this is the Great Spirit of whom our fathers have spoken. 18.4 

But Ammon wasn't around for the king's praise. He was busy feeding the king's horses, and getting the chariot ready for the king's upcoming trip to the Land of Nephi. When the king heard what Ammon was up to, be exclaimed:

"What a guy! I've never had such a faithful servant who not only remembers my orders, but OBEYS them! I'd like to speak to him, but what will I say? "

And it came to pass that king Lamoni inquired of his servants, saying: Where is this man that has such great power? 18.8 

And they said unto him: Behold, he is feeding thy horses. Now the king had commanded his servants, previous to the time of the watering of their flocks, that they should prepare his horses and chariots, and conduct him forth to the land of Nephi; for there had been a great feast appointed at the land of Nephi, by the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land. 18.9 

Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his horses and his chariots he was more astonished, because of the faithfulness of Ammon, saying: Surely there has not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them. 18.10 

Now I surely know that this is the Great Spirit, and I would desire him that he come in unto me, but I durst not. 18.11

When Ammon was done with the horses, he went in to talk to the king. When he entered the chamber, though, the king's expression changed, so he immediately turned around and started to leave.

And it came to pass that when Ammon had made ready the horses and the chariots for the king and his servants, he went in unto the king, and he saw that the countenance of the king was changed; therefore he was about to return out of his presence. 18.12

But then, before he left the room, Lamoni's servant asked Ammon to stay. He even called him "Rabbanah", which was a very special name that meant "Powerful King". He told him that the King wanted him to stay. Ammon turned around and asked the King what he could do for him. For some reason, the King didn't respond for an entire hour, and Ammon just stood there waiting.  Eventually he asked again, "What can I do for you?"

And one of the king's servants said unto him, Rabbanah, which is, being interpreted, powerful or great king, considering their kings to be powerful; and thus he said unto him: Rabbanah, the king desireth thee to stay. 8.13 

Therefore Ammon turned himself unto the king, and said unto him: What wilt thou that I should do for thee, O king? And the king answered him not for the space of an hour, according to their time, for he knew not what he should say unto him. 8.14

But still, he didn't get an answer. So he had to turn to his mind-reading skills. Was the King dumbfounded because he was so awesome? That had to be it.

And it came to pass that Ammon said unto him again: What desirest thou of me? But the king answered him not. 18.15 

And it came to pass that Ammon, being filled with the Spirit of God, therefore he perceived the thoughts of the king. And he said unto him: Is it because thou hast heard that I defended thy servants and thy flocks, and slew seven of their brethren with the sling and with the sword, and smote off the arms of others, in order to defend thy flocks and thy servants; behold, is it this that causeth thy marvelings? 18.16 

And this amazed the King even more. So the king finally spoke, asking Ammon if he was the Great Spirit. Ammon said no, and they have a nice discussion about the subtle differences between God, the Great Spirit, Zeus, Allah, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and the Great JuJu Under the Sea. Ammon convinces the king the following things:

1.) He wasn't the Great Spirit
2.) God and the Great Spirit were the same thing
3.) God created heaven and Earth (Although the king was a little confused about where heaven was, since he had never seen it himself).

Now when the king had heard these words, he marveled again, for he beheld that Ammon could discern his thoughts; but notwithstanding this, king Lamoni did open his mouth, and said unto him: Who art thou? Art thou that Great Spirit, who knows all things? 18.18 

Ammon answered and said unto him: I am not. 18.19 

And Ammon began to speak unto him with boldness, and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God? 18.24 

And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that meaneth. 18.25 

And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great Spirit? 18.26 

And he said, Yea. 18.27 

And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth? 18.28 

And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens. 18.29 

And Ammon said unto him: The heavens is a place where God dwells and all his holy angels. 18.30  

And king Lamoni said: Is it above the earth? 18.31

After the discussion, Ammon told the king every story that he knew, everything from the creation Adam up to the present time. The king believed it all, and cried out to the Lord for mercy. I'm sure there was a weeping, and a moaning, and a gnashing of teeth.

Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their father, Lehi, left Jerusalem. 18.36 

And he also rehearsed unto them (for it was unto the king and to his servants) all the journeyings of their fathers in the wilderness, and all their sufferings with hunger and thirst, and their travail, and so forth. 18.37 

And he also rehearsed unto them concerning the rebellions of Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, yea, all their rebellions did he relate unto them; and he expounded unto them all the records and scriptures from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem down to the present time. 18.38 

But this is not all; for he expounded unto them the plan of redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world; and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them. 18.39 

And it came to pass that after he had said all these things, and expounded them to the king, that the king believed all his words. 18.40 

And he began to cry unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, have mercy; according to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people. 18.41

Then the king fell down, as if dead. His servants put him on his bed, and everyone thought he was dead for two days. His family even started to mourn his death (I'm sure Ammon knew that he was okay, though.)

And now, when he had said this, he fell unto the earth, as if he were dead. 18.42 

And it came to pass that his servants took him and carried him in unto his wife, and laid him upon a bed; and he lay as if he were dead for the space of two days and two nights; and his wife, and his sons, and his daughters mourned over him, after the manner of the Lamanites, greatly lamenting his loss. 18.43

 

Every Jot and Tittle: Genesis

In the Every Jot and Tittle project, I am listing all of the Bible's commandments from Genesis to Revelation, in accordance with Jesus's words in Matthew 5:18-19. I have no idea how many commandments I'll find, but Jewish tradition claims there are 613.

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Although Genesis is a part of the Torah, it doesn't contain many commandments. Here are the ones that I could find.

Be fruitful and multiply.

God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply. Genesis 1:28a, 9:1, 9:7, 35:11

This command is given repeatedly by God, and although it may have been meant only for the particular people that God was talking to at the time (Adam and Eve, Noah and his shipmates, and Jacob), many Bible believers consider it a direct command to all humankind. So, for the sake of completeness, I'll include it on the list.

Subdue the earth.

Replenish the earth, and subdue it. Genesis 1:28b

Have dominion over every living thing.

Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:28c

The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Genesis 9:2

Be a vegan.

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. Genesis 1:29

Don't eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:17

The fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, ... lest ye die. Genesis 3:3

Don't touch the tree in the middle of the garden.

The fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not ... touch it, lest ye die. Genesis 2:17

Every man shall become one flesh with his wife.

The LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone ... Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Genesis 2:18-24

Be an omnivore.

Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. Genesis 9:3

Don't eat blood.

But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. Genesis 9:4

It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood. Leviticus 3:17

Ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. Leviticus 7:26-27

And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. ... No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood. ... Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. Leviticus 17:10-14

Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood. Leviticus 19:26

Ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water. Deuteronomy 12:16

Thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water. Deuteronomy 15:23

But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. ... For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood.... Acts 15:20, 28-29

This commandment is presented several times in the Bible, but first in Genesis 9:4. In my official "Jot and Tittle" list, I will assign the commandment number according to its first occurrence. The other passages will then be listed in biblical order.

This commandment is included in Maimonides' list as #192, but it refers only to Leviticus 3:17. No mention is made of Genesis 9:4

Muslims and Jews require the blood to be drained when animals are slaughtered for meat to be considered halal or kosher. It is one of the few things that they seem to agree on.

Most Christians ignore God's first commandment, with the Jehovah's Witnesses being a notable exception. They believe it refers to human blood, and therefore prohibits blood transfusions. (They completely ignore the part about eating fat in Leviticus 3:17.)



Although abstaining from blood is mentioned in Acts 15, it is unclear what is being condemned -- participating in pagan sacrifices, eating blood, or both. It is included here for completeness' sake.

Whoever kills another person must be killed.

Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. Genesis 9:6

He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. Exodus 21:12

If a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. Exodus 21:14

He that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. Leviticus 24:17

He that killeth a man, he shall be put to death. Leviticus 24:21b

Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Numbers 35:30

This commandment seems clear enough. Murders must be executed. But if so, then why wasn't the first murderer executed? God went out of his way to protect Cain from execution by putting some sort of mark on him, so that his parents (the only other people alive at the time) wouldn't kill him. God also said that whoever killed the first killer would be killed seven times over, setting a somewhat dubious precedent for future murder prosecutions. (Genesis 4:8-15)

Circumcise the flesh of your foreskin.

This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. Genesis 17:10

Ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin. Genesis 17:11

My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. Genesis 17:13

Male circumcision is God's "everlasting covenant." Even Jesus was circumcised when he was eight days old (Luke 2:21). But some passages in the New Testament claim that God's everlasting covenant is no longer required. See Is circumcision necessary?

Circumcise boys eight days after their birth.

He that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations. Genesis 17:12

And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Leviticus 12:3

Circumcise your male slaves.

He that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised. Genesis 17:13

Cut off any uncircumcised male.

And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people. Genesis 17:14

Don't eat the sinew on the hollow of the thigh.

And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank. Genesis 32:25-32