Albert Barnes Commentary Exodus 20

The Hebrew name which is rendered in our King James Version as the Ten Commandments occurs in Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; and Deuteronomy 10:4. It literally means “the Ten Words.” The Ten Commandments are also called the Law, even the Commandment (Exodus 24:12), the words of the covenant (Exodus 34:28), the tables of the covenant (Deuteronomy 9:9), the covenant (Deuteronomy 4:13), the two tables (Deuteronomy 9:10, Deuteronomy 9:17), and, most frequently, the testimony (for example, Exodus 16:34; Exodus 25:16), or the two tables of the testimony (for example, Exodus 31:18). In the New Testament they are called simply the commandments (for example, Matthew 19:17). The name Decalogue is found first in Clement of Alexandria and was commonly used by the Fathers who followed him.

Thus we know that the tables were two, and that the commandments were ten in number. But the Scriptures do not, by any direct statements, enable us to determine with precision how the Ten Commandments are individually to be distinguished, nor how they are to be distributed between the Two Tables. On each of these points, various opinions have been held .

Of the Words of Yahweh engraved on the tablets of stone, we have two distinct statements, one in Exodus (Exodus 20:1–17) and one in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 5:7–21), apparently of equal authority, but differing principally from each other in the fourth, the fifth, and the tenth commandments.

It has been supposed that the original commandments were all in the same terse and simple form of expression as appears (both in Exodus and Deuteronomy) in the first, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth—such as would be most suitable for recollection—and that the passages in each copy in which the most important variations are found were comments added when the books were written.

The account of their delivery in Exodus 19 and in Exodus 20:18-21 is in accordance with their importance as the recognized basis of the covenant between Yahweh and His ancient people (Exodus 34:27–28; Deuteronomy 4:13; 1 Kings 8:21, and others), and as the divine testimony against the sinful tendencies in man for all ages. While it is said here that God spake all these words, and in Deuteronomy 5:4, that He talked face to face, in the New Testament the giving of the law is spoken of as having been through the ministry of angels (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2). We can reconcile these contrasts of language by keeping in mind that God is a Spirit, and that He is essentially present in the agents who are performing His will.

Exodus 20:2: Which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. It has been asked: Why, on this occasion, was the Lord not proclaimed as “the Creator of Heaven and Earth”? The answer is, because the Ten Commandments were at this time addressed by Yahweh not merely to human beings, but to the people whom He had redeemed, to those who had been in bondage but were now free people (Exodus 6:6–7; Exodus 19:5). The commandments are expressed in absolute terms. They are not sanctioned by outward penalties, as if for slaves, but are addressed at once to the conscience, as for free people. The well-being of the nation called for the infliction of penalties, and therefore statutes were passed to punish offenders who blasphemed the name of Yahweh, who profaned the Sabbath, or who committed murder or adultery (see Leviticus 18:24-30 note). But these penal statutes were not to be the ground of obedience for the true Israelite according to the covenant.

He was to know Yahweh as his Redeemer and was to obey Him as such .

Exodus 20:3: Before me. This literally means “before my face.” The meaning is that no god should be worshipped in addition to Yahweh . The polytheism that was the besetting sin of the Israelites did not in later times exclude Yahweh, but associated Him with false deities (Compare the original text of 1 Samuel 2:25).

Exodus 20:4: Graven image. Any sort of image is intended here. As the first commandment forbids the worship of any false god, seen or unseen, this commandment forbids worshipping an image of any sort, whether the figure of a false deity (Joshua 23:7) or one in any way symbolic of Yahweh . The spiritual acts of worship were symbolized in the furniture and ritual of the tabernacle and the altar, and for this purpose the forms of living things might be employed, as in the case of the Cherubim (see note on Exodus 25:18). However, the presence of the invisible God was to be marked by no symbol of Himself, but by His words written on stone, preserved in the ark in the Holy of Holies, and covered by the mercy seat. The ancient Persians and the earliest legislators of Rome also agreed in repudiating images of the Deity.

A jealous God (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 6:15; Joshua 24:19; Isaiah 42:8; Isaiah 48:11; Nahum 1:2). This reason applies to the First, as well as to the second commandment. The truth expressed in it was declared more fully to Moses when the name of Yahweh was proclaimed to him after he had interceded for Israel on account of the golden calf (Exodus 34:6–7; see the note).

Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children (Exodus 20:5; Jeremiah 32:18). Sons and remote descendants inherit the consequences of their fathers’ sins, in disease, poverty, captivity, with all the influences of bad example and harmful associations (Lamentations 5:7 and following).

The “inherited curse” often seems to fall most heavily on the least guilty persons. However, such suffering must always be free from the sting of conscience; it is not like the visitation for sin on the individual by whom the sin has been committed.

The suffering, or loss of advantages, entailed on the unoffending child is a condition under which that child has to carry on the struggle of life. Like all other inevitable conditions imposed upon people, it cannot tend to their ultimate disadvantage if they struggle well and persevere to the end. The principle regulating the administration of justice by earthly tribunals (Deuteronomy 24:16) is carried out in spiritual matters by the Supreme Judge.

Exodus 20:6: Unto thousands—meaning, unto the thousandth generation. Yahweh’s visitations of chastisement extend to the third and fourth generation, His visitations of mercy to the thousandth; that is, forever. That this is the true interpretation seems to follow from Deuteronomy 7:9 (Compare 2 Samuel 7:15–16).

Regarding Exodus 20:7 (the third commandment): our translators interpret it as referring to any profane and idle utterance of God’s name. Others give it the sense, “You shall not swear falsely by the name of Jehovah your God.” The Hebrew word that corresponds to “in vain” can be translated either way. The two abuses of the sacred name seem to be distinguished in Leviticus 19:12 . Our King James Version is probably right in providing the more inclusive interpretation. The caution that a breach of this commandment incurs guilt in the eyes of Yahweh is especially appropriate, due to how easily people are tempted to take God’s name “in vain” in their daily conversation with each other.

Exodus 20:8: Remember the sabbath day. There is no distinct evidence that the Sabbath, as a formal ordinance, was recognized before the time of Moses (Ezekiel 20:10–12; Deuteronomy 5:15). The word “remember” may either be used in the sense of “keep in mind” what is commanded here for the first time, or it may refer back to what is related in Exodus 16:22-26.

Exodus 20:10: The sabbath... It is to be a Sabbath to Yahweh thy God. The proper meaning of “sabbath” is “rest after labor” .

Thy stranger that is within thy gates (Exodus 20:10). This does not mean a “stranger” in the sense of an unknown person, but a “lodger” or “sojourner.” In this place, it denotes one who had come from another people to settle permanently among the Israelites, and who might have been well known to their neighbors. That the word did not primarily refer to foreign domestic servants (though all such were included under it) is to be inferred from the term used for “gates,” signifying not the doors of a private dwelling, but the gates of a town or camp.

Exodus 20:12: Honour thy father and thy mother. According to our usage, the fifth commandment is placed as the first in the Second Table; this is necessarily involved in the common division of the commandments into our duty toward God and our duty toward others. However, the more ancient, and probably the better, division allots five commandments to each table , proceeding on the distinction that the First Table relates to the duties that arise from our filial relations, and the second to those that arise from our fraternal relations.

The connection between the first four commandments and the fifth lies in the truth that all faith in God centers on the filial feeling. Our parents stand between us and God in a way that no other beings can. For the maintenance of parental authority, see Exodus 21:15, Exodus 21:17; Deuteronomy 21:18–21.

That thy days may be long upon the land (Exodus 20:12). Filial respect is the ground of national permanence (Matthew 15:4–6; Mark 7:10–11). The divine words were addressed emphatically to Israel, but they set forth a universal principle of national life (Ephesians 6:2).

Regarding Exodus 20:13-14, Matthew 5:21–32 is the best commentary on these two verses.

Regarding Exodus 20:15 (the eighth commandment), the right to property is sanctioned by an external rule; its deeper meaning is involved in the tenth commandment.

Regarding Exodus 20:17 (the tenth commandment): As the sixth, seventh, and eighth commandments forbid us to injure our neighbor in deed, the ninth forbids us to injure our neighbor in word, and the tenth, in thought. No human eye can see the coveting heart; it is witnessed only by the one who possesses it and by Him to whom all things are naked and open (Luke 12:15–21). But it is the root of all sins of word or deed against our neighbor (James 1:14–15).

Compare with Deuteronomy 5:22-31. Aaron (Exodus 19:24) on this occasion accompanied Moses in drawing near to the thick darkness.

Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33 is a series of laws which we may identify with what was written by Moses in the book called the book of the covenant, and read by him in the hearing of the people (Exodus 24:7).

The document cannot be regarded as a strictly systematic whole. Portions of it were probably traditional rules handed down from the patriarchs and retained by the Israelites in Egypt.

Nothing could be more appropriate as the commencement of the book of the covenant than these regulations for public worship. The rules for the building of altars must have been old and accepted, and are not inconsistent with the directions for the construction of the altar of the court of the tabernacle (Exodus 27:1–8) .