Exodus 20:1-3

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:3-6

These two commandments are complementary: one God only to be worshipped, one way only in which to worship him. Consider:— I. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT . 1 . How Israel would understand it . "No foreign god in opposition to me." The natural idea would be that Jehovah was one amongst many deities; that possibly, away from Egypt, some other god might have higher authority (cf. 2 Kings 18:33-35 ). In any case it would be hard to realise that he was more than God of gods; others might... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:3-11

The soul for God only. I. GOD 'S DEMAND . "Thou shalt have no other," etc. All else is emptiness and falsehood. There must be nothing even of our holy things put between the soul and God. His presence must be the soul's life, the very air it breathes. II. How THE DEMAND MAY BE FULFILLED . 1 . By keeping ourselves from idols. Our daily avocations, our interests, affections, pleasures, may lead to our esteeming something our chief good and making it to be instead of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Exodus 20:1-17

The Hebrew name which is rendered in our King James Version as the ten commandments occurs in Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; 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 (e. g. Exodus 16:34; Exodus 25:16),... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Exodus 20:1

Exodus 20:1. God spake all these words The law of the ten commandments is a law of God’s making, and a law of his own speaking. God has many ways of speaking to the children of men: he speaks by his Spirit, his providences, and our own consciences, his voice in all which we ought carefully to attend to: but he never spake at any time, or upon any occasion, as he spake the ten commandments, which therefore we ought to hear with the more earnest heed. This law God had given to man before;... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Exodus 20:2

Exodus 20:2. I am the Lord thy God Herein God asserts his own authority to enact this law; and proposeth himself as the sole object of that religious worship which is enjoined in the four first commandments. They are here bound to obedience. 1st, Because God is the Lord, Jehovah, self-existent, independent, eternal, and the fountain of all being and power; therefore he has an incontestible right to command us. 2d, He was their God; a God in covenant with them; their God by their own... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Exodus 20:3-6

Exodus 20:3-6. The first commandment is concerning the object of our worship, Jehovah, and him only: Thou shalt have no other gods before me The Egyptians, and other neighbouring nations, had many gods, creatures of their own fancy. This law was prefixed because of that transgression; and Jehovah being the God of Israel, they must entirely cleave to him and no other, either of their own invention, or borrowed from their neighbours. The sin against this commandment which we are most... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:1-17

Basic principles of the covenant (20:1-17)The form of the covenant God made with Israel followed a pattern that was common in the ancient world when an overlord made a covenant with his subjects. God introduced himself to his people by declaring his name and status as Yahweh the sovereign Lord, and recounting to his people what he had graciously done for them. He reminded them that their God was living and active, and that the words they were about to hear were a revelation direct from him... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Exodus 20:1

God spake . Hebrew. Elohim : hence of universal application. Compare Hebrews 1:0 .Deuteronomy 4:12 .Hebrews 12:26 ; Not Jehovah, for this title would have limited the law to Israel. See App-4 , and note on Exodus 6:2 . all these words . It has been asserted that there are three strata of laws in the Pentateuch (1) The Prophetic code. Exodus. 20-23 and Exodus 34:17-20 . (2) The Priest code. Rest of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. (3) The Deuteronomy code. But the Structures of these books,... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Exodus 20:2

I am , &c. = "I, Jehovah [am] thy God (Hebrew. Elohim) . " App-4 . the LORD (Hebrew. Jehovah. thy God. This must go with Com. I, or we should not have the five repetitions of it in the first five. read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Exodus 20:3

before Me = before My face. read more

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