I am the Lord thy God ,.... This is the preface to the ten commandments, and is the same with that in Exodus 20:2 ; see Gill on Exodus 20:2 , and those commands are here delivered in the same order, and pretty near in the same words, with a little variation, and a few additions; which I shall only observe, and refer to Exodus 20:1 for the sense of the various laws. read more
The Decalogue. Moses here recalls the Sinaitic covenant, and wishes the Israelites to remember that, though given to their fathers primarily, it was also applicable to them. They were in many cases present as children then, and they were represented by their parents. Moses speaks with authority as having been mediator ( Deuteronomy 5:5 ) on the occasion. There are the following lessons to be learned from the Decalogue as here given:— I. THE COVENANT IS BASED UPON A ... read more
Reminiscences of Horeb. I. THE COVENANT . ( Deuteronomy 5:2 , Deuteronomy 5:3 .) 1. Proposed by God ( Exodus 19:3-7 ). 2. Accepted by the people ( Exodus 24:7 ). 3. Entailed obligations on subsequent generations (cf. Deuteronomy 6:2 ). In this covenant, formally ratified by sacrifice ( Exodus 24:6 , Exodus 24:7 ), Israel The new covenant in Christ, while in many respects different from, and superior to, that of Horeb, yet resembles it in several of these... read more
The Divine plan for the conduct of our life on earth. Had we been left in ignorance what the Divine intention in human life was, it had been a calamity indeed. Waste and failure must have been the disastrous result. For every honest-minded man, ample direction from the Supreme Source of authority is supplied. The most cogent argument is not always the most convincing. God might here have prefaced his ten words with a proper assertion of his indisputable sovereignty. But he prefers to... read more
FIRST TABLE OF THE LAW praecepta pietatis . read more
Repetition of the Ten Commandments . On these, as the basis of the covenant, the whole legislation rests, and therefore a rehearsal of them is a fitting introduction to a repetition and enforcement of the laws of the theocracy. Some differences appear between the statement of the "ten words," as given here and as given in Exodus 20:1-26 . It is chiefly in the fourth commandment that these are to be found. It begins here with "remember" for "keep;" reference is made to the command of God... read more
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; literally, Thou shalt not take [or lift ] up the Name of Jehovah thy God to vanity . This commandment forbids not only all false swearing by the Name of God, but all profanation of that Name by an irreverent or light use of it (Le Deuteronomy 19:12 ). read more
The third commandment. Reverent regard for the Divine Name. The "Name" of God is the form of speech for God himself. "To take" the Name of God means "to take it up"—to use it in any way, which may be done either by speaking to him, of him, for him, or against him. "To take up this Name in vain" means to take it up falsely or vainly. And inasmuch as it has been so grievously common to use the Name of God profanely in oaths, this third commandment has come to be regarded chiefly as a... read more
Compare Exodus 20:0 and notes.Moses here adopts the Ten Words as a ground from which he may proceed to reprove, warn, and exhort; and repeats them, with a certain measure of freedom and adaptation. Our Lord Mark 10:19 and Paul Ephesians 6:2-3 deal similarly with the same subject. Speaker and hearers recognized, however, a statutory and authoritative form of the laws in question, which, because it was familiar to both parties, needed not to be reproduced with verbal fidelity.Deuteronomy... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 5:6-22
Here is the repetition of the ten commandments, in which observe, 1. Though they had been spoken before, and written, yet they are again rehearsed; for precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, and all little enough to keep the word of God in our minds and to preserve and renew the impressions of it. We have need to have the same things often inculcated upon us. See Phil. 3:1. 2. There is some variation here from that record (Exod. 20:1-26), as there is between the Lord's prayer as it... read more