Exodus 20:3-11 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 20:1-11

Here is, I. The preface of the law-writer, Moses: God spoke all these words, Exod. 20:1. The law of the ten commandments is, 1. A law of God's making. They are enjoined by the infinite eternal Majesty of heaven and earth. And where the word of the King of kings is surely there is power. 2. It is a law of his own speaking. God has many ways of speaking to the children of men (Job 33:14); once, yea twice?by his Spirit, by conscience, by providences, by his voice, all which we ought carefully to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:3

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. This is the first command, and is opposed to the polytheism of the Gentiles, the Egyptians, from whom Israel was just come, and whose gods some of them might have had a favourable opinion of and liking to, and had committed idolatry with; and the Canaanites, into whose land they were going; and to prevent their joining with them in the worship of other gods, this law was given, as well as to be of standing us to them in all generations; for there is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:4

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image ,.... An image of anything graven by art or man's device, cut out of wood of stone, and so anything that was molten, or cast into a mould or form, engraved by men, and this in order to be worshipped; for otherwise images of things might be made for other uses and purposes, as the cherubim over the mercy seat, and the brazen serpent, and images and impressions on coin, which we do not find the Jews themselves scrupled to make use of in Christ's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:5

Thou shall not bow down thyself to them ,.... Perform any worship to them, show any reverence of them by any gesture of the body; one being mentioned, bowing the body, and put for all others, as prostration of it to the earth, bending the knee, kissing the hand, lifting up of hands or eyes to them, or by any outward action expressing a religious esteem of them, as if there was divinity in them: nor serve them ; in a religious manner, internally or externally, by offering sacrifice and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:6

And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me ,.... And show their love by worshipping God, and him only, by serving him acceptably with reverence and godly fear, by a cheerful obedience to all his commands, by all religious exercises, both internal and external, as follows: and keep my commandments ; not only this, but all others; for keeping these from right principles, and with right views, is an instance and evidence of love to God, see John 14:15 and to such persons he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:7

Thou shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain ,.... Make use of the name Lord or God, or any other name and epithet of the divine Being, in a light and trifling way, without any show of reverence of him, and affection to him; whereas the name of God ought never to be mentioned but in a grave and serious manner, and with an awe of the greatness of his majesty upon the mind. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan restrain this to swearing by the name of the Lord; and so the Jewish writers... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:8

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. By abstaining from all servile work and business, and from all pleasures and recreations lawful on other days, and by spending it in religious exercises, both internal and external. This the Israelites are bid to "remember", by observing it in such a manner, because this command had been given them before at the first time the manna was rained about their tents, Exodus 16:23 and because it was a command of positive institution, and not a part of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:9

Six days shalt thou labour ,.... This is not to be taken for a precept, but a permission; not as a command enjoining men to work and labour with their hands, to provide for themselves and families things useful and necessary, and honest in the sight of God; but as a grant and allowance of so many days to employ themselves in, for their own profit and advantage, and that of their families; the Lord only reserving one day out of seven for his service, which ought to be looked upon as a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:10

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God ,.... Not which he rested on, and ceased from the works of creation in, though he did rest on the seventh day of the creation, and so on every other day since, as well as that; nor does it appear, nor can it be proved, that this day appointed to the Jews as a sabbath was the seventh day of the week from the creation of the world; but was either the seventh day of the week from their coming out of Egypt, or from the raining of the manna:... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:11

For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea , and all that in them is , &c.; And of which six days, and of the several things made in each of them, see the notes on the first chapter of Genesis: and resteth the seventh day : which does not suppose labour, attended with weariness and fatigue; for the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary, Isaiah 40:28 nor ease and refreshment from it, but only a cessation from the works of creation, they... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 20:1-11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:11

Group of Brands