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John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 20:1-26

The Ten Commandments (vv. 1-21)Exodus 20-23, containing (1) the Decalogue (Gk. = ’Ten Words’ or ’Commandments’) and (2) a code of laws regulating the religious and social life of the people, and called the Book of the Covenant (see Exodus 24:7), form perhaps the most important part of the Pentateuch. It is the nucleus of the entire Mosaic legislation, and in all probability existed for long as a separate document.1-17. The Decalogue. In chapter Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13 this is called the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Exodus 20:7

(7) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.—The Hebrew is ambiguous, as is to some extent the English translation. Most modern critics regard the phrase used as forbidding false swearing only; but some think that it forbids also “profane” or “vain swearing.” Our Lord’s comment in the Sermon on the Mount favours the view that false swearing alone was actually forbidden by the Law, since He proceeds to condemn profane swearing on His own authority: “But I say unto you” (Matthew... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Exodus 20:1-26

Exodus 20:1 'We have had thirty years of unexampled clerical activity among us,' said Froude to the St. Andrews' students in 1869. 'Churches have been doubled; theological books, magazines, reviews, newspapers have been passed out by the hundreds of thousands; while by the side of it there has sprung up an equally astonishing development of moral dishonesty.... We have false weights, false measures, cheating and shoddy everywhere. Yet the clergy have seen all this grow up in absolute... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:1-17

CHAPTER XX.THE LAW.Exodus 20:1-17.We have now reached that great event, one of the most momentous in all history, the giving of the Ten Commandments. And it is necessary to consider what was the meaning of this event, what part were they designed to play in the religious development of mankind.1. St. Paul tells us plainly what they did not effect. By the works of the law could no flesh be justified: to the father of the Hebrew race faith was reckoned instead of righteousness; the first of their... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:7

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT."Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."-- Exodus 20:7.What is the precise force of this prohibition? The word used is ambiguous: sometimes it must be rendered as here, as in the verses "Vain is the help of man," and "Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but vain that build it" (Psalms 108:12, Psalms 127:1). But sometimes it clearly means false, as in the texts "Thou shalt not raise a false report," and "swearing falsely in making a covenant"... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Exodus 20:1-26

CHAPTER 20 The Covenant Revealed 1. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17 ) 2. Jehovah’s gracious provision (Exodus 20:18-26 ) This law covenant is now stated. It was given three times. First orally here, when God spake all these words. Then in Exodus 31:0 Moses received the tables of stone, “written with the finger of God,” the same finger which later wrote on earth in the sand (John 8:0 ). The first tables were broken and Moses was commanded to hew two tables of stone upon which Jehovah... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Exodus 20:7

20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in {f} vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.(f) Either by swearing falsely or rashly by his Name, or by condemning it. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 20:1-26

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (vs.1-17) Before God gives the ten commandments, He makes is abundantly clear that Israel's obedience to law had nothing to do with God's previous grace toward them in delivering them from the bondage of Egypt, just as today obedience to law has no part in the salvation of souls out from the bondage of sin. Yet Israel must not regard these laws as merely abstract principles, but laws of "the Lord thy God," indicating another relationship to God on the basis of their... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:1-11

THE FIRST TABLE OF THE LAW We have reached the most remarkable event in the history of Israel until this time, and one of the most remarkable in the history of the world. While it primarily refers to Israel, still it affects the whole race for time and eternity, since the moral law is the expression of God’s will, the reflection of His nature, and the immutable standard of right for His accountable creatures everywhere, always. (These remarks apply to the ten commandments. The special... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Exodus 20:1-26

The Commandments Exodus 19-20 We cannot get rid of Sinai in human education. If we persuade ourselves by some false reasoning that the things recorded in these chapters did not literally happen, we are playing the fool with ourselves. God could only come to us at the first by the letter. He touches us by infinite accommodations of his own nature and by a gracious study of our own. This is the plague of the imperfect reason, that it will quibble about the incident, the wrappage, and decoration... read more

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