51 And Moses calleth unto all Israel, and saith unto them, 'Hear, Israel, the statutes and the judgments which I am speaking in your ears to-day, and ye have learned them, and have observed to do them. 2 Jehovah our God made with us a covenant in Horeb; 3 not with our fathers hath Jehovah made this covenant, but with us; we—these—here to-day—all of us alive. 4 Face to face hath Jehovah spoken with you, in the mount, out of the midst of the fire; 5 I am standing between Jehovah and you, at that time, to declare to you the word of Jehovah, for ye have been afraid from the presence of the fire, and ye have not gone up into the mount; saying:
6 'I Jehovah 'am' thy God, who hath brought thee out from the land of Egypt, from a house of servants. 7 'Thou hast no other gods in My presence. 8 'Thou dost not make to thee a graven image, any similitude which 'is' in the heavens above, and which 'is' in the earth beneath, and which 'is' in the waters under the earth; 9 thou dost not bow thyself to them nor serve them, for I Jehovah thy God 'am' a zealous God, charging iniquity of fathers on children, and on a third 'generation', and on a fourth, to those hating Me; 10 and doing kindness to thousands, to those loving Me, and to those keeping My commands. 11 'Thou dost not take up the Name of Jehovah thy God for a vain thing, for Jehovah doth not acquit him who taketh up His Name for a vain thing. 12 'Observe the day of the sabbath—to sanctify it, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee; 13 six days thou dost labour, and hast done all thy work, 14 and the seventh day 'is' a sabbath to Jehovah thy God; thou dost not do any work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy handmaid, and thine ox, and thine ass, and all thy cattle, and thy sojourner who 'is' within thy gates; so that thy man-servant, and thy handmaid doth rest like thyself; 15 and thou hast remembered that a servant thou hast been in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God is bringing thee out thence by a strong hand, and by a stretched-out arm; therefore hath Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the day of the sabbath. 16 'Honour thy father and thy mother, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee, so that thy days are prolonged, and so that it is well with thee, on the ground which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee. 17 'Thou dost not murder. 18 'Thou dost not commit adultery. 19 'Thou dost not steal. 20 'Thou dost not answer against thy neighbour—a false testimony. 21 'Thou dost not desire thy neighbour's wife; nor dost thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, and his man-servant, and his handmaid, his ox, and his ass, and anything which 'is' thy neighbour's.
22 'These words hath Jehovah spoken unto all your assembly, in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness—a great voice; and He hath not added, and He writeth them on two tables of stone, and giveth them unto me.
23 'And it cometh to pass as ye hear the voice out of the midst of the darkness, and of the mountain burning with fire, that ye come near unto me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders, 24 and say, Lo, Jehovah our God hath shewed us His honour, and His greatness; and His voice we have heard out of the midst of the fire; this day we have seen that God doth speak with man—and he hath lived. 25 'And, now, why do we die? for consume us doth this great fire—if we add to hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more—then we have died. 26 For who of all flesh 'is' he who hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire like us—and doth live? 27 Draw near thou, and hear all that which Jehovah our God saith, and thou, thou dost speak unto us all that which Jehovah our God speaketh unto thee, and we have hearkened, and done it. 28 'And Jehovah heareth the voice of your words, in your speaking unto me, and Jehovah saith unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee; they have done well 'in' all that they have spoken. 29 O that their heart had been thus to them, to fear Me, and to keep My commands all the days, that it may be well with them, and with their sons—to the age!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:1-29
Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:1-5
(Read Deuteronomy 5:1-5)
Moses demands attention. When we hear the word of God we must learn it; and what we have learned we must put in practice, for that is the end of hearing and learning; not to fill our heads with notions, or our mouths with talk, but to direct our affections and conduct.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:6-22
(Read Deuteronomy 5:6-22)
There is some variation here from Luke 11. It is more necessary that we tie ourselves to the things, than to the words unalterably. The original reason for hallowing the sabbath, taken from God's resting from the work of creation on the seventh day, is not here mentioned. Though this ever remains in force, it is not the only reason. Here it is taken from Israel's deliverance out of Egypt; for that was typical of our redemption by Jesus Christ, in remembrance of which the Christian sabbath was to be observed. In the resurrection of Christ we were brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God, with a mighty hand, and an outstretched arm. How sweet is it to a soul truly distressed under the terrors of a broken law, to hear the mild and soul-reviving language of the gospel!
Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:23-33
(Read Deuteronomy 5:23-33)
Moses refers to the consternation caused by the terror with which the law was given. God's appearances have always been terrible to man, ever since the fall; but Christ, having taken away sin, invites us to come boldly to the throne of grace. They were in a good mind, under the strong convictions of the word they heard. Many have their consciences startled by the law who have them not purified; fair promises are extorted from them, but no good principles are fixed and rooted in them. God commended what they said. He desires the welfare and salvation of poor sinners. He has given abundant proof that he does so; he gives us time and space to repent. He has sent his Son to redeem us, promised his Spirit to those who pray for him, and has declared that he has no pleasure in the ruin of sinners. It would be well with many, if there were always such a heart in them, as there seems to be sometimes; when they are under conviction of sin, or the rebukes of providence, or when they come to look death in the face. The only way to be happy, is to be holy. Say to the righteous, It shall be well with them. Let believers make it more and more their study and delight, to do as the Lord God hath commanded.