Exodus chapter 20
English Standard Version
4"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
8"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
18Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die." 20Moses said to the people, "Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin." 21The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
22And the Lord said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. 23You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. 24An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. 25If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it. 26And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’
New International Version
4"You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
8"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
18When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."
22Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.
24" ‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. 25If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. 26And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’
New American Standard Bible
4You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. 5You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6but showing favor to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
8Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9For six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your cattle, or your resident who stays with you. 11For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; for that reason the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
18And all the people were watching and hearing the thunder and the lightning flashes, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it all, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19Then they said to Moses, 'Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but do not have God speak to us, or we will die!' 20However, Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you will not sin.' 21So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
22Then the Lord said to Moses, 'This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. 23You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves. 24You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. 25And if you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your chisel on it, you will profane it. 26And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’
Christian Standard Bible
3Do not have other gods besides me. 4Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. 5Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ iniquity, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me,
7Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses his name. 8Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: 9You are to labor six days and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates.
16Do not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
18All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance. 19"You speak to us, and we will listen," they said to Moses, "but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die."
20Moses responded to the people, "Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear him and will not sin." 21And the people remained standing at a distance as Moses approached the total darkness where God was.
22Then the Lord told Moses, "This is what you are to say to the Israelites: You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. 23Do not make gods of silver to rival me; do not make gods of gold for yourselves.
24"Make an earthen altar for me, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your flocks and herds. I will come to you and bless you in every place where I cause my name to be remembered. 25If you make a stone altar for me, do not build it out of cut stones. If you use your chisel on it, you will defile it. 26Do not go up to my altar on steps, so that your nakedness is not exposed on it.
New Living Translation
4You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected — even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.
8Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.
22And the Lord said to Moses, 'Say this to the people of Israel: You saw for yourselves that I spoke to you from heaven. 23Remember, you must not make any idols of silver or gold to rival me.
24Build for me an altar made of earth, and offer your sacrifices to me — your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats, and your cattle. Build my altar wherever I cause my name to be remembered, and I will come to you and bless you. 25If you use stones to build my altar, use only natural, uncut stones. Do not shape the stones with a tool, for that would make the altar unfit for holy use. 26And do not approach my altar by going up steps. If you do, someone might look up under your clothing and see your nakedness.
King James Version
4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
18And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
24An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. 25And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 26Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
New King James Version
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You shall not murder. 14 “You shall not commit adultery. 15 “You shall not steal. 16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
18Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”
20And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” 21So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.
22Then the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘You have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. 24An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you. 25And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. 26Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’
What does Exodus chapter 20 mean?
When God first called Moses (Exodus 3:4–6), the Lord predicted that the nation of Israel would arrive at Mount Sinai (Exodus 3:12), also called Horeb or the "mountain of God" (Exodus 3:1). Now that the people have arrived (Exodus 19:1–2), God will give them the laws of His covenant (Exodus 19:5–6). The first of these are the Ten Commandments, which establish the principles grounding the rest of the laws of Israel. God's declaration of these rules begins with a reminder of His work in freeing Israel from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 20:1–2).The first commandment establishes exclusive worship of the One True God. In this context, the word translated as "before" refers to being in God's presence, or in His sight. Israel is to have no other deities "besides" the One who calls Himself "the Lord" (Exodus 3:15). No other deities exist (Isaiah 45:5). God alone is the Creator (Genesis 1:1). This is the absolute cornerstone of all understanding (Proverbs 1:7). Worship of any other being is absolutely forbidden (Exodus 20:2–3).
The second commandment forbids all idols. This includes crafting them or using them. The words here refer to something "carved" or "engraved." The prohibition is absolute: no images of any kind, representing anything, may be venerated, prayed to, or worshipped. This does not exempt well-meaning representations of God or His people. Nor does God excuse those who practice this idolatry because of tradition. Each generation is responsible for obedience to these commandments, no matter what their parents might have taught (Exodus 20:4–6).
The third commandment prohibits disrespecting the Lord's name or reputation. To "take God's name in vain" is much broader than using words like "God" as expletives. The original language refers to making an oath in the name of the Lord and failing to honor it. But this also includes claiming to honor or represent God while slandering His character. It includes perverting His holiness or nature to cover up or legitimize sin. Associating with or speaking of the Lord both demand reverence (Exodus 20:7).
The fourth commandment requires Israel to honor a day of rest after six days of work. This echoes the Lord's example of ceasing His creative work after six "days" (Genesis 2:1–3). This is one of many laws distinguishing Israel from other nations (Deuteronomy 14:2; Leviticus 20:26). Despite many misunderstandings, the Sabbath has not changed. It applies to the nation of Israel under the old covenant. It begins on Friday at sundown and ends Saturday at sundown. The Sabbath is set aside for rest, not acts of worship. It was meant for man's benefit, not for legalism (Mark 2:27). Under the Mosaic covenant, Israel is to strictly enforce this for both people and animals (Exodus 20:8–11).
The fifth commandment obligates respect for one's parents. This usually includes obedience (Colossians 3:20), but not robotic compliance (Acts 5:29). Nor are children subservient for their entire lives (Genesis 2:24; Mark 10:7). But sons and daughters are expected to treat their parents with deference and care. They should learn from prior generations about God and His works (Psalm 34:11; 78:4). Culture collapses into chaos when younger generations snub those who raised them (Exodus 20:12).
The sixth commandment uses a Hebrew term, ratsach, which here means illicit killing. Predatory, negligent, or unreasonable homicide is forbidden. This does not forbid every possible circumstance of ending a life (Genesis 9:3, 6; Exodus 22:2; 29:38; Numbers 10:9). In modern English, this is best phrased as "do not murder." Covenant law will include ways to separate accidents from acts of illegal manslaughter (Numbers 35:11–12; Deuteronomy 4:41–43). As Christ will explain (Matthew 5:21–22), God intends this law to include hateful thoughts, as well (Exodus 20:13).
The seventh commandment prohibits adultery. The term used here specifically applies to breaking a marriage covenant's boundaries of sexual contact. Unmarried sexual contact is typically labeled "fornication" or simply "sexual immorality." Those sins will be addressed in other parts of Scripture (Exodus 22:16; Deuteronomy 22:28–29; Corinthians 5:1; 7:2). Families are the basic unit of any civilization; marriage is the core of the family. Taking sex outside of that designed relationship (Genesis 1:27–28; 2:24–25) is harmful. As with murder, Jesus will clarify that this idea applies to thoughts as well as actions (Matthew 5:27–28). Adultery is also used as a metaphor for idolatry (Jeremiah 3:1–18; Hosea 4:12) since it violates a covenant relationship (Exodus 20:14).
The eighth commandment outlaws theft. This means taking anything to which a person is not entitled. It can also include denying others what they are owed (Exodus 23:6; Proverbs 22:22; Isaiah 10:1–2; Ezekiel 22:29; Malachi 3:8). Serious offenses—such as kidnapping slaves (Exodus 21:16)—were subject to the death penalty (Exodus 20:15).
The ninth commandment is much broader, and more nuanced, than its common summary of "do not lie." The literal Hebrew phrasing here refers to perjury: lying during an official legal proceeding. God shows an overwhelming preference for honesty and a distaste for deceit (Leviticus 19:11; Numbers 23:19; Psalm 5:6; 101:7). So, this law applies beyond the courtroom. Yet some forms of deception seem legitimate, such as camouflage or feints during war. Sports often include an effort to mislead an opponent. Some biblical events, while not endorsing deception, demonstrate positive outcomes of good-faith applications of deception (Exodus 1:16–21; Joshua 2:4–14; 1 Samuel 21:13). Despite those debates, God's people are clearly intended to be truthful; very few of our untruths are applied in good faith (Exodus 20:16).
The tenth commandment forbids all forms of coveting. To "covet" implies an inappropriately intense craving, or desire for something forbidden. Simple wishes, attractions, approvals, or interests are not covetous. They become sins when their object is off-limits, or when the desire interferes with obedience to the Lord. This is the same principle separating attraction from lust and hunger from gluttony. Wrong priority of desire makes covetousness like idolatry (Colossians 3:5). In this way, the Ten Commandments start and end with God's supremacy (Exodus 20:17).
Critics often complain that the Ten Commandments fail to explicitly mention certain moral sins. A common example is rape. However, these first ten laws establish the basis for all the others. Sexual assault involves a level of hatred (Exodus 20:13), heinous theft (Exodus 20:15), and disordered desires (Exodus 20:17). This applies to other moral crimes. Fraud, for instance, would be considered both lying and stealing (Leviticus 6:1–3; Deuteronomy 25:15; Job 24:2–4; James 5:4). Christ's teaching in the New Testament shows how these principles apply well beyond their literal words (e.g., Matthew 5—7).
Mount Sinai was a terrifying spectacle (Exodus 19:16–20). The people react appropriately by accepting Moses as God's designated spokesman. This "fear" is a natural response to God's awesome power (Proverbs 1:7). Moses immediately reassures the people. God isn't trying to inspire terror. Rather, He is giving the people a chance to show that they will obey His laws (Exodus 20:18–21).
The first laws of the Mosaic covenant after the Ten Commandments regard how to construct altars. Later, the Lord will describe a single altar for use in the tabernacle (Exodus 27:1–8). Until then, the people will know the right process. Altars are to be made of natural materials: dirt and unmodified stones. The emphasis is to be on worship of God, not celebrating human skill. These altars must also be accessible without steps or stairs. This not only limits their size, but it also prevents worshippers from exposing the underside of their robes to others (Exodus 20:22–26).
The next several chapters of Exodus will add details to the Ten Commandments and rules for a variety of subjects. These regulations make up most of the rest of the book.
