Chapter 5

 

LITV

Deu 5:1  And Moses called to all Israel and said to them, Hear, Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears today. And you shall learn them, and shall take heed to do them. 

Deu 5:2  Jehovah your God cut a covenant with us in Horeb. 

Deu 5:3  Jehovah did not cut this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, these here today, all of us alive. 

Deu 5:4  Jehovah talked with you face to face in the mountain out of the midst of the fire. 

Deu 5:5  I stood between Jehovah and you at that time to declare to you the Word of Jehovah; for you were afraid from the face of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain, when He spoke, saying: 

Deu 5:6  I am Jehovah your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 

Deu 5:7  You shall have no other gods before Me. 

Deu 5:8  You shall not make a graven image for you, any likeness of anything in the heavens above, or in the earth beneath, and in the waters from under the earth. 

Deu 5:9  You shall not bow yourself to them nor serve them, for I, Jehovah your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of fathers on sons, and on the third, and on the fourth generation of those that hate Me, 

Deu 5:10  and doing kindness to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments. 

Deu 5:11  You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. 

Deu 5:12  Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Jehovah your God has commanded you. 

Deu 5:13  Six days you shall labor, and shall do all your work, 

Deu 5:14  and the seventh day shall be a sabbath to Jehovah your God. You shall not do any work, you nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male slave, nor your female slave, nor your ox, nor your ass, nor any of your livestock, nor your stranger that is within your gates; so that your male slave and your female slave may rest like yourself. 

Deu 5:15  And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm. On account of this Jehovah your God has commanded you to keep the sabbath day. 

Deu 5:16  Honor your father and your mother, as Jehovah your God has commanded you, so that your days may be prolonged, and so that it may be well with you in the land which Jehovah your God is giving to you. 

Deu 5:17  You shall not commit murder. 

Deu 5:18  And you shall not commit adultery. 

Deu 5:19  And you shall not steal. 

Deu 5:20  And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 

Deu 5:21  You shall not lust after your neighbor's wife; nor shall you covet your neighbor's house, his field, nor his male slave, nor his female slave, his ox, nor his ass, nor anything which is your neighbor's. 

Deu 5:22  Jehovah spoke these Words to all your assembly on the Mount, out of the midst of the fire of the cloud and out of the thick darkness with a great voice. And He added no

 

more; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone, and gave them to me. 

Deu 5:23  And it happened, when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain burned with fire, you came near to me, all the rulers of your tribes, and your elders, 

Deu 5:24  and you said, Behold! Jehovah your God has made us see His glory and His greatness to us, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen today that God speaks with man, and he lives. 

Deu 5:25  And then why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of Jehovah your God any more, then we shall die. 

Deu 5:26  For who of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and has lived? 

Deu 5:27  You go near and hear all that Jehovah our God may say, and you shall speak to us all that Jehovah our God may speak to you. And we will hear it and do it. 

Deu 5:28  And Jehovah heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me. And Jehovah said to me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken to you; they have well said all that they have spoken. 

Deu 5:29  Would that this heart of theirs would be like this always, to fear Me, and to keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their sons forever. 

Deu 5:30  Go say to them, Return to your tents. 

Deu 5:31  But as for you, you stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments and the statutes and the ordinances which you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land which I am giving to them, to possess it. 

Deu 5:32  And you shall be careful to do as Jehovah your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or left. 

Deu 5:33  You shall walk in all the ways which Jehovah your God has commanded you, so that you may live, and that good may be to you, and you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess. 

 

Main Point(s):.

 

1.       What are the directions given before Moses declares the covenant to the people (1-5)? What does Moses remind the people about? Listen, learn, take heed. Hear: shâma‛ - “listen intelligently.” Learn: lâmad – to goad. Heed (keep and do): denotes building a hedge around them (keep them safe-guarded),then accomplish.

2.       Write down the commandments and a basic explanation of what was expected for each person regarding each commandment (6-21). (Note the scope progression: In relation to God, in relation to family, in relation to neighbor/country)
Also: Note how it is that all of these commands ultimately deal with the condition of the heart.

 

 

 

Concerning their relationship with God: You shall have no other gods before Me	The CEV renders this more accurately “Do not worship any god except me.” Was it ok to worship other gods, as long as they were not “over/before” Jehovah? The evidence reveals NO. The two words are עַל (al)- pânı̂ym. The thought extending into the idea that there shall not be any god, beside Jehovah (before His face). They would have understood this from the “calf” incident.
You shall not make a graven image for you	This is an extension of the first command. We see some insight here to the level of superstition among the people. They had fallen far from Abraham and Joseph’s level of faith. Being assimilated within a culture of idolatry, they relied on Jehovah with the same lack of understanding as those they lived with (they cried out to Him, but did not trust Him). Note that God establishes the rules of affection/love with this command. Love Him and be faithful to only Him and it will go well for you. Betray that love and you will suffer consequences. (Also sets the standard for marital, family, community love)
You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain	Vain: From the same as H7722 in the sense of desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjectively), uselessness (as deceptive, objectively; also adverbially in vain): - false (-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity. Lifting God’s name for any of these types of purposes is prohibited. It would also cover blasphemy and accusation against Jehovah.
Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy	Holy: kaw-dash' - A primitive root; to be (causatively make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally) NO work was to be performed on this day, neither by human or beast. Ceremonially, NO WORK was/is allowed. This is the physical manifestation of its observance, but there is more meaning to it than adherence physically. It re-directs the heart/mind back to God. It MIMMICKS Jehovah as He was in the very beginning. It should remind the doer of Him. It is a time to be quiet and reflect. Typically at the end of Sabbath Evening, there would be a worship service. It is about remembering God and our relationship with Him.
Concerning their relationship with family: Honor your father and your mother	Honor: kaw-bade' A primitive root; to be heavy, that is, in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); causatively to make weighty (in the same two senses): It’s interesting that the only family oriented command is this one. It makes sense since every family dynamic is different…(so, keep it simple). It directs the subject to consider the order of things. It also puts a LOT of responsibility on the parents. The child that puts “weight” (respect) in the parent is exercising an understanding of the basics of PRACTICING love. The very well being comes from the parent, which relies on God. There is order….and is absent of rebellion. Again, this command probably puts more emphasis on the parent than it does on the child. It is symbiotic.
Concerning their relationship with mankind:   You shall not commit murder- Or -  thou shall not kill	Kill: râtsach raw-tsakh' A primitive root; properly to dash in pieces, that is, kill (a human being), especially to murder God’s first command when it comes to people interacting with other people. Don’t kill them! According to the word and its overall meaning, God is addressing unchecked anger, and the resulting physical rage (Cain).
And you shall not commit adultery                           (Note how God’s justice can be seen in His laws).	Adultery: nâ'aph naw-af' A primitive root; to commit adultery; figuratively to apostatize: - adulterer (-ess)   There are a few words in the OT that denote fornication including some religious practices. This command however deals directly with acts against a marriage vow. This specific word is not used until the law was dispensed in Exodus 20. Remember, this type of immorality became a form of worship within the idolatrous nations, and prostitution was also not uncommon. This leads me to believe that the problem of adultery had become pervasive. Remember Judah and Tamar. Marriage was typically a deal made between families and the woman was a commodity of sorts. She would bring a dowry and bear children. To breach that vow through an act of faithlessness was an unrighteous, unfair, act of “violence” against the agreement. Most acts of adultery were against the wife although it could go the other way. This law protected women more than it did men.
And you shall not steal	Steal: gânab gaw-nab' - A primitive root; to thieve (literally or figuratively); by implication to deceive: - carry away, X indeed, secretly bring, steal (away), get by stealth Likely a prolific issue in that day, and, it still is. The act of stealing is a manifestation of issues with the heart. (see last commandment)
And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor	“false witness” The term means to witness with the intent to devastate someone, again a condition of the heart. There is a Hebrew word that means “untruth” sheqer sheh'-ker. This context takes it a step further where the untruth is used to destroy someone. Later, in chapter 19, this behavior will receive a sentence: “…you will be punished without mercy. You will receive the same punishment the accused would have received if found guilty…”
You shall not lust after your neighbor's wife…or covet anything which is your neighbor's	Lust: châmad khaw-mad' A primitive root; to delight in: - beauty, greatly beloved… Covet: 'âvâh aw-vaw' A primitive root; to wish for: - covet, (greatly) desire Again a condition of the heart that can lead to all sorts of disaster. These laws reveal God’s justice, sensitivity to the weaker classes and highlights His call to orderly, controlled conduct. It is not about “what we want” – but what is right.

 

 

3.       What was the response of the people after the Lord spoke the commandments (22-27)? The people were terrified. They told Moses ok we heard YOUR G OD speak and were are still alive. But we’re thinking that if this continues, we will die. YOU go speak to OUR GOD and let him speak through you.

 

4.       According to the Lord, was the people’s response correct (28-29)? What heart does God wish they would keep? What lesson do we learn from this?  God was pleased with their response. They understood God for who He is and revered Him at that moment. They revered Him enough that God said “Would that this heart of theirs would be like this always.” God knows that this level of trust/faith (if real) is what drives obedience.  It is a heart looking to be more like God…..just, reliable, predictable (not rebellious).

5.       What are the people to do (30-33)? Why should they do this? God would continue speaking to Moses. The people would return to their tents. Moses would teach the people all the statutes and then they were to incorporate them into their lives. ….do them…..without deviation. They were not allowed to change them.