Exodus 20:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

NIV: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

NASB: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

CSB: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.

NLT: I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

KJV: I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

NKJV: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

God is about to declare the first ten of His laws for the nation of Israel (Exodus 19:5–6; 20:1). He prefaces these laws by reminding Israel of His relationship to them. The Lord used powerful supernatural signs to free Israel from Egyptian slavery (Exodus 1:8–14; 3:20; 12:29–32). He once again demonstrated His power by rescuing the people at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–29). His love was further proven by gifts of water (Exodus 15:22–25; 17:6) and food (Exodus 16:13–15).

These are not directions coming from a random earthly ruler. Nor are they the requests of a newly elected leader. These are the commands of a holy Creator with absolute power and authority. Here, the Lord uses the same name spoken to Moses at the burning bush: YHWH, or Yahweh (Exodus 3:15). His status as the one and only God leads naturally to the first commandment (Exodus 20:3) which forbids the worship of any other deities.

Exodus 20:1–17 contains the Ten Commandments: the foundational laws of the ancient nation of Israel. These provide a basis for every other Mosaic law (2 Chronicles 5:10). The laws prohibit worship of other gods, idolatry, blasphemy, perjury, theft, murder, adultery, and covetousness. They command Israelites to honor parents and observe a weekly Sabbath rest. Like the rest of the old covenant, these commandments will be "fulfilled" and no longer applicable after Christ's completed work (Galatians 4:4–5; Hebrews 8:8–13). However, all these rules, other than the command to observe the Sabbath, are repeated in Christ's teachings.

At Mount Sinai, God begins declaring the laws of His covenant with Israel. The first of these are the Ten Commandments. These establish core principles intended to guide the Lord's chosen people (Deuteronomy 7:6). Further details will come in other chapters and books. This chapter ends with specifics about altars and idols. The following chapters will address various social and civil issues (Exodus 21—23)

Centuries after being enslaved in Egypt (Exodus 1), Israel has been freed (Exodus 12). God leads the people across the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and into the wilderness of Sinai (Exodus 17—19). Here, He will give them laws which distinguish them from other nations. The first of these are the renowned Ten Commandments. The Lord will continue to provide details and statutes (Exodus 21—23) before confirming the covenant (Exodus 24) and establishing regulations for the tabernacle and priests (Exodus 25—31).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 6/15/2025 5:53:34 AM