Exodus 20:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And 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.

NIV: Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:

NASB: Then 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.

CSB: Then 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.

NLT: And the Lord said to Moses, 'Say this to the people of Israel: You saw for yourselves that I spoke to you from heaven.

KJV: And 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.

NKJV: Then 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.

After an aside about the people's reaction to the spectacle of Sinai (Exodus 20:18–21), God gives further details about proper worship. These discuss the nature of altars. Specifically, Israel's altars must be natural. They can be made of dirt, or of stone, but the stones cannot be modified (Exodus 20:23–25). They cannot be accessed with steps (Exodus 20:26) for reasons of modesty.

God has made His role in Israel's existence extremely clear. He freed them from slavery with miracles (Exodus 3:19–20; 12:40–41). He led them through the desert with miracles (Exodus 13:21–22). He rescued them from an army with miracles (Exodus 14:21–29). God gave them water (Exodus 15:22–25) and food (Exodus 16:12). When they came to Mount Sinai, the Lord's holy power was on full display (Exodus 19:16–20). These events are meant to highlight God's involvement with the Hebrew people.

The Lord's communication with Israel has mostly been through His representative, Moses (Exodus 19:9). This was assisted by Moses' brother, Aaron, acting as a spokesman (Exodus 4:14–17). Both by His chosen instruments, and at times with literal sounds, God spoke to Israel (Deuteronomy 4:36). The people have no room to doubt that these commandments come from their God.

Exodus 20:22–26 records more details about God's covenant laws. The ones listed here reiterate the prohibition of idolatry and give instructions on how to create a proper altar. The Lord commands that His altars be made of earth or un-worked stones. They must be placed so they can be approached without using stairs. These requirements echo other laws emphasizing God's status as a holy Creator.

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.