Exodus 20

God spoke all these words, saying,

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

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,

and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

You shall labor six days, and do all your work,

but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates;

for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

“You shall not murder.

“You shall not commit adultery.

“You shall not steal.

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

“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.”

All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance.

They said to Moses, “Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don’t let God speak with us, lest we die.”

Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won’t sin.”

The people stayed at a distance, and Moses came near to the thick darkness where God was.

The LORD said to Moses, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

You shall most certainly not make gods of silver or gods of gold for yourselves to be alongside me.

You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you.

If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.

You shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it.’

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter records the giving of the moral law by God to Israel at Mount Sinai, centering on the Ten Commandments, which define the covenant relationship between the Lord and His redeemed people. It marks the climax of the revelation following Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, establishing the foundation for their life as a holy nation in communion with God. The structure moves from divine speech to human response, underscoring both the majesty of God’s presence and the need for reverence.

Flow.

God speaks directly to Israel, declaring His identity as redeemer and issuing the Ten Commandments, dividing them into duties toward God (commandments 1–4) and duties toward neighbor (5–10).
The people, overwhelmed by theophany—thunder, lightning, smoke, trumpet—withdraw in fear, asking Moses to mediate.
God affirms Moses’ role and gives instructions concerning proper worship: rejecting idolatrous images and prescribed altars made simply of earth or uncut stone, preserving the sanctity of His worship.

Connections.
Following chapter 19, where God descends upon Sinai and calls Israel to be a kingdom of priests, this chapter unfolds the content of that covenant vocation through the Decalogue. The awe-inspiring manifestations of God’s presence continue from the prior chapter, confirming His authority. The commandments here form the moral core of the covenant laws that chapter 21 will begin to expand into civil and social applications, creating a seamless transition from moral principle to communal practice.

What it teaches.
The Ten Commandments reflect the character of God and the order He establishes for human life in relationship with Him and others. The first four commandments (WCF 7.5) safeguard the exclusivity, spirituality, and reverence due to God in worship (3–7) and the sanctification of the Sabbath as rooted in creation (8–11; WCF 21.7). The latter six (12–17) uphold the integrity of human community, protecting life, marriage, property, truth, and inner desires from corruption. The principle of covenant consequence—judgment on the rebellious and mercy to the faithful—highlights God’s moral government (5–6; WCF 3.7). The altar regulations (22–26) emphasize that acceptable worship must conform to divine instruction, not human innovation (HC LD 34).

Apply.
The law exposes the depth of human obligation to a holy God and points to the need for a Mediator who fulfills it perfectly and enables obedience by His Spirit.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.