On the margins of Mount Sinai, amid the
rumble of thunder and the stillness of the desert, ten declarations were
inscribed. They were not mere commandments—they were a moral architecture, a
vibrant covenant, a reflection of a God who spoke in fire and Semitic
consonants.
This series doesn't aim to repeat what has
already been said, but rather to unearth what has been forgotten. Each
installment will explore one of the Ten Commandments in its original Hebrew
form, unpacking the language, the cultural context of ancient Israel, and the
implications for contemporary life. What do the imperfect verbs tell us? What
does the sentence order reveal? What has changed?
I will publish a
commandment periodically until we reach the tenth and the final conclusion. Not as stones thrown from a distant mountain, but as invitations to look
again... closer, deeper.
We will approach them from several perspectives, for example:
1. Original biblical text
The Ten Commandments appear in Exodus
20:1-17 and are repeated in Deuteronomy 5:6-21, with
minor differences. We'll also analyze them in Hebrew.
2. Structure and division
· Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant traditions divide the commandments
differently.
· Some group them into two "tables": the first on the
relationship with God, and the last on the relationship with one's neighbor.
3. Historical and spiritual context
· Mount Sinai as a symbol of the covenant.
· The meaning of God writing them “with his finger” on stone tablets.
· The echo of these commandments in the universal moral law.
4. Current application
· Are they still valid for Christians?
· What is the difference between ceremonial, civil and moral law?
· Did Jesus abolish the Commandments or reinforce them?
5. Symbolism and spiritual depth
· The written law vs. the law in the heart (Jeremiah 31:33).
· What does each commandment represent spiritually?
· How do they relate to love (Romans 13:8-10)?
General Presentation of the Ten
Commandments ( עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת –
Aseret HaDibrot)
1. Historical and spiritual context
The Ten Commandments were given by God
directly to the people of Israel on Mount Sinai, after the Exodus from Egypt. They
are found in:
· Exodus
20:1–17
· Deuteronomy
5:6–21
The scene at Sinai is unique: God reveals
Himself with thunder, lightning, fire, the sound of a shofar, and a thick
cloud. The people tremble at His voice (Exodus 19–20).
God himself speaks and writes the
commandments on two stone tablets (Exodus 31:18). This
symbolizes:
· The
permanence of the moral law.
· Its
divine origin (not human).
· Its
nature as a pact or alliance.
Name in Hebrew:
עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת ( Aseret HaDibrot )
Literally: “The Ten Words” or
“Declarations”.
it is not said “commandments” (מִצְוֹת ), although they are; it
is emphasized that they are direct expressions of God.
Traditional division (by topic)
Many scholars and rabbis see a division into two groups:
1. The
first four (1–4): Relationship with God.
2. The
last six (5–10): Relationship with others.
Jesus himself summarizes the whole law with:
“You shall love the Lord
your God...” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37–40)
The Ten Commandments – Short List
We will use the traditional Hebrew numbering (the oldest), although
later it can be compared with other versions (such as the Catholic or
Reformed):
1. I am
YHVH your God… You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You
shall not make for yourself an image, nor shall you bow down to it.
3. You
shall not take the name of YHVH in vain.
4. Remember
the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor
your father and your mother.
6. You
shall not murder.
7. You
shall not commit adultery.
8. You
shall not steal.
9. You
shall not bear false witness.
10. You shall not covet.
First Commandment
Text
– Exodus 20:2–3
Hebrew:
אנכי יהוה אלהיך אשׁר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים מבית עבדים׃
לא יהיה־לך אלהים אחרים על־פני׃
Literal translation:
I am YHVH
your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
slavery.
There
shall be no other gods for you before my face.
Literal
and grammatical analysis
· אָנֹכִי יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ (Anochi YHVH Eloheja): “I am YHVH your God”
–
"Anochi" (I am) is an emphatic form in Hebrew.
–
"Eloheja" is the second person singular masculine possessive
form of "Elohim" (your God).
· אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ (Asher hotze'tija): "that I brought out of
you"
– Hiphil
verb (causative): God caused the departure .
– Second
person singular ("I brought you out," not "I brought them
out"): speaks personally to each Israelite.
· מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים (mi-beit avadim): "from a house of slaves"
– It is
emphasized that they were the property of another (Egypt) and now belong to
God.
· לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ (lo yihyé lechá): "there will be none for
you"
–
Prohibitive future: “You shall not have” = “There shall not be any for you.”
– This
type of construction ( לֹא + יִהְיֶה ) is very strong in Hebrew.
· אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים (elohim ajerim): “alien gods”
– “Ajerim”
(others) implies different nature, strange , false .
· עַל פָּנָיַ (al panay): “before my face”
– “Panay”
literally means “my face” → a poetic and personal way of saying: in my
presence .
易 Literal sense
God declares his authority and
exclusive right to be worshipped:
· Because
He set the people free .
· Because
He is your personal God , not an anonymous or distant deity.
· He
forbids any other god in His presence.
This commandment establishes the basis of biblical
monotheism . It is not enough to worship YHVH—it must be done exclusively
.
Spiritual
interpretation
· Divine
Identity: The commandment not only demands obedience, but relationship
with the one true God.
· Spiritual
Liberation: The Exodus is a symbol of deliverance
from sin. Just as Israel was led out of Egypt, God leads us out of spiritual
slavery.
· Exclusive
Fidelity: This commandment is like a marriage commitment. Having
“other gods” is spiritual adultery.
· Modern
application: Although we no longer worship stone
idols, today the “other gods” can be money, power, ego, pleasure, etc.
✨ Egypt as a symbol of spiritual
slavery
In the Bible, Egypt not only represents a
literal nation, but also a spiritual archetype :
· Slavery
to sin: Just as Israel served Pharaoh with forced labor,
humanity in spiritual slavery serves sin (cf. John 8:34; Romans 6:16).
· Pharaoh
as a figure of Satan: Pharaoh hardens his heart, defies God,
and refuses to free his people. He is an image of the spiritual adversary who
refuses to let go of those he has oppressed.
“I tell
you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.” – John 8:34
“And to
deliver them from the power of Satan to God…” – Acts 26:18
️ The
Lamb of God: Liberation of the New Exodus
· In Exodus
12, the people were freed by the blood of the Passover lamb.
· Jesus
is that true Lamb:
“Behold
the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” – John 1:29
“Christ,
our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” – 1 Corinthians 5:7
Just as the blood of the Lamb protected
the Israelites from judgment, now the blood of Christ frees us from the
judgment and power of sin.
窱 Application of the first
commandment in this light
When God says:
“I am YHVH
your God who brought you out of Egypt…”
…today we
could understand it as:
“I am the
one who, through the Lamb, brought you out of the world of sin, out of
spiritual slavery, so that you might be mine.”
Therefore:
· You
shall have no other gods = Do not submit to idols, ideas, or
desires that chain you again.
· It is
a call to fidelity and true freedom.
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