20:1-17

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Basic principles of the covenant

(Ex 20:1-17)

The form of the covenant God made with Israel followed a pattern that was common in the ancient world when an overlord made a covenant with his subjects. God introduced himself to his people by declaring his name and status as Yahweh the sovereign Lord, and recounting to his people what he had graciously done for them. He reminded them that their God was living and active, and that the words they were about to hear were a revelation direct from him (Ex 20:1-2).

After the introduction came the basic covenant obligations, summarized in ten easily remembered commandments. These were not laws in the legal sense, for they carried no penalties. Rather they were the principles on which the nation’s laws would be built and by which the nation should live. The first three commandments were concerned mainly with attitudes to God. He alone was the true God; there was room for no other (Ex 20:3).

No image of any kind was to be an object of worship, whether used as a symbol of the true God or as the representation of some other (false) god. God would act in righteous judgment against those who rebelled in this way, and against those of succeeding generations who followed the bad example of their ancestors. The sins of one generation would affect the next. But to those who remained faithful, God would prove himself faithful (Ex 20:4-6).

Yahweh’s people were not to misuse his name, either in swearing to a statement that was not true or in swearing to a vow that was not kept. They were also to be careful not to use his name irreverently, such as when cursing in anger (Ex 20:7; cf. Lev 24:16).

In the fourth commandment God showed that people could combine an attitude of reverence towards him with an attitude of care for their own needs. The weekly Sabbath encouraged people to worship God, since the day was set apart to him as holy, but at the same time it benefited them by making sure they had adequate rest from their regular work (Ex 20:8-11).

The remaining six commandments dealt with people’s duties in the community. They were to be faithful to their family responsibilities, and in doing so would help towards a healthy stable society and ensure for themselves a long and happy life.

They were to act with love and consideration towards others by refraining from murder, maintaining purity in sexual relationships, respecting other people’s rights to their possessions, refusing to make false accusations, and avoiding the desire for anything belonging to another person (Ex 20:12-17).