The Ten Commandments

And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. (A)The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. (B)Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today. The Lord spoke with you (C)face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, (D)while I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord. For (E)you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. He said:

(F)“‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

“‘You shall have no other gods before[a] me.

“‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing steadfast love to (G)thousands[b] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

11 “‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

12 “‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but (H)the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, (I)that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15 (J)You shall remember that you were a slave[c] in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there (K)with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

16 “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, (L)that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

17 (M)“‘You shall not murder.[d]

18 (N)“‘And you shall not commit adultery.

19 “‘And you shall not steal.

20 “‘And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

21 “‘And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.’

22 “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly (O)at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And (P)he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 23 And (Q)as soon as you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders. 24 And you said, ‘Behold, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and (R)greatness, and (S)we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man (T)still live. 25 Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. (U)If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we shall die. 26 (V)For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived? 27 Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and (W)speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’

28 “And the Lord heard your words, when you spoke to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you. (X)They are right in all that they have spoken. 29 (Y)Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, (Z)that it might go well with them and with their descendants[e] forever! 30 Go and say to them, “Return to your tents.” 31 But you, stand here by me, and (AA)I will tell you the whole commandment and the statutes and the rules that you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess.’ 32 You shall be careful therefore to do as the Lord your God has commanded you. (AB)You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33 (AC)You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and (AD)that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:7 Or besides
  2. Deuteronomy 5:10 Or to the thousandth generation
  3. Deuteronomy 5:15 Or servant
  4. Deuteronomy 5:17 The Hebrew word also covers causing human death through carelessness or negligence
  5. Deuteronomy 5:29 Or sons

Die Wiederholung der zehn Gebote

Und Mose berief ganz Israel und sprach zu ihnen: Höre, Israel, die Satzungen und Rechtsbestimmungen, die ich heute vor euren Ohren rede; lernt und bewahrt sie, um sie zu tun!

Der Herr, unser Gott, hat am Horeb einen Bund mit uns geschlossen.

Nicht mit unseren Vätern hat er diesen Bund geschlossen, sondern mit uns, die wir heute hier alle am Leben sind.

Von Angesicht zu Angesicht hat der Herr auf dem Berg mit euch geredet, mitten aus dem Feuer.

Ich stand zu derselben Zeit zwischen dem Herrn und euch, um euch die Worte des Herrn zu verkündigen; denn ihr habt euch vor dem Feuer gefürchtet und seid nicht auf den Berg gegangen. Und er sprach:

Ich bin der Herr, dein Gott, der ich dich aus dem Land Ägypten, aus dem Haus der Knechtschaft, herausgeführt habe.

Du sollst keine anderen Götter neben mir[a] haben!

Du sollst dir kein Bildnis noch irgendein Gleichnis machen, weder von dem, was oben im Himmel, noch von dem, was unten auf Erden, noch von dem, was in den Wassern ist, tiefer als die Erdoberfläche.

Bete sie nicht an und diene ihnen nicht! Denn ich, der Herr, dein Gott, bin ein eifersüchtiger Gott, der die Schuld der Väter heimsucht an den Kindern bis in das dritte und vierte Glied derer, die mich hassen,

10 der aber Gnade erweist an vielen Tausenden, die mich lieben und meine Gebote halten.

11 Du sollst den Namen des Herrn, deines Gottes, nicht missbrauchen! Denn der Herr wird den nicht ungestraft lassen, der seinen Namen missbraucht.

12 Halte den Sabbattag und heilige ihn, wie es dir der Herr, dein Gott, geboten hat!

13 Sechs Tage sollst du arbeiten und alle deine Werke tun;

14 aber am siebten Tag ist der Sabbat des Herrn, deines Gottes; da sollst du kein Werk tun, weder du noch dein Sohn, noch deine Tochter, noch dein Knecht, noch deine Magd, noch dein Rind, noch dein Esel, noch all dein Vieh, noch dein Fremdling, der innerhalb deiner Tore ist, damit dein Knecht und deine Magd ruhen wie du.

15 Denn du sollst bedenken, dass du auch ein Knecht gewesen bist im Land Ägypten und dass der Herr, dein Gott, dich von dort herausgeführt hat mit mächtiger Hand und ausgestrecktem Arm. Darum hat dir der Herr, dein Gott, geboten, dass du den Sabbattag halten sollst.

16 Du sollst deinen Vater und deine Mutter ehren, wie es dir der Herr, dein Gott, geboten hat, damit du lange lebst und es dir gut geht in dem Land, das der Herr, dein Gott, dir gibt!

17 Du sollst nicht töten[b]!

18 Du sollst nicht ehebrechen!

19 Du sollst nicht stehlen!

20 Du sollst kein falsches Zeugnis reden gegen deinen Nächsten!

21 Du sollst nicht begehren die Frau deines Nächsten; und du sollst dich nicht gelüsten lassen nach dem Haus deines Nächsten, noch nach seinem Acker, noch nach seinem Knecht, noch nach seiner Magd, noch nach seinem Rind, noch nach seinem Esel, noch nach allem, was dein Nächster hat!

Mose als Mittler zwischen Gott und dem Volk

22 Diese Worte redete der Herr zu eurer ganzen Gemeinde auf dem Berg, mitten aus dem Feuer, dem Gewölk und der Dunkelheit, mit gewaltiger Stimme, und er fügte nichts hinzu. Und er schrieb sie auf zwei steinerne Tafeln und gab sie mir.

23 Und es geschah, als ihr die Stimme mitten aus der Finsternis hörtet und der Berg im Feuer brannte, da tratet ihr zu mir, alle Oberhäupter eurer Stämme und eure Ältesten,

24 und ihr spracht: Siehe, der Herr, unser Gott, hat uns seine Herrlichkeit und seine Größe sehen lassen, und wir haben seine Stimme mitten aus dem Feuer gehört; heute haben wir gesehen, dass Gott mit den Menschen redet und sie am Leben bleiben.

25 Und nun, warum sollen wir sterben? Denn dieses große Feuer wird uns verzehren! Wenn wir die Stimme des Herrn, unseres Gottes, noch weiter hören, so müssen wir sterben!

26 Denn wer von allem Fleisch könnte die Stimme des lebendigen Gottes mitten aus dem Feuer reden hören wie wir, und am Leben bleiben?

27 Tritt du hinzu und höre alles, was der Herr, unser Gott, reden wird; und du sollst uns alles sagen, was der Herr, unser Gott, zu dir reden wird; und wir wollen darauf hören und es tun!

28 Als aber der Herr den Wortlaut eurer Rede hörte, die ihr mit mir redetet, da sprach der Herr zu mir: Ich habe den Wortlaut der Rede dieses Volkes gehört, die sie mit dir geredet haben. Es ist alles gut, was sie geredet haben.

29 O wenn sie doch immer ein solches Herz hätten, mich zu fürchten und alle meine Gebote allezeit zu halten, damit es ihnen gut ginge und ihren Kindern ewiglich!

30 Geh hin und sage ihnen: Kehrt heim in eure Zelte!

31 Du aber sollst hier bei mir stehen bleiben, damit ich dir alle Gebote und Satzungen und Rechtsbestimmungen verkünde, die du sie lehren sollst, damit sie sie tun in dem Land, das ich ihnen zu besitzen gebe!

32 So gebt nun acht, dass ihr tut, wie der Herr, euer Gott, euch geboten hat; und weicht nicht ab davon, weder zur Rechten noch zur Linken,

33 sondern wandelt in allen Wegen, die euch der Herr, euer Gott, geboten hat, damit ihr lebt[c] und es euch gut geht und ihr lange bleibt in dem Land, das ihr besitzen werdet!

Footnotes

  1. (5,7) w. vor meinem Angesicht od. in meiner Gegenwart.
  2. (5,17) Das hebr. tirtsach bezeichnet besonders das ungesetzliche Töten eines Menschen; später wird es nur in der Bedeutung »morden« verwendet.
  3. (5,33) od. am Leben bleibt.

The Ten Commandments(A)

Moses summoned all Israel and said:

Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws(B) I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. The Lord our God made a covenant(C) with us at Horeb.(D) It was not with our ancestors[a] that the Lord made this covenant, but with us,(E) with all of us who are alive here today.(F) The Lord spoke(G) to you face to face(H) out of the fire(I) on the mountain. (At that time I stood between(J) the Lord and you to declare to you the word of the Lord, because you were afraid(K) of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And he said:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt,(L) out of the land of slavery.(M)

“You shall have no other gods before[b] me.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.(N) You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents(O) to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,(P) 10 but showing love to a thousand(Q) generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.(R)

11 “You shall not misuse the name(S) of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.(T)

12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,(U) as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day(V) is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant,(W) nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.(X) 15 Remember that you were slaves(Y) in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand(Z) and an outstretched arm.(AA) Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

16 “Honor your father(AB) and your mother,(AC) as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long(AD) and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

17 “You shall not murder.(AE)

18 “You shall not commit adultery.(AF)

19 “You shall not steal.(AG)

20 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.(AH)

21 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”(AI)

22 These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness;(AJ) and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets(AK) and gave them to me.

23 When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leaders of your tribes and your elders(AL) came to me. 24 And you said, “The Lord our God has shown us(AM) his glory and his majesty,(AN) and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them.(AO) 25 But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer.(AP) 26 For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived?(AQ) 27 Go near and listen to all that the Lord our God says.(AR) Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey.”(AS)

28 The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good.(AT) 29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me(AU) and keep all my commands(AV) always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!(AW)

30 “Go, tell them to return to their tents. 31 But you stay here(AX) with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess.”

32 So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you;(AY) do not turn aside to the right or to the left.(AZ) 33 Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you,(BA) so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days(BB) in the land that you will possess.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:3 Or not only with our parents
  2. Deuteronomy 5:7 Or besides