The Ten Commandments(A)

20 And God spoke(B) all these words:(C)

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

“You shall have no other gods before[a] me.(H)

“You shall not make for yourself an image(I) in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship(J) them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,(K) punishing the children for the sin of the parents(L) to the third and fourth generation(M) of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand(N) generations 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 anyone guiltless who misuses his name.(O)

“Remember the Sabbath(P) day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work,(Q) 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath(R) 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, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth,(S) the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested(T) on the seventh day.(U) Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother,(V) so that you may live long(W) in the land(X) the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.(Y)

14 “You shall not commit adultery.(Z)

15 “You shall not steal.(AA)

16 “You shall not give false testimony(AB) against your neighbor.(AC)

17 “You shall not covet(AD) your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet(AE) and saw the mountain in smoke,(AF) they trembled with fear.(AG) They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak(AH) to us or we will die.”(AI)

20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.(AJ) God has come to test(AK) you, so that the fear(AL) of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”(AM)

21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness(AN) where God was.

Idols and Altars

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:(AO) 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me;(AP) do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.(AQ)

24 “‘Make an altar(AR) of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings(AS) and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name(AT) to be honored, I will come to you and bless(AU) you. 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool(AV) on it. 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts(AW) may be exposed.’

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 20:3 Or besides

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses: “Make two trumpets(A) of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community(B) together and for having the camps set out.(C) When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. If only one is sounded, the leaders(D)—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.(E) At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out.(F) The blast will be the signal for setting out. To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets,(G) but not with the signal for setting out.(H)

“The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.(I) When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you,(J) sound a blast on the trumpets.(K) Then you will be remembered(L) by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.(M) 10 Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts(N)—you are to sound the trumpets(O) over your burnt offerings(P) and fellowship offerings,(Q) and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.(R)

The Israelites Leave Sinai

11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year,(S) the cloud lifted(T) from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.(U) 12 Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.(V) 13 They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.(W)

14 The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard.(X) Nahshon son of Amminadab(Y) was in command. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe(Z) of Issachar,(AA) 16 and Eliab son of Helon(AB) was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.(AC) 17 Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.(AD)

18 The divisions of the camp of Reuben(AE) went next, under their standard.(AF) Elizur son of Shedeur(AG) was in command. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,(AH) 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.(AI) 21 Then the Kohathites(AJ) set out, carrying the holy things.(AK) The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.(AL)

22 The divisions of the camp of Ephraim(AM) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud(AN) was in command. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,(AO) 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.(AP)

25 Finally, as the rear guard(AQ) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai(AR) was in command. 26 Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,(AS) 27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.(AT) 28 This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

29 Now Moses said to Hobab(AU) son of Reuel(AV) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,(AW) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’(AX) Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

30 He answered, “No, I will not go;(AY) I am going back to my own land and my own people.(AZ)

31 But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.(BA) 32 If you come with us, we will share with you(BB) whatever good things the Lord gives us.(BC)

33 So they set out(BD) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord(BE) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.(BF) 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.(BG)

35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,

“Rise up,(BH) Lord!
    May your enemies be scattered;(BI)
    may your foes flee before you.(BJ)(BK)

36 Whenever it came to rest, he said,

“Return,(BL) Lord,
    to the countless thousands of Israel.(BM)

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