Episode 32: The Ten Commandments

(Exodus 19-20)

Moses visits God on Mount Sinai

19 ¹ Three months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites camped out near Mount Sinai.

³ Moses climbed up the mountain, and God said to him from out of the mountain,

Go down and say this to the Israelites,

⁴You saw what I did to the Egyptians.

⁵ If you obey me, I'll like you more than other people.

⁷ So Moses went down the mountain and told the people what God told him to tell them. And all of the people said,

⁸ We will do whatever God says.

Moses climbed the mountain again and told God what the people said.

⁹ God said to Moses,

I come to you in a thick cloud, so the people will hear me when I speak to you, and believe you forever.

Moses went down the mountain again and told the people what God said.

Then he climbed the mountain again and told God what the people said.

God said to Moses,

^10-11 Tell the people to prepare for the third day by washing their clothes.

¹² But warn them not to come near the mountain.

Whoever touches it will be stoned or shot with arrows, whether man or beast.

¹⁴ After God finished talking, Moses came down the mountain, told the people to wash their clothes, and said to them,

¹⁵ Be ready on the third day.

And don't have sex with your wives.

¹⁶ On the third day a trumpet blared while God came down in smoke, fire, and earthquakes onto Mount Sinai.

²⁰God came down upon mount Sinai, asked Moses to come up, and Moses went up.

²¹ God said to Moses,

Tell the people to stay away, lest they see me and die.

²⁴ Only you and Aaron can come up the mountain.

²⁵Then Moses went down the mountain again and talked to the people.

The Ten Commandments

20 ¹ God spoke all these words:

² I am your God, who brought you out of Egypt.

³ Don't have any gods before me.

⁴ Don't make any graven images.

Don't make a likeness of anything.

⁵ I am a jealous God, punishing children for what their fathers did, to the third and fourth generation.

⁷ Don't take my name in vain.

⁸ Remember the sabbath day.

⁹ Do all your work on the six non-sabbath days.

¹⁰ Don't let your children, slaves, strangers, or cattle do any work on the sabbath day.

¹¹ I made heaven and earth in six days and rested on the seventh. So I blessed the seventh day and made it holy.

¹² Honor your father and mother.

¹³ Don't kill.

¹⁴ Don't commit adultery.

¹⁵ Don't steal.

¹⁶ Don't lie.

¹⁷ Don't covet your neighbor's possessions -- including his wife, slaves, ox, or ass.

A few more commandments

¹⁸ The people saw thunder and lightning, the noise of the trumpet, and the smoking mountain.

²¹ Moses came near the thick darkness where God was. ²² God said to Moses,

Tell the people you talked to me from heaven.

²³ Don't make gods out of silver or gold.

²⁴ Build an altar and sacrifice sheep and oxen to me as burnt offerings and peace offerings.

Do this everywhere you go, and I'll bless you for it.

²⁶ Don't go up steps to the altar, so no one will discover your nakedness.