The Hebrew word for steal refers to taking something that belongs to someone else without permission. It implies that such an act is done secretly or deceptively. In 22.1 the word is used for stealing an animal that belongs to someone else, and in 21.16 it is even used for kidnapping, or stealing a man. But since no direct object is stated here, the broader meaning is suggested.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Literally this commandment says “You shall not answer in [the case of] your neighbor a testimony of falsehood.” The words that are used here reflect the ancient legal system that depended upon the witness of at least two people in order to convict a person of a crime. This is not a commandment against telling a lie in general, but refers to “false evidence” (New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible) that hurts the reputation of someone else. (Contemporary English Version‘s “Do not tell lies about others” is not exactly accurate.) However, one may express this as “Do not tell lies about someone when you are giving evidence” or “Do not tell lies that hurt another person’s reputation.”

The word for neighbor refers to a companion, friend, or “fellow-Israelite” (Translator’s Old Testament), so this is another commandment that reflects the need to maintain good interpersonal relationships within the Israelite community. This, of course, is true of all the commandments beginning with verse 12. But since this has implications for any society, Good News Translation summarizes: “Do not accuse anyone falsely.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The Hebrew word for adultery was more restricted in meaning than the English word. If a married woman had intercourse with a man other than her husband, it was always considered adultery, for she sinned against her husband. If a man had intercourse with a woman other than his wife, it was not considered adultery unless the woman was married. Then the man sinned, not against the woman but against the woman’s husband. If a married man had intercourse with an unmarried woman, it was not considered adultery.

Therefore this commandment does not apply to premarital sex, where neither the man nor the woman is married. And it does not apply to extramarital sex on the part of a married man if the other woman is not married. The basis for this commandment seems to have been the concern for ensuring that any children born to a married woman would be her husband’s children. If an equivalent term cannot be found in some languages today, it may be necessary to say “You shall not violate a marriage relationship” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), “You shall not sleep with someone else’s wife,” or “Do not solicit another person’s spouse.” Care must be taken not to use a term that is considered vulgar; euphemisms or polite ways of referring to sexual intercourse can be readily found in most languages.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

For in six days introduces the reason for this commandment, so the for carries the meaning of “because.” The LORD made heaven and earth is literally “Yahweh made the heavens and the earth.” In many languages it will be better style to render the LORD as “I, the LORD” (Good News Translation) or simply omit “Yahweh” and say “I made…,” since Yahweh is mentioned as the speaker in the previous verse. There is no “and” for the sea, so the more literal translations reflect this. But it is good to add it here, for these three areas represent the whole universe as it was understood in the ancient world. Note that Good News Translation places “the earth” first and changes the sea to “the seas” to make it sound more natural. However, it will be quite natural style in many languages to keep the Hebrew order; for example, “In six days I made the sky, the earth, the seas [or, oceans] ….”

And all that is in them refers to all created things—plants, animals, and humans—in “the earth, the skies, the sea” (Good News Translation). And rested the seventh day means to relax or take a rest. It is a different word from shavath, which is the word used in 16.30, in 31.17, and in Gen 2.2-3. The word used here refers to resting after becoming tired. Therefore means “for that reason,” or “That is why” (Good News Translation). The LORD blessed the sabbath day means that Yahweh gave special significance to it. And hallowed it means he “made it holy” (Good News Translation), “declared it holy” (Revised English Bible), or “set it apart for holiness” (Durham). Contemporary English Version has a helpful model: “but on the seventh day I rested. That’s why I made the Sabbath a special day that belongs to me.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Honor your father and your mother means more than simply to obey your parents. This commandment was addressed primarily to adults, and the word for Honor means “to give weight or dignity to,” in the sense of “Respect” (Good News Translation). It is significant that both father and mother are listed here, for the Israelite culture was male oriented. Since this gives equal importance to the mother, one should not translate “parents.”

That means “so that,” or “in order that.” This introduces a promise rather than a reason, as in the preceding commandment. (See Eph 6.2-3.) That your days may be long is literally “so that your [singular] days will lengthen.” This means “so that you may live a long time” (Good News Translation) or “may live a long life” (New American Bible). This expression is used repeatedly in Deuteronomy in the sense of enjoying prosperity as well as long life, so Revised English Bible has “so that you may enjoy long life.”

In the land which the LORD your God gives you refers to the “promised land” (Durham). The word for land refers to the ground or soil (as in Gen 2.7), suggesting a prosperous agricultural life. The LORD your God is “Yahweh your [singular] ʾelohim.” Gives you is better understood as “is giving you” (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), for the participle suggests ongoing action. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “is assigning you.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

This commandment uses a word that means to kill someone, but it refers to unlawful killing, not the kind of killing demanded by other laws that the Israelites understood to be Yahweh’s laws. It does not refer to capital punishment, for this is prescribed in 21.12-17, where a different word is used. It does not refer to killing in warfare, for this is prescribed in the case of a “holy war” (see Deut 20.10-18). It does not always imply intentional or premeditated “murder,” for the same word is used in Deut 4.41-42 for unintentional killing.

Originally the word probably referred to killing out of blood revenge, but later it was used in reference to other acts of killing out of hatred or malice. For this reason “murder” is an acceptable translation in English, and several translations have used this term (so New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version, Revised English Bible, and others). But in languages where various terms for killing are not so clearly defined, it may be better to use the more general term, kill, or to say something like “kill from anger” or “kill from one’s own volition.” Translators should find a term that excludes killing accidentally, but it should be one that means socially unsanctioned killing.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

You shall not take the name of the LORD is literally “Not you [singular] will lift the name of Yahweh.” To “lift” a name means to utter or pronounce it, and since it is the name of your God, it may mean to “invoke” a deity by calling out that deity’s name. In vain is literally “to emptiness,” or “to empty purpose” (Durham). Since the name of any deity was considered sacred, any careless use of that name was to “misuse” it (New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version), or “abuse” it (Childs). Good News Translation interprets it to mean “for evil purposes,” and New Revised Standard Version has “make wrongful use of.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh gives it an even narrower meaning, in the sense of invoking the name in an oath: “you shall not swear falsely by the name.” It is better, however, to give it the broader meaning of “abuse” or “misuse.”

For the LORD will not hold him guiltless is literally “Yahweh will not leave unpunished.” In many languages this will be stated positively in the active voice; for example, “I, Yahweh your God, will punish anyone” (so also Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version). The object of the verb is literally “the lifter of the name to emptiness,” so Revised Standard Version has him … who takes his name in vain. But New Revised Standard Version now has “for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.” Note that in this verse Yahweh refers to himself in the third person. So Good News Translation changes to first person: “my name” and “I, the LORD your God.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .