Exodus 20:1–17 — The ten rules

This is still an early look into the drafted text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Literal Version

20:1 The ten rules

(Deu. 5:1-22)

20 Then God gave these instructions to the Israelis: 2 I’m your god Yahweh, who rescued you[fn] from where you were enslaved in Mitsrayim (Egypt).

3 You mustn’t own any other gods in my sight.
4 You mustn’t make a carved figure for yourself, nor carve a copy of anything in the sky above or in the earth below, or that’s in the water under the earth.[ref]

5 Don’t bow down to idols and don’t serve them, because I, your god Yahweh, am a jealous God. I remember the sins of the fathers and punish the children of even the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,[ref]

6 but I faithfully fulfil my promises to thousands of generations of those who love me and who obey my instructions.
7 You mustn’t wrongly promote the name of Yahweh your god, because I won’t leave anyone unpunished who does that.[ref]
8 Keep Saturday different from all the other days[ref]—

9 there’s six days every week for working.[ref]

10 The seventh day is a rest day for Yahweh your god: you mustn’t do any work—not you, or your children, or your male or female servants, or your cattle, or the foreigners living among you—

11 because Yahweh made the heavens and earth, the sea, and everything that’s in them in six days. Then he rested on the seventh day, so that’s why he blessed the rest day and made it sacred.[ref]
12 Honour your father and your mother,[ref] so that you’ll have a long life on the land that your god Yahweh is about to give you.[ref]
13 You mustn’t murder.[ref]
14 You mustn’t commit adultery.[ref]
15 You mustn’t steal.[ref]
16 You mustn’t lie in court.[ref]
17 You mustn’t covet your neighbour’s house or spouse, or their male or female servants, or their animals, or anything else they own.[ref]

20:2 Although modern English doesn’t easily distinguish it, this discourse is addressed to singular ‘you’, i.e., to the Israelis as one group. While some of our modern, individualistic cultures might naturally interpret these rules as applying to individuals, they were given to Yisrael/Israel to implement at a national level.

20 And_ god _he/it _spoke DOM all _of the_words/messages the_these to_say.

2 I[fn] am_YHWH god _of_your[fn] who I_brought _you _out from_the _land _of Miʦrayim/(Egypt) from_a _house _of[fn] slaves[fn].

3 Not it _will _belong to/for_yourself(m)[fn][fn] gods[fn] other[fn] on face _of_my[fn].
[fn]

4 Not you _must _make to/for_yourself(m)[fn] an _image[fn][fn] and_all form[fn] which[fn] is_in_heavens[fn] (from)_above[fn] and_which[fn] on _the_earth[fn] (from)_beneath[fn][fn] and_which[fn] is_in_waters[fn] from_under[fn] to_earth[fn].
[fn]

5 Not you _must _bow _down[fn][fn] to/for_them[fn] and_not you_must _be _enticed _to _serve _them[fn] if/because I YHWH god _of_your am_a _god jealous who_visits the_iniquity _of fathers on children on a _third _generation and_on a _fourth _generation of_those _of_who_hate _me[fn].

6 And_who_does[fn] covenant _loyalty[fn] to_thousands[fn] of_those _of_who_love _me and_of_those _who_keep _of commands _of_(of)_my.

7 Not you _must _take DOM the _name _of YHWH god _of_your for_emptiness if/because not YHWH he _will _leave _unpunished DOM one_who he _will _take DOM his/its_name for_emptiness.

8 Remember[fn] DOM the _day _of[fn] of_the _sabbath[fn] to_set_it _apart _as _holy[fn].
[fn]

9 Six _of[fn] days[fn] you _will _labour[fn] and_you _will _do[fn] all _of work _of_your[fn].
[fn]

10 And_the_day _of the_seventh[fn] is_a _sabbath[fn] to/for_YHWH god _of_your[fn] not you _must _do[fn] any _of work[fn] you and_son _of_your and_daughter _of_your[fn] servant _of_your_male[fn] and_your _female _of_servant[fn] and_livestock _of_your[fn] and_sojourner _of_your[fn] who[fn] is_in_gates _of_your[fn].
[fn]

11 If/because six _of days YHWH he _made DOM the_heavens and_DOM the_earth/land DOM the_sea and_DOM all _of that is_in_them and_he _rested in _the_day the_seventh therefore yes/correct/thus/so YHWH he _blessed DOM the _day _of the _sabbath and_he_set _it _apart _as _holy.

12 Honour DOM father _of_your and_DOM mother _of_your so _that they_may _be _long days _of_your on the_soil which YHWH god _of_your is_about _to _give to/for_you(fs).

13 Not[fn] you _must _murder[fn].

14 Not[fn] you _must _commit _adultery[fn].

15 Not[fn] you _must _steal[fn].

16 Not you _must _testify against_neighbour _of_your transcript _of falsehood.

17 Not you _must _covet the _house _of your _neighbour _of_your not you _must _covet the _wife _of your _neighbour _of_your and_his_male_of_servant and_his _female _of_servant and_ox _of_his and_donkey _of_his and_all/each/any/every that belongs_to_neighbour _of_your.

20:2 OSHB alternative note: אָֽנֹכִ֖י: (x-accent)אָֽנֹכִי֙

20:2 OSHB alternative note: אֱלֹהֶ֑י/ךָ: (x-accent)אֱלֹהֶ֔י/ךָ

20:2 OSHB alternative note: מִ/בֵּ֥ית: (x-accent)מִ/בֵּ֣ית

20:2 OSHB alternative note: עֲבָדִֽים: (x-accent)עֲבָדִ֑ים

20:3 OSHB alternative note: לְ/ךָ֛: (x-accent)לְ/ךָ֩

20:3 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

20:3 OSHB alternative note: אֱלֹהִ֥ים: (x-accent)אֱלֹהִ֨ים

20:3 OSHB alternative note: אֲחֵרִ֖ים: (x-accent)אֲחֵרִ֜ים

20:3 OSHB alternative note: פָּנָֽ/יַ: (x-accent)פָּנָ֗/יַ

20:3 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

20:4 OSHB alternative note: לְ/ךָ֥: (x-accent)לְ/ךָ֣

20:4 OSHB alternative note: פֶ֨סֶל֙: (x-accent)פֶ֣סֶל׀

20:4 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

20:4 OSHB alternative note: תְּמוּנָ֔ה: (x-accent)תְּמוּנָ֡ה

20:4 OSHB alternative note: אֲשֶׁ֤ר: (x-accent)אֲשֶׁ֣ר

20:4 OSHB alternative note: בַּ/שָּׁמַ֨יִם֙: (x-accent)בַּ/שָּׁמַ֣יִם׀

20:4 OSHB alternative note: מִ/מַּ֔עַל: (x-accent)מִ/מַּ֡עַל

20:4 OSHB alternative note: וַ/אֲשֶׁ֥ר: (x-accent)וַ/אֲשֶׁר֩

20:4 OSHB alternative note: בָּ/אָ֖רֶץ: (x-accent)בָּ/אָ֨רֶץ

20:4 OSHB alternative note: מִ/תָּ֑חַת: (x-accent)מִ/תָּ֜חַת

20:4 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

20:4 OSHB alternative note: וַ/אֲשֶׁ֥ר: (x-accent)וַ/אֲשֶׁ֣ר

20:4 OSHB alternative note: בַּ/מַּ֖יִם: (x-accent)בַּ/מַּ֣יִם׀

20:4 OSHB alternative note: מִ/תַּ֥חַת: (x-accent)מִ/תַּ֣חַת

20:4 OSHB alternative note: לָ/אָֽרֶץ: (x-accent)לָ/אָ֗רֶץ

20:4 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

20:5 OSHB alternative note: תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה: (x-accent)תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֣ה

20:5 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

20:5 OSHB alternative note: לָ/הֶ֖ם: (x-accent)לָ/הֶם֮

20:5 OSHB alternative note: תָעָבְדֵ֑/ם: (x-accent)תָעָבְדֵ/ם֒

20:5 OSHB alternative note: לְ/שֹׂנְאָֽ/י: (x-accent)לְ/שֹׂנְאָ֑/י

20:6 OSHB alternative note: וְ/עֹ֥שֶׂה: (x-accent)וְ/עֹ֤שֶׂה

20:6 OSHB alternative note: חֶ֖סֶד: (x-accent)חֶ֨סֶד֙

20:6 OSHB alternative note: לַ/אֲלָפִ֑ים: (x-accent)לַ/אֲלָפִ֔ים

20:8 OSHB alternative note: זָכ֛וֹר: (x-accent)זָכוֹר֩

20:8 OSHB alternative note: י֥וֹם: (x-accent)י֨וֹם

20:8 OSHB alternative note: הַ/שַּׁבָּ֖ת: (x-accent)הַ/שַּׁבָּ֨ת

20:8 OSHB alternative note: לְ/קַדְּשֽׁ/וֹ: (x-accent)לְ/קַדְּשׁ֗/וֹ

20:8 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

20:9 OSHB alternative note: שֵׁ֤שֶׁת: (x-accent)שֵׁ֣שֶׁת

20:9 OSHB alternative note: יָמִים֙: (x-accent)יָמִ֣ים

20:9 OSHB alternative note: תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד: (x-accent)תַּֽעֲבֹד֮

20:9 OSHB alternative note: וְ/עָשִׂ֖יתָ: (x-accent)וְ/עָשִׂ֣יתָ

20:9 OSHB alternative note: מְלַאכְתֶּֽ/ךָ: (x-accent)מְלַאכְתֶּ/ךָ֒

20:9 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

20:10 OSHB alternative note: הַ/שְּׁבִיעִ֔י: (x-accent)הַ/שְּׁבִיעִ֜י

20:10 OSHB alternative note: שַׁבָּ֖ת: (x-accent)שַׁבָּ֣ת׀

20:10 OSHB alternative note: אֱלֹהֶ֑י/ךָ: (x-accent)אֱלֹהֶ֗י/ךָ

20:10 OSHB alternative note: תַעֲשֶׂ֨ה: (x-accent)תַעֲשֶׂ֣ה

20:10 OSHB alternative note: מְלָאכָ֜ה: (x-accent)מְלָאכָ֡ה

20:10 OSHB alternative note: וּ/בִתֶּ֗/ךָ: (x-accent)וּ֠/בִתֶּ/ךָ

20:10 OSHB alternative note: עַבְדְּ/ךָ֤: (x-accent)עַבְדְּ/ךָ֨

20:10 OSHB alternative note: וַ/אֲמָֽתְ/ךָ֙: (x-accent)וַ/אֲמָֽתְ/ךָ֜

20:10 OSHB alternative note: וּ/בְהֶמְתֶּ֔/ךָ: (x-accent)וּ/בְהֶמְתֶּ֗/ךָ

20:10 OSHB alternative note: וְ/גֵרְ/ךָ֖: (x-accent)וְ/גֵרְ/ךָ֙

20:10 OSHB alternative note: אֲשֶׁ֥ר: (x-accent)אֲשֶׁ֣ר

20:10 OSHB alternative note: בִּ/שְׁעָרֶֽי/ךָ: (x-accent)בִּ/שְׁעָרֶ֔י/ךָ

20:10 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

20:13 OSHB alternative note: לֹ֖א: (x-accent)לֹ֥א

20:13 OSHB alternative note: תִּרְצָֽח: (x-accent)תִֿרְצָ֖ח

20:14 OSHB alternative note: לֹ֖א: (x-accent)לֹ֣א

20:14 OSHB alternative note: תִּנְאָֽף: (x-accent)תִֿנְאָ֑ף

20:15 OSHB alternative note: לֹ֖א: (x-accent)לֹ֣א

20:15 OSHB alternative note: תִּגְנֹֽב: (x-accent)תִֿגְנֹ֔ב

OET by section EXO 20:1

The ten rules

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

OET by section EXO 20:1

The ten rules

Readers’ Version

Literal Version Hide marks

Literal Version