Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ Exodus

[Mr. Treat]

Hello, I have a doubt about the Ten Commandments, I hope you'll be able to answer me. In Exodus 20, Yahweh gives Moses a series of "instruction" that we've come to know as the Ten Commandments. However, Yahweh actually gives Moses more commandments, not only ten, between 12 and 15, more or less, depending on how you count, in that chapter alone, and keeps on in the following chapters, although with rules only relevant to their time. I would like to know if there is any reason why only ten are chosen as "The Ten Commandments". Keep in mind that, while I have read most of the Bible, the better part of it was at least a decade ago, so I might very well be missing something rather obvious.

[jimwalton]

There are various renditions of the Laws God gave. Here in Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5 we have the "Ten Words" (Ex. 20.1). In Exodus 34 there are a higher number. All in all there are said to be 613 laws.

I'm not aware of anything particularly symbolic or necessary about "ten". And to call them "commandments" is even a little misleading. They are not to be interpreted as a legal case but rather as a statement of covenantal policy. They're so general as to be virtually unenforceable through any judicial system. The "10 words" of Exodus 20 are not a summary, nor are they to be singled out as more important than anything else in the Law. They just function the way anything else in the Law functions: to reveal God and to direct Israel how to construct an identity as the people of God.