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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Exodus 20:15

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not steal. This refers to the act of theft-the secret purloining or abstraction of any property belonging to another. This commandment was as necessary as the two preceding; because stealing is the natural propensity of the old man, and it is indulged in many ways that no human law can take hold of (cf. Ephesians 4:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:6).

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See also Exodus 20:15 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT Against _stealing_ and _dishonesty_. Verse Exodus 20:15. _THOU SHALT NOT STEAL._] All _rapine_ and _theft_ are forbidden by this precept; as well _national_ and _commercial_...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The Hebrew name which is rendered in our King James Version as the ten commandments occurs in Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Deuteronomy 10:4. It literally means “the Ten Words.” The Ten Commandmen

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 THE COVENANT REVEALED _ 1. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1)_ 2. Jehovah's gracious provision (Exodus 20:18) This law covenant is now stated. It was given three times. First orally here,...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXODUS 20-24, 34. THE CODES IN EXODUS. Recent study has by many converging lines of argument, based on subject matter, choice of words, relation to the context, idiomatic phrasing, comparison with the...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    THOU SHALT NOT STEAL. This not only prohibits what the law calls theft, but much more. Fraudulent bargains, which impose on the ignorant, the credulous, or the necessitous, contracting debts which one...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The _eighth_commandment. The rights of private property to be respected. Cf. in H Leviticus 19:11. For penalties for stealing, see Exodus 21:16; Exodus 22:1. It is hardly necessary to quote from the...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THOU SHALT NOT STEAL— That is, "Thou shalt not _defraud_ thy neighbour by any method, secret or violent, of any part of his just property." See Leviticus 11:13.Mark 10:19. Ephesians 4:28....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 20 AND GOD SPAKE ALL THESE WORDS, SAYING, (2) I am Je-ho-vah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of E-gypt, out of the house of bondage. (3) Thou shalt have no ot...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (VV. 1-21) Exodus 20-23, containing (1) the Decalogue (Gk. = 'Ten Words' or 'Commandments') and (2) a code of laws regulating the religious and social life of the people, and call...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: *ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS TO MOSES EXODUS CHAPTER S 19 TO 40 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 20 GOD’S TEN *COMMANDMENTS – VERSES 1-17 V1 God spoke all these wor...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THOU SHALT NOT STEAL. — Our third duty towards our neighbour is to respect his right to his property. The framers of Utopias, both ancient and modern, have imagined communities in which private proper...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לֹ֣֖א תִּֿגְנֹֽ֔ב׃ ס...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. "Thou shalt not steal."-- Exodus 20:15. There is no commandment against which human ingenuity has brought more evasions to bear than this. Property itself is theft, says the c...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE “TEN WORDS” SPOKEN AT SINAI Exodus 20:1 The Law was given by the disposition of angels, through the medium of Moses. See John 1:17; Acts 7:53. It tells us, not what God is, for that is only shown...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here we have the Ten Words of the moral Law. They are introduced by a proclamation of God concerning Himself: first as to His name, "I am Jehovah"; second, as to His relation to them, "thy God"; and,...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Thou shalt not (l) steal. (l) But study to save his goods....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Steal; by which name fraud of every description is condemned. Some have erroneously restrained this prohibition to the stealing of men for slaves, chap. xxi. 16. (Calmet)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    This is the eighth commandment. The apostle points out the extent of this precept, Ephesians 4:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:6....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    "In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai." Up to this point all the dealings of God have been the...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Since charity is the end of the Law, we must seek the definition of theft from thence. This, then, is the rule of charity, that every one’s rights should be safely preserved, and that none should do t...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 19 THROUGH 23. But having thus terminated the course of grace, the scene changes entirely. They do not keep the feast on the mountain, whither God, as He had...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THOU SHALL NOT STEAL. Which is to take away another man's property by force or fraud, without the knowledge, and against the will of the owner thereof. Thefts are of various kinds; there is private th...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Thou shalt not steal. Ver. 15. _Thou shalt not steal,_] i.e., Not rob or wrong another, either by force or fraud _a_ 1Th 4:6 _See Trapp on "_ 1Th 4:6 _"_ Basil chargeth the devil as a thief of the tr...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Thou shalt not steal_ This command forbids us to rob ourselves of what we have, by sinful _spending_, or of the use and comfort of it, by sinful _sparing;_ and to rob others by invading our neighbour...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The ten Commandements. 18 The people are afraid. 20 Moses comforteth them. 22 Idolatrie is forbidden. 24 Of what sort the Altar should be. 1 AND God spake all these words, saying, 2 [NOTE: Deut...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Thou shalt not steal, the Lord here protecting the property of one's neighbor, as the condition of the dignity and peacefulness of life, not only against robbery and theft, but also against unfaithful...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE COMMANDMENTS CONCERNING THE LOVE OF ONE'S NEIGHBOR...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SECOND SECTION The Threefold Law of the Covenant for the Covenant People on the Basis of the Prophetic, Ethico-religious Divine Law of the Ten Commandments. Historical Prophecy Exodus 20-31 A. THE T...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (vs.1-17) Before God gives the ten commandments, He makes is abundantly clear that Israel's obedience to law had nothing to do with God's previous grace toward them in delivering...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    12-17 The laws of the SECOND table, that is, the last six of the ten commandments, state our duty to ourselves and to one another, and explain the great commandment, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    i.e. Either by deceit or violence, or without his knowledge and consent, take away another man's goods, EPHESIANS 4:28; but, on the contrary, shalt preserve and increase them, as need requires, and oc...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    It is of the utmost importance to understand the true character and object of the moral law, as set forth in this chapter. There is a tendency in the mind to confound the principles of law and grace,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 20:15 not H3808 steal H1589 (H8799) Exodus 21:16; Leviticus 6:1-7,...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SECOND FIVE WORDS - MAN'S RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS GOD FOR HIS NEIGHBOUR (EXODUS 20:13). These commands are absolute. They reveal the sanctity in God's eyes of a man's right to fair treatment by his...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:15 I. In this commandment the institution of property is recognised and sanctioned by the authority of God. The institution of property is necessary: (1) for increasing the produce of the e...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:1. _And God spake all these words saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me._ God...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Ten commandments delivered to Moses at Sinai. CHARACTERS: God, Moses. CONCLUSION: A holy and righteous God has holy and righteous standards. Those who love God will constantly endeavor to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 20:1. _God spake all these words._ In compassion to man, and the increasing weakness of human traditions, it has pleased the infinitely wise and Holy One to renew the evidences of revelation at...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Thou shalt not steal._ THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT I. In this Commandment the institution of property is recognized and sanctioned by the authority of God. The institution of property is necessary-- 1....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EXODUS 20:1 Covenant Words and Rules. This section records what will later be referred to as the “Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 24:7) and includes: the Ten Commandments ...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 20:13 The sixth through eighth commandments present general prohibitions not to MURDER (see note on Deut. 5:17), COMMIT ADULTERY, or...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Exodus 20:15_ THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT: VARIETIES IN THEFT Man is not to regard himself as an individual unit—as living for himself alone—but as forming part of the...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE DELIVERY OF THE MORAL LAW. Every necessary preparation had now been made. The priests, as well as the people, had "sanctified themselves." A wholesome dread of "breaking" through the fe...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And God spake these words, saying (Exodus 20:1), Now the people said, "All that the Lord commands, we will do." All right this is what the Lord has spoken. Now these are the commandments of God. I am...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Exodus 21:16 Leviticus 6:1 Leviticus 19:11 Leviticus 19:13...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Exodus 20:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS As introductory to this study we wish to answer some statements relative to the Christian and the Law. 1. SAINTS ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW FOR SALVA...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    BREAKING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Exodus 20:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We have today a study on the Ten Commandments. These Commandments were written upon two tables of stone. The first four, written on one...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Thou shalt not steal — This command forbids us to rob ourselves of what we have, by sinful spending, or of the use and comfort of it by sinful sparing; and to rob others by invading our neighbour's ri...

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