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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Exodus 20:3

EXODUS—NOTE ON Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods. The Lord demands exclusive covenant loyalty. As the one true God, he cannot tolerate the worship of any “other gods” (Exodus 22:20; Exodus 23:13, Exodus 23:24, Exodus 23:32). before me. This Hebrew expression most likely refers to worshiping other gods in addition to the Lord. Even though this commandment does not comment on whether these “other gods” might exist, Moses’ statement to a later generation makes clear that only “the LORD is God; there is no other besides him” (Deuteronomy 4:35, Deuteronomy 4:39; see also Isaiah 45:5). See also note on Deut. 5:7.

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See also Exodus 20:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Exodus 20:3. _THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME._] אלהים אחרים _elohim acherim_, no _strange gods _- none that thou art not _acquainted_ with, none who has not _given thee_ such _proofs_...

  • 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 HAVE. It is to be remarked, both here and elsewhere throughout the decalogue, that the address is made in the _singular_ and not in the _plural_ number. The design of this is undoubtedly to...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BEFORE ME. before My face....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The _Covenant_: esp., and probably first, in Dt. and Deuteronomic writers (cf. above, p. 175): Exodus 34:28 (?; see the note); Deuteronomy 4:13 -his covenant" (cf. 23, Exodus 5:2-3); and in the expres...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME— After the general preface follow the commandments; which, as we read hereafter, were delivered by God to Moses in _two tables;_ the one containing, according t...

  • 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...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME._ Thou shalt have no other gods before me - Heb., Let there not be, or, There shall not be to thee other gods х_ `AL_ (H5921) _ PAANAAYA_ (H6440)] over and ab...

  • 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...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BEFORE ME] RM 'beside me.' Monotheism is implied rather than expressly enunciated here. It was only gradually that Israel rose to the truth that there is but one God. Israel was led to this truth alon...

  • 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 HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. — Heb., _There shalt be to thee no other god before me._ The result is the same, whether we translate _Elohim_ by “god” or “gods;” but the singular verb shows...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לֹֽ֣א יִהְיֶֽה ־לְךָ֛֩ אֱלֹהִ֥֨ים אֲחֵרִ֖֜ים עַל...

  • 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 have no other gods (b) before me. (b) To whose eyes all things are open....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Before me, or in my presence. I shall not be content to be adored with idols. (Calmet)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    This is the first of the four first commandments, which belong to the first table of the law, concerning our duty to God. Our blessed Lord is the great Commentator upon it. Matthew 22:36....

  • 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...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE ONLY GOD_ ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.’ Exodus 20:3 I do not know whether you have ever noticed the great part which the Commandments play in the instruction of members of the Chu...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:3_Thou shalt have no other gods before me. _In this commandment God enjoins that He alone should be worshipped, and requires a worship free from all superstition. For although it seems to be...

  • 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 SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. This is the first command, and is opposed to the polytheism of the Gentiles, the Egyptians, from whom Israel was just come, and whose gods some of them might h...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Ver. 3. _Thou shalt have._] This "thou" reacheth every man. Xenophon saith of Cyrus, that when he gave anything in command, he never said, Let some one do thi...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Exo. 20:3-7. The three first commandments. The first commandment respects the object of worship; and especially forbids those things in worship that are against _God the Father._ The second commandmen...

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

    The first commandment is concerning the _object of our worship, Jehovah_, and him only: _Thou shalt have no other gods before me_ The Egyptians, and other neighbouring nations, had many gods, creature...

  • 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 have no other gods before Me, no strange, false gods, no idols, over against Me, setting them up as rivals for the glory and power which belong to Me alone. Not that such figments of man's...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE DECALOGUE...

  • 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

    3-11 The first four of the ten commandments, commonly called the FIRST table, tell our duty to God. It was fit that those should be put first, because man had a Maker to love, before he had a neighbo...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Heb. THERE SHALL NOT BE TO THEE ANOTHER GOD, OR OTHER GODS, to wit, idols, which others have, esteem, and worship as gods, and therefore Scripture so calls them by way of supposition, Deuteronomy 32:2...

  • 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 20:3 other H312 gods H430 Me H6440 Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 5:7,...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:3 This was the commandment broken by Adam and Eve in Paradise; they obeyed the voice of the devil, and took him for their god instead of their heavenly Father. Since that time the devil has...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Exodus 20:2 I. This commandment does not tell the Jew that the gods worshipped by other nations have no existence; it tells him that he must offer them no homage, and that from him they must receive n...

  • 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 have no other gods before Me._ THE FIRST COMMANDMENT I. This Commandment does not tell the Jews that the gods worshipped by other nations have no existence; it tells him that he must offe...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Exodus 20:1. All these words.] Concerning which observe (1.) That they _form the basis of the covenant_, of which ch. Exodus 19:3 offers the first proposal; chs. 21–23, the detailed...

  • 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 15:11 Deuteronomy 5:7 Deuteronomy 6:5 Deuteronomy 6:14...

  • 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

    The first commandment is concerning the object of our worship, Jehovah, and him only, Thou shalt have no other gods before me — The Egyptians, and other neighbouring nations, had many gods, creatures...

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