Texts in Conversation
Exodus frames the command to honor parents as a direct obligation tied to long life in the land, reflecting the absolute style of the Torah’s commands. Proverbs reworks this into practical guidance, urging children to heed parental instruction as a safeguard against poor decisions.
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Exodus 20:12
Hebrew Bible
10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you. 13 “You shall not murder. 14 “You shall not commit adultery.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Proverbs 6:20
Hebrew Bible
18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift to run to evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who spreads discord among family members. 20 My child, guard the commands of your father and do not forsake the instruction of your mother. 21 Bind them on your heart continually; fasten them around your neck. 22 When you walk about, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you wake up, they will talk to you.
Date: 6th-3rd Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Proverbs 6:16-35 contains parallels with the Shema and the Decalogue, the latter of which is our current focus ... This Decalogical intertext includes counterparts to “honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16; compare Proverbs 6:20), “you shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18; compare Proverbs 6:32), “you shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:19; compare Proverbs 6:30–31), and “you shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21; compare Proverbs 6:25). This passage is, however, closer to V’s version than the canonical ones in four distinct ways. First, the word “wealth” appears here in the context of the sin of theft (6:31), unlike the Decalogues of Exodus or Deuteronomy, but precisely as in V (E 3:8) ... Second, the verb דמח here relates specifically to lusting after a person (6:25), rather than asexual coveting. This stands in contrast to the Exodus version, where דמח applies to inanimate objects (Exodus 20:17), but it is in perfect consonance with V ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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