The Ten Words

1 And the Lord spoke all these words, saying, 2 The first word, as it came out from the mouth of the Holy One, may His Name be blessed, was like shooting stars and lightning, and flames of fire, with a burning light on its right and its left. It winged its way through the air of the heavens, and appeared over the camp of Israel, and returned, and was engraved on the tablets of the covenant that were given into the palms of Moses’ hands, and it moved from side to side on them. Then He called out and said, “Sons of Israel, My people, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out free from the land of Egypt, from the house where you were slaves to slaves.”

3 The second word which came out from the mouth of the Holy One, may His Name be blessed, was like shooting stars and lightning, and flames of fire. A burning light was on its right and its left and was carried through the air of the heavens, returned, and was made visible over the camp of Israel. It returned, and was engraved on the tablets of the covenant, and was turned in them from side to side. Then He called out and said, “House of Israel, My people, ...

4 “You must not make for yourselves an image, figure, or any likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God and an avenger, punishing with vengeance, recording the guilt of wicked fathers against rebellious children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but keeping mercy and goodness for thousands of generations of the righteous who love Me, and who keep My commandments and My laws.

7 “My people of the house of Israel, none of you may swear by the name of the Word of the Lord your God in vain, for in the day of the great judgment the Lord will not acquit anyone who swears by His name in vain.

8 “My people of the house of Israel, remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Work for six days and do all your tasks, 10 but the seventh day is for Sabbath rest and stillness for the Lord your God. You must not do any work, you, and your sons, and your daughters, and your male and female servants and the foreign residents who are in your cities. 11 For in six days the Lord created the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and whatever is in them, and rested on the seventh day, therefore the Lord has blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.

12 “My people, the house of Israel, everyone must take care to honor his father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you.

13 “My people, the sons of Israel, you must not be murderers, companions of murderers, or partners with murderers. No murderous people may be seen in the congregations of Israel, so that your sons in the next generation do not learn to join murderers, for the guilt of murder brings the sword on the world.

“My people of the house of Israel, you must not be adulterers, companions of adulterers, or partners with adulterers. No adulterous people may be seen in the congregations of Israel, so that your sons in the next generation do not learn to join adulterers, for the guilt of adultery brings death on the world.

“Sons of Israel, My people, you must not be thieves, companions of thieves, or partners with thieves. No thieving people may be seen in the congregations of Israel, so that your sons in the next generation do not learn to join thieves, for the guilt of theft brings famine on the world.

“Sons of Israel, My people, you must not testify falsely against your neighbors or be companions or partners of those who bear false witness. No people who testify falsely may be seen in the congregations of Israel, so that your sons in the next generation do not learn to join those who testify falsely, for the guilt of false testimony makes the clouds rise without rain falling, and brings drought on the world.

14 “Sons of Israel, My people, you must not crave what belongs to others or be companions or partners with those who do. No people who crave what belongs to others may be seen in the congregations of Israel, so that your sons in the next generation do not learn to join them. None of you may crave his neighbor’s house, and none of you may crave his neighbor’s wife, male servant, female servant, ox, donkey, or anything belonging to his neighbor, because through the guilt of craving others’ possessions the government attacks people’s property to seize it, and the wealthy become poor, and exile comes on the world.”

The people at a distance

15 And all the people saw the thunder, how it changed in each person’s hearing as it came out from the lights, and the sound of the trumpet, how it revived the dead, and the mountain smoking. And all the people saw and drew back and stood twelve ancient miles away.⁠a

16 And they said to Moses, “Speak with us, and we can listen. But do not let us hear any more words from the Lord, so that we do not die.”

17 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, for the glory of the Lord is revealed to test you, so that fear of Him stays in your sight and you may not sin.”

18 And the people stood twelve ancient miles away, but Moses approached the dense darkness where the glory of the Shekinah of the Lord was.

Worship and the altar

19 And the Lord said to Moses, “Say this to the sons of Israel, ‘You have seen that I have spoken with you from the heavens, 20 sons of Israel, My people, you must not make for worship any likeness of the sun, moon, stars, planets, or angels who serve in My presence. You must not make silver or gold idols for yourselves.

21 “‘You must make an earthen altar to My Name and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and sacred offerings from your sheep and oxen. And in every place where My Shekinah dwells and you worship in My presence, I will send My blessing on you and bless you. 22 But if you make a stone altar to My Name, you must not build it with cut stones, for if you lift iron, from which swords are made, over the stone, you profane it. 23 And you, the priests, who stand to serve in My presence, must not go up to My altar by steps, but by ramps, so that your nakedness may not be seen on it.’”