Exodus 20

God gives Moseh the ten Commandments upon mount Sinai , v.1,etc. With thunder , lightnings , sound of Trumpet , etc. wherewith the people are terrified , 18. moseh chears them up, 20. Gods forbids them all Idolatry most earnestly ,23. what kinde of Altar God would have built unto himself ,24.

1. Then [viz. after that Moseh and Aaron were gone up the mount . See above chap.19.24.] God spake all these words , [i.e. these following ten Commandments] saying ;

2. I am the LORD thy God , that led thee forth out of the land of Egypt , and out of the house of bondage : [Heb. out of the house of the servants , or, bond-men, slaves .]

3. Thou shalt have no other Gods before my face .[Oth. no other God ,etc.]

4. Thou shalt not make no carved Image, nor any likeness to thy self [To this Law is not repugnant , that Moseh , on gods command , caused by Cherubims , Exod.25.18. and after the brazen Serpent , Numb.21.8, & c. to be made ; the same being not at all made to exhibit any devine worship unto them] (of that ) which is above in Heaven , [as Sun,Moon, Stars,Fowls, Deuteronomy 4:19. understand likewise hereby the Angels , Col.2.18.] nor (of that) which is beneath upon the earth , [as men, four footed beasts , and creepings, Deut.4.16,17. Isa.44.13. Ezekiel 23:14.] nor (of that) which is in the waters under the earth , [as fishes , snakes ,serpents,dragons , crocodiles ,tortoises ,& c. See Deut.4.18. and Isaiah 41:29.]

5. Thou shalt not bow down thy self before them , nor serve them ; [viz. Neither the Idols themselves , nor me by them , as Exodus 32:4,6. they pretended to do by the golden calf ; and afterwards the ten Tribes , by the two golden calves , 1 Kings 12:28.] For I the LORD thy God am a jealous God , [God is called the husband of his people , Jer.2.2. Hos.2.19. Idolatry is called Whoredome and adultery, Deut.31.16. Judges 2:17. Jer.3.9,20. therefore the wrath and displeasure of God for that sin,is called Jealousie.] that visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children [i.e. their posterity , to wit, such as walking in their fathers footsteps ; do commit the sin of Idolatry likewise .] on the third and on the fourth (member) [or, generation]of them that hate me.

6. And do (or, shew) compassion on thousands of them that love me , and keep my Commandments.

7. Thou shalt not vainly use the Name of the LORD thy God ; [Heb. take up for vanity the Name , etc. See Psalms 15:3. and 16.4. and 50.16.] for the LORD shall not hold guiltless [or, clean, pure] him that doth vainly use his Name .

8. Remember the Sabbath day, that thou hallow the same [i.e. Seperate that day from thy usual and common emploiment , or daily labour , such as belongs to thy temporal life ; and bestow the same in serving God with holy works , tending more eminently to the glory of God , and thy own spiritual life and everlasting welfare.]

9. Six days thou shalt labour , and do all thy work :

10. But the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God : (then) thou shalt do no work , thou , nor thy son , nor thy daughter , (nor) thy man-servant , nor thy maid-servant , nor thy cattel, [as , Oxen, Asses, Horses , Camels, Elephants , & c.] nor thy stranger , that is in thy gates :

11. For in six days the LORD made the Heaven and Earth, the Sea and all that therein is ,and he rested the Seventh day ; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day , and hallowed the same .[See Gen.2.3.]

12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother , that thy days may be lengthened, [Oth.that may lengthen thy days : they, to wit , thy father and thy mother , by their prayer, or blessing , which prevail much with God , as on the contrary their curse is seldome in vain .] in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

13. Thou shalt not kill.

14. Thou shalt not commit adultery .[Or, break wedlock.]

15. Thou shalt not steal.

16. Thou shalt speak [Oth. answer] no false witness against thy neighbour .[By the word neighbour here are to be understood all men , all mankind , as Gen.11.3. Esth.1.19. Prov.18.17. See Luke 10:29,30. not thy very enemy excepted.]

17. Thou shalt not covet (or, desire ) thy neighbours house , [Compare , Deut.5.21.] thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife , nor his man-servant , nor his maid-servant , nor his oxe , nor his asse , nor ought that is thy neighbours.

18. And all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings , [Properly , lamps , torches , i.e. lightnings] and the sound of the trumpet , and the smoaking mountain : when the people saw that , they withdrew, [viz. from the mount] and stood afar off.

19. And they said to Moseh : Speak thou with us, and we will hearken : and let not God speak with us lest we die.

20. And Moseh said to the people ; Fear not, for God is come to prove you , [viz. to know whether you will obey his Commandements , as you promised to do, above chap.19.8. See Gen.22.1.] and that his fear ( or,dread) may be before your face , that ye sin not .

21. And the people stood afar off : But Moseh drew near the darkness where God was.

22. Then the LORD said to Moseh : thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel : Ye have seen that I have spoken with you from Heaven , [viz. upon mount Sinai. See Deut.4.36. and Nehem.9.13.]

23. Ye shall make no silver Gods besides me, neither shall ye make you golden Gods.

24. Make me an Altar of earth , and offer thereupon thy burnt-offerings , [See Gen.8.20.] and thy thank offerings, [see Lev.3.1.] thy sheep , and thy oxen : in every place , where I shall set up the remembrance of my Name , [Heb. where I shall cause my Name to be remembred .] will I come unto thee [viz. to manifest my love and favour to thee.] and will bless thee.

25. But if thou wilt make me an Altar of stone , [Afterwards the Altar was made of Sittim-wood , Exod.27.1. And after thatof Copper , 1 Kings 8:64.] thou shalt not build the same of hewen (stone) ; if thou lift thy graving tool over it , thou wilt un-hollow (or prophane ) it.

26. Neither shalt thou ascend with steps unto my Altar , [And yet this Altar was to be three cubits high, Exod.27.1. And Salomons Altar was ten cubits high , 2 Chron.4.1. there were no steps indeed made to ascend,but the ground was raised , so that the Priests went up to the Altar higher and higher, insensibly as it were , as upon a raised bank , or natural small hill , where they might be seen of every one present] that they shame ( or nakedness ) be not uncovered before it . [viz. before the Altar . Afterwards the Priests were ordered by God to wear linnen drawers , Exodus 28:42,43.]