Ten Commandments

This 1768 parchment (612×502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated the 1675 Decalogue at Amsterdam Esnoga synagogue . The Ten Commandments , or Decalogue , ( Ten Words or Ten Matters in Hebrew and Greek) is a list of religious and moral imperatives that, according to the Hebrew Bible , were spoken by God (referred to using several names ) to the people of Israel from the mountain referred to as Mount Sinai or Horeb , and later authored by God and given to or written by Moses in the form of two stone tablets. They are recognized as a moral foundation in Judaism and Christianity , and their substance also figures in Islam . In Biblical Hebrew , the commandments are called עשרת הדברים ( transliterated [ Aseret ha-Dvarîm ] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup ( help ) ) and in Rabbinical Hebrew עשרת הדברות (transliterated [ Aseret ha-Dibrot ] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup ( help ) ), both translatable as "the ten words", "the ten sayings" or "the ten matters". The English name "Decalogue" is derived from the Greek translation δεκάλογος dekalogos "ten terms", found in the Septuagint at Exodus 34:28 and Deuteronomy 10:4. The phrase "Ten Commandments" is generally used to refer to similar passages in Exodus 20:2–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21. Some scholars distinguish between this "Ethical Decalogue" and a different series of ten commandments in Exodus 34:11–27 that they call the " Ritual Decalogue ". Although Exodus 34 contains ten imperative statements, the passages in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 contain fourteen or fifteen. However, the Bible assigns the count of ten to both lists. Various denominations divide these statements into ten in different ways, and may also translate the Commandments differently.

This 1768 parchment (612×502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated the 1675 Ten Commandments at the Amsterdam Esnoga synagogue . The Ten Commandments , also known as the Decalogue , are a set of commandments which the Bible describes as being given to the Israelites by God at biblical Mount Sinai . The Ten Commandments appear twice in the Hebrew Bible , first at Exodus 20:1–17 , and then at Deuteronomy 5:4–21 . According to the story in Exodus, God inscribed them on two stone tablets, which he gave to Moses . Modern scholarship has found likely influences in Hittite and Mesopotamian laws and treaties, but is divided over exactly when the Ten Commandments were written and who wrote them. They include instructions to worship only God , to honour parents , and to keep the sabbath ; as well as prohibitions against idolatry , blasphemy , murder , adultery , theft , dishonesty , and coveting . Different religious groups follow different traditions for interpreting and numbering them.

Set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in the Abrahamic religions This 1768 parchment (612×502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated the 1675 Ten Commandments at the Amsterdam Esnoga synagogue . The Ten Commandments ( , Aseret ha'Dibrot ), also known in Christianity as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship . These are fundamental to both Judaism and Christianity. The text of the Ten Commandments appears twice in the Hebrew Bible : at Exodus 20:2–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–17 . Modern scholarship has found likely influences in Hittite and Mesopotamian laws and treaties. Scholars disagree about when the Ten Commandments were recorded and by whom.

Biblical principles relating to ethics and worship For other uses, see Ten Commandments (disambiguation) . This 1768 parchment (612×502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated the 1675 Ten Commandments at the Amsterdam Esnoga synagogue The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים ‎, ʿĂsereṯ haDəḇārīm , lit. ' The Ten Words ' , cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, ʿĂseret haDībbərōt , lit. The Ten Sayings , The Ten Utterances ), or the Decalogue (from Latin decalogus , from Ancient Greek δεκάλογος [dekálogos], lit. "ten words"), are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship that play a fundamental role in Judaism , Christianity , and Islam . The text of the Ten Commandments appears twice in the Hebrew Bible : at Exodus 20:2–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21 . According to the Book of Exodus in the Torah , the Ten Commandments were revealed to Moses at Mount Sinai , told by Moses to the Israelites in Exodus 19:25 and inscribed by the finger of God on two tablets of stone . Scholars disagree about when the Ten Commandments were written and by whom, with some modern scholars suggesting that they were likely modeled on Hittite and Mesopotamian laws and treaties.

Biblical principles relating to ethics and worship For other uses, see Ten Commandments (disambiguation) . This 1768 parchment by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated the 1675 Ten Commandments at the Amsterdam Esnoga synagogue The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew : עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים ‎ , romanized: ʿĂsereṯ haDəḇārīm , lit. ' The Ten Words ' ), or the Decalogue (from Latin decalogus , from Ancient Greek δεκάλογος , dekálogos , lit. ' ten words ' ), are religious and ethical directives, structured as a covenant document, that, according to the Hebrew Bible , were given by YHWH to Moses . The text of the Ten Commandments appears in three markedly distinct versions in the Bible: at Exodus 20:1–17 , Deuteronomy 5:6–21 , and the " Ritual Decalogue " of Exodus 34:11–26 . The biblical narrative describes how God revealed the Ten Commandments to the Israelites at Mount Sinai amidst thunder and fire, gave Moses two stone tablets inscribed with the law, which he later broke in anger after witnessing the worship of a golden calf , and then received a second set of tablets to be placed in the Ark of the Covenant . Scholars have proposed a range of dates and contexts for the origins of the Decalogue. Interpretations of its content vary widely, reflecting debates over its legal, political, and theological development, its relation to ancient treaty forms, and differing views on authorship and emphasis on ritual versus ethics. Different religious traditions divide the seventeen verses of Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:4–21 into ten commandments in distinct ways, often influenced by theological or mnemonic priorities despite the presence of more than ten imperative statements in the texts. The Ten Commandments are the foundational core of Jewish law , connecting and supporting all other commandments and guiding Jewish ritual and ethics. Most Christian traditions regard the Ten Commandments as divinely authoritative and foundational to moral life, though they differ in interpretation, emphasis, and application within their theological frameworks. The Quran presents the Ten Commandments given to Moses as moral and legal guidance focused on monotheism , justice , and righteousness , paralleling but differing slightly from the biblical version. Interpretive differences arise from varying religious traditions, translations, and cultural contexts affecting Sabbath observance, prohibitions on killing and theft, views on idolatry , and definitions of adultery . Some scholars have criticized the Ten Commandments as outdated , authoritarian , and potentially harmful in certain interpretations, such as those justifying harsh punishments or religious violence, like the 1846 Galician uprising. In the United States , they have remained a contentious symbol in public spaces and schools, with debates intensifying through the 20th and 21st centuries and culminating in recent laws in Texas and Louisiana mandating their display—laws now facing legal challenges over church-state separation . The Ten Commandments have been depicted or referenced in various media, including two major films by Cecil B. DeMille , the Polish series Dekalog , the American comedy The Ten , multiple musicals and films, and a satirical scene in Mel Brooks ’s History of the World Part I . In Barmash, Pamela (ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Law . Among the features that seem to point to the lateness of the collection are its gradual literary evolution and its place within the Sinai traditions (Aaron 2006, Blum 2011, Hölscher 1988, and others). Harrelson (1962, who accepted this third dating suggestion) was cautious enough to admit that there were no good arguments to substantiate firmly any of these general frameworks”