The Ten Commandments



The Ten Commandments

Read the following Ten Commandments as the Hebrew people believe were given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. These commandments serve as the basis for all Jewish law. After reading, use your textbook, prior knowledge and any good additional source as necessary to answer the questions below in complete sentences.

I. 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. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

II. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God.

III. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

IV. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

V. Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

VI. Thou shalt not kill.

VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

VIII. Thou shalt not steal.

IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his donkey, or any thing that is thy neighbor's.

Questions:

1. Do the first four commandments concern themselves more with the Hebrews’ relationship with God or one another?

2. What do the last six commandments have in common that distinguishes them from the first four?

3. How do the Ten Commandments help to demonstrate the importance of the idea of a covenant existing between the Hebrew peoples and God?

4. During the first quarter, we studied arguably two of the most historically influential law codes. They do have some similarities, but also some very important differences. In your opinion, does Hammurabi’s Code or the Ten Commandments maintain a more orderly society? WHY did you choose this position? (make sure your answer FULLY addresses each part of the question!)

5. Do you think that the legacy of the Ten Commandments is evident in our modern law codes? Please give specific examples to support your answer.

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