Apply Ten Commandments
The words that are so familiar in what is called "The Ten Commandments" deserve deeper consideration. While the Ten Commandments have a definite core meaning, a discussion such as follows helps you apply them with some of their implications.
Dabar The Creator's list of things to remember is introduced in Exodus 20:1 "And God spake all these words, saying". He spake words, and in the Hebrew that is dâbâr [1]. This is translated into English in an astounding variety of ways, but some of them - in descending order of occurrence in the Bible - are these: word (including words, over 825 times; thing/things, more than 130 instances; acts, 52; matter, 45; command or commandment or their plurals; 16 instances. A total of about 100 ideas are translated from this Hebrew word 'dabar' into the New American Standard version of the Bible (an astounding variety, and many of them are very closely related, while others have nearly opposite meanings to most American readers). It is therefore technically inaccurate to use the phrase "Ten commandments", when in fact it is 'these words", which are later described as "ten words" [2].
That first word is Exodus 20:2 "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." [3] This word has prominence. It declares the supreme position of the Father in heaven. It is a testimony of His gracious work which provided them liberty. With liberty comes responsibility. This word is a foundation.
An individual's agreement with this first word (all of verse 2) becomes his assent to fear the Almighty, by which means he may begin his journey of getting wisdom [4] and walking in liberty. Jesus upheld this word Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
This is a work in progress. To be continued.
- ↑ (Strongs #H1697)Original Word: דָּבָר; Part of Speech: Noun Masculine; Phonetic Spelling: (daw-baw')
- ↑ The list in Exodus 20:2 - 17 definitely includes command phrases, but within that range of verses, seven phrases are not commands. When they are not commands, the phrases include reasons and causes. These are: verses 2, 5b, 6, 7b, 10, 11, and 12b. God spake words, and in reality, grammarians may find more than 17 words declared within verses 2 through 17. All but the first of these words are connected to one of the command phrases. Exodus 34:28 declares existence of a list of ten words (translated: "Ten Commandments" in most Bibles), and Deuteronomy 4:13 and 10:4 also say there are ten (not 17). Counting each particular command phrase, and separately counting the phrases which are reasons, testimonies or causes, the list of words might actually be 22 words within what we call the Ten Commandments. However, they should be spoken of as the Ten Words or the Ten Commandments, for the sake of clarity with our audience.
- ↑ How terrible was it? It was an 'iron furnace'. Deut 4:20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. What did it require to free them? Here is His list: Deut 4:34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Deut 5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
- ↑ Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Prov 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
It is derived from H1696; a word; by implication a matter (as spoken of) of thing; adverbially a cause: - act, advice, affair, answer, X any such (thing), + because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X commune (-ication), + concern [-ing], + confer, counsel, + dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, + eloquent, errand, [evil favoured-] ness, + glory, + harm, hurt, + iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter, message, [no] thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, + please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some [uncleanness], somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that, X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings, what [-soever], + wherewith, which, word, work. The Hebrew letters are Daleth, Beth, Resh, and those letters convey the idea of the pathway of charity within the boundaries of the highest (the Sovereign). While it is true this idea can describe a commandment, it may also apply to a cause, a case or a chronicled report.