“And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. keep: Heb. keep to do them”
All Israel: not one was wanting, chap. xxix. 10. God enabled all to hear the words of their lawgiver, (Menochius) by an evident miracle. (Jansenius) (Calmet)
“The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.”
Fathers, the ancient patriarchs, who were not favoured in such a signal manner. (Menochius) — Though many of those who had heard the words of God at Horeb, were dead, and had not enjoyed the full benefit of the covenant, some still remained, and the children of the deceased were about to enter the land which had been there promised. (Haydock) — God did not make a covenant with the Patriarchs only, but also with their posterity at Horeb. (Du Hamel)
“The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,”
To us. Hebrew and Septuagint, “to you.” — Face to face, in such a manner that no doubt could be entertained of his presence. (St. Augustine) — God addressed the decalogue to all the people, who saw no similitude. But to Moses he delivered the rest of his ordinances, with as much familiarity and condescension as one friend would use in speaking to another, Exodus xxxiii. 2. (Calmet)
“(I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,”
Mediator. St. Paul acknowledges this title of Moses, (Galatians iii. 9,) who was a figure of Jesus Christ, the mediator of the New Testament, Hebrews viii. 6., ix. 15., and xii. 24. (Calmet) — Let not Protestants, therefore, reject this title with so much indignation, when it is applied in the like limited sense to the saints, to denote that they pray for us, as we pray for one another. Christ is the one mediator (1 Timothy ii.) of redemption. (Haydock)
“Thou shalt have none other gods before me.”
Sight. Chaldean, “Thou shalt not have any other god but me.” Elohim often designates the true God. (Calmet) — See the decalogue explained, (Exodus xx.) where we have observed, that pictures are only forbidden when they are the objects of sovereign worship, as the context here plainly shews, ver. 9. Other images God himself authorized, (Worthington) even in the old law, and in the most sacred place, where people were ordered to fall prostrate before the ark, to adore his footstool, Psalm xcviii. 5. If, therefore, a people so prone to idolatry as the Jews were, might have pictures in the temple of God without danger, how can any one suppose that the images of Jesus Christ, and of his saints, are necessary incentive to idolatry among Christians, who all know that God will allow of no rival! (Haydock)
“Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,”
Serve. We must neither treat idols, nor their images, with the honour due to God alone. (St. Augustine, q. 61, in Gen.) — If we do, he will punish our infidelity. — Generation, for a long time, or as long as the remembrance of the parents’ wickedness subsists, so as to have an influence upon others. (Haydock) — God mercifully defers correction. (St. Jerome in Ezec. xviii.) He chastises those who imitate their wicked forefathers.
“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.”
In vain, by perjury. See ver. 20, where the same word is used, (Du Hamel) or by any irreverent speech. (Menochius)
“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.”
Therefore. This is another reason why the Jews were to observe the sabbath with particular rigour. The institution of a day of rest every week, (Haydock) was intended to preserve the memory of the creation. (Calmet) — God also requires that his people should be grateful on this day for the rest which he had granted to them, (Haydock) and preserve carefully all the monuments of the true religion. (Calmet)
“Neither shalt thou commit adultery.”
Adultery. Under this name God forbids every species of impurity. (St. Augustine, q. 71.) (Menochius)
“Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.”
False. Hebrew shave, “vain,” is synonymous with sheker, “false,” used [in] Exodus xx. 16.
“Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.”
His. Here the Samaritan copy inserts the order for erecting an altar upon Mount Garizim, which we have given, Exodus xx. 27. It occurs below, chap. xxviii. 2., &c. (Calmet)
“These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.”
More to the people: the other precepts were communicated to Moses. The Chaldean and others gives a contrary turn to the Hebrew, “and he ceased not” ever since to instruct us. (Calmet) — Moses gives the sense, not the very words of the decalogue, in which he is not guilty of any lie. (St. Augustine, q. 8.) (Du Hamel)
“And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;”
You said, by the mouths of your princes, Exodus xx. 19.
“Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die. hear: Heb. add to hear”
Die. Past experience did not entirely remove from them the fear which was so generally entertained, that the sight of the heavenly beings would prove destructive. So Daniel (chap. x. 17) said on a similar occasion, my breath is stopped. (Haydock)
“O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!”
A mind. God speaks like men, and insinuates how agreeable to him is a disposition influenced by a salutary fear. He does not mean that He cannot convert the heart of man. (Estius) — God exerts his power over our will by persuasive invitations. (Maimonides)
“Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.”
Left: a proverbial expression, to signify that no sort of transgression is to be allowed. (Menochius) — It is of the same import as, You shall not add, &c., chap. iv. 2. (Calmet)