Deuteronomy 5:6
“‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Before God gives His commandments, He first reminds them that He is their God because He rescued them from slavery. This isn't just a historical fact; it's the foundation of their relationship, showing that His saving grace precedes and empowers their obedience.
Moses is about to repeat the Ten Commandments to the Israelites, reminding them of their covenant relationship with God. He emphasizes that these laws aren't just abstract rules but are given by the very God who rescued them from slavery in Egypt, forging a unique bond with them. This foundational act of deliverance is presented as the ultimate reason they should listen and obey.
Before God gives any commands, He reminds Israel who He is and what He's done. It's a powerful reminder that our relationship with Him is built on His actions.
Moses begins the Ten Commandments with a profound statement: 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.' This isn't just a historical fact; it's the bedrock of Israel's identity and their relationship with God.
A God of Action
God doesn't say, 'I am the God you should obey.' He says, 'I am the God who has acted on your behalf.' His deliverance from Egypt, from brutal slavery, is the ultimate demonstration of His power and His commitment to His people. This rescue is the foundation upon which all subsequent commands are built.
The Freedom That Leads to Law
Imagine being a slave, then suddenly being set free. Your whole world changes! God's liberation of Israel wasn't just physical; it was the beginning of a new way of life. The commandments that follow are not arbitrary rules, but the guidelines for living as a free people, a people set apart for God.
The commands aren't just rules; they're the terms of an incredible relationship. God's actions create an obligation rooted in love and loyalty.
The opening phrase, 'I am the LORD your God,' signifies a covenant relationship. God isn't just a distant deity; He has chosen Israel, entered into a special agreement with them, and called them His own.
The Nature of Covenant
In ancient Near Eastern cultures, covenants were serious agreements, often between a powerful ruler and a subordinate people. The ruler would grant protection and benefits, and the subordinate would pledge loyalty and obedience. God’s covenant with Israel follows this pattern, but with a crucial difference: it's initiated by His grace and love, not just His power.
Obedience as Gratitude
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the one true God, signifying His eternal, self-existent, and covenant-keeping nature. It is the name by which He revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush.
This is the foundational statement of the Ten Commandments, presenting the same preface as Deuteronomy 5:6 and establishing God's identity and His redemptive act as the basis for His law.
Joshua 24:2-13Joshua recounts God's redemptive history, starting with Abraham and culminating in the deliverance from Egypt, mirroring the foundational promise in Deuteronomy 5:6 and showing how God's faithfulness builds upon His past actions.
Nehemiah 9:7-15This passage is a prayer of confession that explicitly recalls God's covenant faithfulness, beginning with the selection of Abraham and the miraculous exodus from Egypt, underscoring the divine initiative and grace that precedes the giving of the Law.
Hosea 11:1-4Hosea powerfully reminds Israel of God's fatherly love and how He 'called My son out of Egypt,' framing the exodus not just as a historical event but as an expression of God's deep, relational care for His people, which is the heart of the relationship declared in Deuteronomy 5:6.
Romans 8:1-4Paul explains that 'the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death,' echoing the concept of liberation from bondage (Egypt) and highlighting how freedom in Christ is the spiritual fulfillment of God's redemptive work, making obedience possible through His Spirit.
clarkeDeuteronomy 5:6: "I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage."
I am the Lord thy God - See these commandments explained in the notes on Exodus 20 (note).
calvinDeuteronomy 5:1-6: "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."
- And Moses called all Israel. Since the plan and order of exposition which I have adopted required that this same preface, as it is repeated word. for word in Deuteronomy, should here also be read together, I have thought fit also to insert the five verses, which in this place precede it. In the fir…
Before God gives His commandments, He first reminds them that He is their God because He rescued them from slavery. This isn't just a historical fact; it's the foundation of their relationship, showing that His saving grace precedes and empowers their obedience.
Moses is about to repeat the Ten Commandments to the Israelites, reminding them of their covenant relationship with God. He emphasizes that these laws aren't just abstract rules but are given by the very God who rescued them from slavery in Egypt, forging a unique bond with them. This foundational act of deliverance is presented as the ultimate reason they should listen and obey.
Moses is about to repeat the Ten Commandments to the Israelites, reminding them of their covenant relationship with God. He emphasizes that these laws aren't just abstract rules but are given by the very God who rescued them from slavery in Egypt, forging a unique bond with them. This foundational act of deliverance is presented as the ultimate reason they should listen and obey.
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Because God has rescued them and claimed them as His own, Israel has a profound obligation to be loyal to Him. The commandments are not a burden imposed from the outside, but the expected response of a people who have experienced God's liberating love. Obedience flows out of gratitude for this redeemed status.
"“‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." — Before God gives His commandments, He first reminds them that He is their God because He rescued them from slavery. This isn't just a historical fact; it's the foundation of their relationship, sho…
