“‘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)
All verses
Deuteronomy 5:6
What does Deuteronomy 5:6 mean?
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Deuteronomy 5:6
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This verse isn't just stating a fact; it's grounding God's commands in His past action and relationship. He's not just a distant Lawgiver, but the God who rescued them from slavery, making obedience a response to grace, not just obligation.
“‘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)
Moses is re-presenting God's Ten Commandments to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, reminding them of their covenant relationship. This declaration, echoing the preface in Exodus, grounds God's laws in His past redemptive act of freeing them from Egyptian slavery, establishing His authority and their obligation to Him. He's setting the stage for them to choose obedience in this new chapter of their lives.
Why does God start the Ten Commandments by reminding them He freed them from slavery? It’s not just a history lesson; it’s the heart of His covenant with them.
Moses is re-presenting the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel, and he kicks it off with these powerful words: '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 casual intro; it's foundational. Before laying down any rules or expectations, God reminds them of His active, powerful act of love: redemption.
When God says, 'I am the LORD God,' it’s more than a title. It’s a profound statement of relationship and authority that demands a response.
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The phrase 'I am the LORD your God' isn't just a label; it’s the declaration of a covenant relationship. It’s God asserting His rightful claim over Israel.
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 passage is the original delivery of the Ten Commandments, including the exact preface found in Deuteronomy 5:6, establishing God's authority based on His redemptive act.
Joshua 24:1-13Joshua recounts God's faithfulness from Abraham to the conquest of Canaan, including the Exodus from Egypt, mirroring the foundational theme of God's saving acts as the basis for covenant obedience.
Nehemiah 9:7-15This prayer recounts God's covenant faithfulness, highlighting the Exodus from Egypt as the pivotal act of deliverance that established Israel's identity and God's claim upon them.
Hosea 11:1-4Hosea uses the metaphor of God as a loving father calling His son, Israel, out of Egypt to illustrate His tender, redemptive love that preceded and sustained their relationship, echoing the sentiment in Deuteronomy.
Matthew 22:37-38Jesus identifies the greatest commandment as loving God, which flows directly from the relationship established by God's saving acts, as stated in the preface to the Law in Deuteronomy 5:6.
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…
This verse isn't just stating a fact; it's grounding God's commands in His past action and relationship. He's not just a distant Lawgiver, but the God who rescued them from slavery, making obedience a response to grace, not just obligation.
Moses is re-presenting God's Ten Commandments to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, reminding them of their covenant relationship. This declaration, echoing the preface in Exodus, grounds God's laws in His past redemptive act of freeing them from Egyptian slavery, establishing His authority and their obligation to Him. He's setting the stage for them to choose obedience in this new chapter of their lives.
Moses is re-presenting God's Ten Commandments to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, reminding them of their covenant relationship. This declaration, echoing the preface in Exodus, grounds God's laws in His past redemptive act of freeing them from Egyptian slavery, establishing His authority and their obligation to Him. He's setting the stage for them to choose obedience in this new chapter of their lives.
"“‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." — This verse isn't just stating a fact; it's grounding God's commands in His past action and relationship. He's not just a distant Lawgiver, but the God who rescued them from slavery, making obed…
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Last reviewed October 2026