H. P. Mansfield Bible notes — checked and arranged in verse-by-verse Expositor style

Source: HPB 02-Gen42-Lev11.pdf, principally Exodus 20 photographed pages 48–49

CHAPTER OVERVIEW

Exodus 20 gives the covenant’s foundational “words.” The order matters: “I am Yahweh thy God, which have brought thee out” precedes the commandments. Israel does not earn redemption by keeping the law; the law defines the response of a people already delivered from bondage.

The commandments move from exclusive loyalty to Yahweh into ordered human relationships and finally reach inward to desire itself. Later Scripture can summarise the same moral direction as love toward God and love toward neighbour (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:37–40). The chapter then records Israel’s fear, request for mediation, and simple regulations for acceptable worship.

Exodus presents God as the speaker. Other inspired passages explain that the Sinai law was ministered through angels (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2). This is consistent with God speaking authoritatively through His angelic manifestation rather than requiring the unseen Father personally to be physically present on the mountain.

THE REDEEMER SPEAKS — EXODUS 20:1–2

Exodus 20:1–2 — “I brought thee out” before “Thou shalt”

God speaks the covenant words and identifies Himself by saving history: Yahweh brought Israel from Egypt, “out of the house of bondage.” Beth ‘avadim is literally house of slaves/servitude. The ethical commands are therefore rooted in a relationship already established by Divine deliverance.

EXCLUSIVE LOYALTY TO YAHWEH — EXODUS 20:3–7

Exodus 20:3 — no other gods before Yahweh

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” The phrase ‘al-panay is literally before my face/presence and conveys no rival gods alongside or in defiance of Yahweh. The command is exclusive covenant loyalty, not merely ranking Yahweh first among several acceptable deities.

Exodus 20:4–6 — no graven image

Israel must not make a pesel, a carved/graven image, or bow to manufactured likenesses as objects of worship. The invisible Creator is not to be reduced to something made by human hands. Yahweh calls Himself qanna, jealous/zealous for exclusive covenant loyalty.

The phrase “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children” does not teach indiscriminate punishment of innocent descendants for ancestral guilt. The context describes generations “of them that hate me,” contrasted with steadfast mercy toward those who love Him. Deuteronomy 24:16 and Ezekiel 18:20 explicitly affirm personal moral responsibility, while inherited consequences of continuing family sin remain real.

The KJV “showing mercy unto thousands” translates la’alafim. Deuteronomy 7:9 expands the covenant expression as “a thousand generations,” showing the vast contrast between limited generational consequences of persistent hatred and Yahweh’s enduring covenant mercy.

Exodus 20:7 — do not bear the Name emptily

“Thou shalt not take the name of Yahweh thy God in vain.” Nasa means lift/carry/take; shav means emptiness, falsehood or worthlessness. The command certainly includes false swearing, but is broader than avoiding a casual pronunciation: one must not invoke, carry or claim Yahweh’s Name falsely while living contrary to the character it represents.

SABBATH AND FAMILY AUTHORITY — EXODUS 20:8–12

Exodus 20:8–11 — remember the Sabbath

Zakar, “remember,” calls Israel to keep the seventh day set apart. Six days are for ordinary labour; the seventh is a Sabbath to Yahweh in which sons, daughters, servants, livestock and the resident stranger share the rest. Here the command is grounded in the creation pattern of Genesis 2:2–3 and had already been trained practically through manna in Exodus 16.

Within the Mosaic covenant the Sabbath later becomes a specific sign between Yahweh and Israel (Exodus 31:13–17). The New Testament does not impose Israel’s Sabbath legislation as the basis of justification on Gentile believers; Colossians 2:16–17 warns against judgment over sabbath days. The creation principle of ordered rest and consecrated time remains instructive without confusing covenant administrations.

Exodus 20:12 — honour father and mother

Kabbed, “honour,” derives from the idea of weight and means treat as weighty/important, honour or respect. The command links reverence for God-given order with family responsibility and carries the promise of prolonged life in the land Yahweh is giving Israel. Ephesians 6:2 calls it “the first commandment with promise.”

COMMANDS GOVERNING THE NEIGHBOUR — EXODUS 20:13–17

Exodus 20:13 — “Thou shalt not murder”

The Hebrew verb ratsach refers to murder/unlawful killing rather than every act by which human life is taken. “Thou shalt not murder” therefore communicates the lexical force more precisely than modern readers may hear in the older KJV “kill.” The distinction is confirmed by the very legislation that follows, which distinguishes murder, manslaughter and judicial penalties.

Exodus 20:14–16 — adultery, stealing and false witness

Adultery violates the marriage covenant; stealing violates another person’s property; false witness violates truth and justice, especially in a judicial setting. These are not merely private preferences but covenant obligations protecting neighbour, household and community.

Exodus 20:17 — the law reaches desire

“Thou shalt not covet.” Chamad means desire/covet, often an attractive desire that becomes wrongful because it reaches toward what belongs to another. House, wife, servants, animals and “anything” belonging to the neighbour are included. Paul later identifies this command as exposing inward sin: “I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet” (Romans 7:7).

THE TWO GREAT DUTIES

Mansfield groups the Decalogue around duty to God and duty to neighbour, with honour of parents functioning naturally at the transition between Divine authority and social order. Scripture itself later gives the controlling summary: wholehearted love of God and love of neighbour (Matthew 22:37–40). The exact distribution of commandments between the two physical stone tablets is not stated in Exodus and should not be dogmatically reconstructed.

THE PEOPLE ASK FOR A MEDIATOR — EXODUS 20:18–21

Exodus 20:18–19 — Israel stands afar off

The people experience thunderings, flashes, trumpet and the smoking mountain, tremble and stand at a distance. They ask Moses to speak with them rather than hearing the terrifying Divine manifestation directly: “let not God speak with us, lest we die.” Deuteronomy 5:23–31 later recalls the request and Yahweh’s approval of their expressed reverence, while establishing Moses’ mediatorial role.

Exodus 20:20 — “Fear not” yet “that his fear may be before you”

Moses’ words deliberately hold two senses together. They are not to live in panicked terror as though God has appeared arbitrarily to destroy them; God has come to nasah, test/prove them, so that His yirah, reverent fear, remains before them and restrains sin. Biblical fear of Yahweh is therefore not identical with uncontrolled fright.

Exodus 20:21 — Moses draws near

The people remain afar while Moses approaches the ‘araphel, thick darkness/gloom where God is manifested. The physical contrast embodies mediation: the appointed representative approaches on behalf of those who cannot presume to do so themselves.

WORSHIP WITHOUT IDOLATRY OR OSTENTATION — EXODUS 20:22–26

Exodus 20:22–23 — the God who spoke from heaven is not an image

Israel has heard God speak “from heaven,” so silver and gold gods must not be made alongside Him. Audible revelation from the unseen God reinforces the prohibition against reducing Him to a visible manufactured object.

Exodus 20:24 — altar of earth and the recorded Name

An altar of earth is sufficient for burnt and peace offerings. “In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.” The verb zakar in the causative form can mean cause the Name to be remembered/commemorated. Sacredness comes from Yahweh’s appointment and presence, not from human architectural grandeur.

Exodus 20:25 — unhewn stone

If stone is used, the stones are not to be dressed with a tool. The Hebrew cherev normally means sword and here can describe an iron cutting implement; human cutting is said to profane the altar. The point is simplicity and obedience, not an assertion that artistic skill is inherently evil — later Yahweh Himself commissions skilled craftsmanship for the tabernacle.

Exodus 20:26 — modesty at the altar

Steps are forbidden where their use would expose nakedness during ascent. Worship of Yahweh is to preserve modesty and holiness. The verse does not require speculative descriptions of surrounding sexual cults in order for its moral point to stand.

THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT

The Decalogue provides the fundamental covenant words. Exodus 21–23 then applies covenant principles to concrete social, judicial and worship situations, and Exodus 24 records formal covenant ratification. The movement is from foundational command to case-law application.

PRINCIPAL THEMES

• Redemption precedes command: the Deliverer speaks to a people He has already brought out.

• Covenant loyalty requires exclusive worship of Yahweh without manufactured images.

• Bearing Yahweh’s Name demands truth in speech and life.

• Sabbath orders time under Yahweh and provides rest across the household.

• The commandments protect life, marriage, property and truthful justice.

• The final command reaches inward to covetous desire.

• Sinai’s terror establishes the practical need for mediation and reverent fear.

• Acceptable worship depends upon Yahweh’s appointment, holiness and modest simplicity.

EDITORIAL VERIFICATION AND RECOVERED READINGS

RESIDUAL UNCERTAINTIES

Exodus does not state how the words were distributed between the two physical tablets, so exact “first table/second table” layouts remain traditional reconstructions. The mechanics of angelic mediation at Sinai are not described in Exodus 20 itself, though later inspired texts affirm angelic ministry. Several historical claims about pagan altar practices are not required to interpret verses 24–26 and have therefore been kept secondary.