Deuteronomy chapter 5

vs 1

So here we go. Moses is about to embark on the recounting of the law. It's not exactly the same as in Exodus. But this is a different time, and a different audience too. Their job is to learn and remember these laws, because these are the laws they are to follow in the land.

vs 2

Even if most of you weren't there to see it.

vs 3

Why does he say this? Well, you might be of the opinion that it was only fighting men that died, and so there's plenty of old women and kids etc from the last generation who are hearing this message. Fair enough. But I would say that the promise was made to all those living, because it is the living that are going to enter the land. God didn't give the law to Abraham or Joseph - they weren't living in the land. Not as a nation, anyway.

vs 4

Or at least face-to-fiery mountain. Or at least ancestors-to-fiery mountain.

vs 5

Or at least anscestors-to-Moses-to-fiery mountain. I don't actually blame them for being scared. It's a pretty scary thing. Not just the fiery mountain, but that God is sitting up there looking down on you, all righteous and perfect.

vs 6

God is judged not by a name, but by who he is and what he does. He brought them out of Egypt and slavery. He takes the credit for that, and it must be given him.

vs 7

I prefer 'besides', but really 'but' is what you want to hear in our age, I think. Or at least 'except'. The thing is, you work yourself into a bit of a grammatical bind because the word 'other' already suggests that there is at least one. So then 'but' or 'except' sound weird.

vs 8

This command lasted all of about 40 days. Or less. Hard to tell, really.

vs 9

So God does in fact punish the children for the sin of the parents. Makes being a parent that much more a responsibility, doesn't it? God wants to make it clear just how much he does not like idolatry.

vs 10

He certainly knows how to use hyperbole. Look at how much his love outbalances his punishment!

vs 11

The NIV and TNIV have done a sterling job here. What a great way to translate "take in vain." What does that even mean? But misusing someone's name, that makes more sense. Of course, misuse doesn't exactly mean don't use. The paranoia of Judaism in that respect is beaten only by its legalism. Perhaps at the beginning it was a noble intention, but it still legalistic and aescetic.