The Children's Bible
God's Commands To The People

oses led the Israelites forward from the Red Sea until they came to the wilderness of Sinai, and there the Israelites camped before the mountain.
      
      Moses went up into the presence of God, and Jehovah called to him from the mountain and said, "Tell the Israelites: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will listen to my voice and keep your solemn agreement with me, you shall be my own treasure taken from among all peoples, for all the earth is mine. You shall be a nation of priests, a people devoted to my service.'"
      
      So Moses called together the leaders of the people and told them all these words, as Jehovah had commanded him. And all the people answered together, "We will do all that Jehovah has commanded."
      
      When Moses told Jehovah the answer of the people, Jehovah said to him, "See, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak and may always believe in you." And Jehovah said to Moses, "Go to the people and keep them pure to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their garments and be ready on the third day, for on the third day I will come down on Mount Sinai within sight of all the people."
      
      On the third day, when morning came, there were thunderings and lightnings and a thick cloud rested upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast sounded, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was entirely covered with smoke, because Jehovah came down upon it in fire. And from it smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the entire mountain shook violently.
      
      Then God spoke all these words: "I am Jehovah your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from a place where you were slaves.
      
      "THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS EXCEPT ME.
      
      "THOU SHALT NOT MAKE FOR THYSELF A GRAVEN IMAGE, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, on the earth beneath, or in the waters that are under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down before them, nor serve them, for I Jehovah thy God am a jealous God visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation, but showing acts of kindness to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commands.
      
      "THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF JEHOVAH THY GOD IN VAIN, for Jehovah will not leave him unpunished who takes his name in vain.
      
      "REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY TO KEEP IT HOLY. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of Jehovah thy God. In it thou shalt not do any work, neither thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy male servant, nor thy female servant, nor thy cattle, nor the guest who is with thee, for in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore Jehovah blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
      
      "HONOR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER, that thou mayest live long on the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
      
      "THOU SHALT NOT MURDER.
      
      "THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.
      
      "THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.
      
      "THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR.
      
      "THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that belongs to thy neighbor."
      
      Then Jehovah said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accord with these words I have made a solemn agreement with you and with Israel."
      
      OUR DUTIES TO GOD AND MAN
      
      Hear O Israel: Jehovah our God is the one Lord. You shall love Jehovah your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
      
      Behold, the heavens, the highest heavens, the earth and all that is on it belong to Jehovah your God. Jehovah showed his love to your fathers more than to any other people, and he has chosen their children after them and you out of all the nations. Therefore, open your heart to him and no longer refuse to be guided by him. For Jehovah your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, the wonderful God, who shows no favors and takes no bribes, who sees that what is right is done to the orphan and widow, who loves the foreigner and gives him food and clothing. Love Jehovah your God and always keep his laws and his commands.
      
      You shall not deceive one another.
      
      You shall not lie to one another.
      
      You shall not swear falsely in my name.
      
      You shall not wrong nor rob your neighbor.
      
      You shall not curse the deaf.
      
      You shall not put a stumbling-block before the blind.
      
      You shall not tell stories about one another.
      
      You shall not hate any one.
      
      You shall not take vengeance nor bear a grudge against any one.
      
      You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
      
      You shall rise before the hoary head and honor an old man.
      
      If a foreigner lives in your land, you shall do him no wrong. You shall treat him as one of your own people and you shall love him as yourself.