Deuteronomy 5 15

Deuteronomy 5:15 kjv

And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

Deuteronomy 5:15 nkjv

And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

Deuteronomy 5:15 niv

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

Deuteronomy 5:15 esv

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

Deuteronomy 5:15 nlt

Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the LORD your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the LORD your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day.

Deuteronomy 5 verses

Deuteronomy 5 15 Meaning

Deuteronomy 5:15 is part of Moses' reiteration of the Ten Commandments, specifically explaining the Sabbath commandment to the new generation of Israelites. It anchors the command to keep the Sabbath day in God's mighty act of redemption, reminding Israel that they were slaves in Egypt whom the Lord their God liberated with overwhelming power. Therefore, their rest on the Sabbath is a remembrance and celebration of God's redemptive grace, reflecting a freedom from toil analogous to their freedom from bondage. It establishes a compassionate and redemptive basis for the Sabbath, distinguishing it from the creation-centric reason given in Exodus.

Deuteronomy 5 15 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 5 recounts Moses' restatement of the Ten Commandments to the generation of Israelites poised to enter the Promised Land. This delivery is not merely a repetition but a renewal of the covenant made at Horeb (Sinai). Moses emphasizes the covenant's direct applicability to this generation. Deuteronomy 5:15 specifically details the rationale behind the Sabbath commandment (vv. 12-15). While Exodus 20:8-11 grounds the Sabbath in God's creative work, Deuteronomy 5:15 adds a powerful redemptive and humanitarian dimension, grounding it in Israel's historical experience of deliverance from slavery in Egypt. This addition serves to remind Israel of their past bondage and God's compassionate liberation, thereby providing a unique social justice perspective on the Sabbath: as God provided rest for them from oppression, so they are to provide rest for their dependents.

Deuteronomy 5 15 Word analysis

• You shall remember (וְזָכַרְתָּ – ve-zacharta): From the root zakhar (זָכַר), meaning to recall, call to mind, keep in remembrance. It is not just a passive mental act but implies active consideration, acting on the memory, and bringing it into present consciousness. In a covenant context, it implies faithfulness and obedience to past events. For the Israelites, it meant continuously reliving the Exodus experience and allowing it to shape their behavior.
• that you were a slave (כִּי עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ – ki ʻeved hayita): ʻEved (עֶבֶד) refers to a servant, slave, or bondservant. The phrase highlights the historical reality of Israel's debased status. This serves as a potent reminder of their humble origins and absolute dependence on God's intervention.
• in the land of Egypt (בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם – bə-ʼeretz Mitzrayim): Pinpoints the specific place of their bondage, emphasizing the concrete nature of their former oppression. Egypt represented a tyrannical world power and a place of immense suffering for Israel.
• and the LORD your God (וַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ – va-Yahweh Eloheycha): "The LORD" (YHWH) refers to God's personal, covenantal name, emphasizing His unique relationship with Israel. "Your God" personalizes this relationship, reinforcing His faithfulness and active involvement in their history.
• brought you out (הוֹצִיאֲךָ – hotzi'acha): From the root yatsa' (יָצָא), "to go out, come forth." The Hiphil form used here (causative) means "caused to come out" or "brought forth." It stresses God's initiative and power in their liberation.
• from there (מִשָּׁם – misham): Signifies the exact point of deliverance, reinforcing the concrete reality of the Exodus event.
• with a mighty hand (בְּיָד חֲזָקָה – bə-yad chazaqah): Yad (יָד) means hand, symbolic of power, agency, and action. Chazaqah (חֲזָקָה) means strong, firm, mighty. This phrase denotes overwhelming and irresistible divine power that broke the bonds of slavery, signifying acts of power like the plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.
• and an outstretched arm (וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה – u-vizro'a netuyah): Zəroa'(זְרוֹעַ) means arm, representing strength and dominion. Netuyah (נְטוּיָה) means stretched out, extended. Together, this is an idiom signifying God's active and powerful intervention, displaying His sovereignty over all forces that stood against His people. It is a powerful image of God directly acting on Israel's behalf.
• Therefore (עַל־כֵּן – ʻal-ken): A logical connector indicating a direct consequence or reason. Because God acted so powerfully to redeem them, Israel has a corresponding obligation. This "therefore" is crucial; the commandment flows from their experience of grace.
• the LORD your God commanded you (צִוְּךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ – tzivvəcha Yahweh Eloheycha): Tzavah (צָוָה) means to command, charge, appoint. It highlights the divine authority and unalterable nature of the instruction. The re-personalization of "the LORD your God" reinforces the direct, covenantal bond behind the commandment.
• to keep (לַעֲשׂוֹת – laʻasot): From the root ʻasah (עָשָׂה), to do, make, observe. It signifies the practical action required—the observance of the Sabbath, not just intellectual assent.
• the Sabbath day (אֶת־יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת – et-yom ha-Shabbat): Yom (יוֹם) means day. Ha-Shabbat (הַשַּׁבָּת) comes from the root shavat (שָׁבַת), to cease, rest, desist from labor. This specifies the exact day and its purpose—a day for rest and cessation of work.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt...": This phrase grounds the commandment in Israel's national identity and history of suffering. Remembering their past slavery creates empathy and a basis for justice, preventing them from becoming oppressors themselves. It also functions as an antithesis: having experienced a life without rest, they are now commanded a day of rest by God.
• "...and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.": This highlights divine intervention as the source of their freedom. The repeated phrase "mighty hand and outstretched arm" (a stock phrase in Deuteronomic and prophetic literature) emphasizes God's sovereign power, leaving no doubt about the deliverer's identity and capability. It implicitly refutes any reliance on human strength or other deities.
• "Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.": The causal link ("Therefore") is paramount. The Sabbath is not merely a legalistic observance but a direct, grateful response to God's redemptive act. It links ethics (Sabbath observance) with theology (God's liberation). The humanitarian dimension is paramount, as the command to rest is now intertwined with the experience of oppression and liberation. It mandates that Israel reflect God's compassion and justice by extending rest to everyone in their household, including slaves and animals, thus dismantling the cycles of endless toil they themselves experienced in Egypt.

Deuteronomy 5 15 Bonus section

The distinct emphasis on redemption in Deut 5:15 positions the Sabbath not only as a theological statement about God the Creator but also as a powerful ethical and social justice institution. This highlights a recurring theme in Deuteronomy: God's past actions (what He did for Israel) become the compelling reason for Israel's present and future obedience (what Israel is to do for God and others). It acts as a polemic against any societal structure, including their own, that might forget the plight of the oppressed and perpetuate injustice. The "rest" of the Sabbath, therefore, has profound implications beyond simple inactivity, reflecting God's compassionate nature and His desire for humanity's well-being and freedom from oppressive burdens, anticipating spiritual rest found in Christ (Matt 11:28-30).

Deuteronomy 5 15 Commentary

Deuteronomy 5:15 fundamentally transforms the motivation for Sabbath keeping. While Exodus 20 established creation as the basis for the Sabbath, Deuteronomy adds Israel's redemption from Egyptian slavery. This doesn't contradict Exodus but deepens the command, making it intensely personal and rooted in the covenant. The "therefore" makes the Sabbath a memorial of God's redemptive power and an embodiment of His compassion. The Israelites were to reflect God's liberating work by ensuring that their own households—including servants, sojourners, and even animals (as per the preceding verse)—experienced this weekly rest. This socio-economic and humanitarian dimension of the Sabbath stands as a radical declaration against exploitative labor practices prevalent in the ancient Near East and underscores God's justice and care for the vulnerable. The Sabbath becomes a tangible weekly celebration of freedom and an ethical mandate to extend freedom and rest to others, especially those under one's authority.