Deuteronomy 5 6

Deuteronomy 5:6 kjv

I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Deuteronomy 5:6 nkjv

'I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Deuteronomy 5:6 niv

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

Deuteronomy 5:6 esv

"'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Deuteronomy 5:6 nlt

"I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

Deuteronomy 5 verses

Deuteronomy 5 6 Meaning

Deuteronomy 5:6 serves as the authoritative preamble to the Ten Commandments, establishing the identity and authority of the Divine Lawgiver. It is a declaration of who God is ("I am the LORD your God") and what He has done ("who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery"). This verse grounds God's right to command His people in His redemptive act, reminding them that their liberation from bondage was entirely His initiative and power. It signifies that the covenant relationship and subsequent commandments are based on a foundational act of grace and deliverance, rather than on Israel's merit.

Deuteronomy 5 6 Context

This verse is the very opening statement of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) as reiterated by Moses to the new generation of Israelites. This is not the initial giving of the law at Mount Sinai, but a re-presentation and re-emphasis delivered on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land. The purpose of this retelling is to re-establish the covenant relationship between God and His people, to remind them of the foundations of their unique identity, and to call them to renewed obedience. It is set within a larger sermon by Moses, recounting God's faithfulness and Israel's past failures, all while urging them to "walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you" (Deut 5:33). The historical context aligns with ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties, where a great king (suzerain) would introduce himself, list his past gracious acts toward his vassal, and then lay down the stipulations of the covenant, setting the stage for the relationship and the vassal's obligations. This verse serves as the historical prologue, reminding Israel of God's unilateral saving act as the basis for His covenant demands.

Deuteronomy 5 6 Word analysis

• "I am" (אֲנִי Anokhi): This emphatic first-person singular pronoun immediately establishes the speaker's directness and authority. It links implicitly to the divine self-declaration "I AM WHO I AM" (Exo 3:14), emphasizing God's self-existence, eternal nature, and unparalleled sovereignty. It is not just a god, but the one unique God.
• "the LORD" (יְהוָה YHWH): This is the Tetragrammaton, the personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel. It denotes His unchanging, self-existent character and His special redemptive relationship with His people. This name signifies His faithfulness to His promises.
• "your God" (אֱלֹהֶיךָ Eloheikha): This personal possessive suffix highlights the specific and intimate covenant relationship. He is not just a generic deity, but the specific, sovereign God of Israel, uniquely bound to them by His gracious choice. It signifies ownership and commitment.
• "who brought you out" (אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ asher hotzetiykha): The verb "brought out" is an active, powerful verb indicating God's direct and decisive intervention. This refers to a specific historical event that definitively demonstrated God's power and faithfulness. It emphasizes a past redemptive action that is the basis for future obligation.
• "of the land of Egypt" (מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם me'eretz Mitzrayim): Egypt here represents a foreign, pagan land of oppression and idolatry, the very antithesis of the freedom and worship offered by God. It specifies the historical location from which they were delivered.
• "out of the house of slavery" (מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים mibbeit avadim): This vivid phrase emphasizes the severity and totality of their former condition. They were not merely resident aliens but literally held as property, subject to merciless bondage. "House of slavery" underscores the comprehensive nature of their prior captivity and the complete nature of their divine liberation.

Words-group analysis

• "I am the LORD your God": This initial declaration serves as the foundational assertion. It combines God's supreme, unique identity (LORD), His universal deity (God), and His particular, personal relationship with Israel ("your"). It establishes divine authority and unique claim, preparing the way for all subsequent commands.
• "who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery": This phrase identifies the Lawgiver by His definitive redemptive act. The reason for Israel's obedience is rooted in God's prior gracious deed of deliverance. It underscores that God's covenant is not based on Israel's obedience, but on God's initiative in freeing them. This historical reality provides the concrete, undeniable basis for His right to establish commands for them and their obligation to obey Him out of gratitude and covenant faithfulness. It directly contrasts His nature as a delivering God with the false gods who could not save or even enslaved.

Deuteronomy 5 6 Bonus section

This opening statement of the Decalogue powerfully aligns with the structure of ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties, where the powerful king (suzerain) first identifies himself and recites his benevolent acts for the vassal before stipulating the terms of their relationship. This provided Israel with a culturally understandable framework for their covenant with God, emphasizing that Yahweh, their powerful Suzerain, had graciously delivered them, and therefore had the absolute right to command their loyalty and obedience. The historical memory of the Exodus is thus inseparable from the giving of the Torah; one explains the other. This verse ensures that the commands are perceived not as legalism, but as a path to thriving under the care of a mighty, delivering God.

Deuteronomy 5 6 Commentary

Deuteronomy 5:6 is not merely a historical footnote but the profound theological premise of God's covenant with Israel and, by extension, all subsequent revelation. It proclaims that God's authority to command stems from His benevolent act of redemption. The commands are not arbitrary rules, but rather the way of life for a people set free by grace. Obedience, therefore, is portrayed not as a burdensome obligation to earn salvation, but as a grateful and appropriate response to a Deliverer who has already acted mightily on their behalf. This sets the stage for a covenant of grace, where liberation precedes the law, demonstrating God's initiative and love. It teaches that freedom is found within God's guidance, and that genuine worship begins with acknowledging who He is and what He has done. Practically, for believers today, this reminds us that our response of faith and obedience to God is rooted in His prior redemptive work through Christ, who freed us from the slavery of sin and death, making His commands the path of true liberty and life.