Deuteronomy 5:6
I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Original Language Analysis
יְהוָ֣ה
I am the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֣ה
I am the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
2 of 9
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ
thy God
H430
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ
thy God
Strong's:
H430
Word #:
3 of 9
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
אֲשֶׁ֧ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֧ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
4 of 9
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
הֽוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָ
which brought thee out
H3318
הֽוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָ
which brought thee out
Strong's:
H3318
Word #:
5 of 9
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim
Historical Context
Prefaces the Ten Commandments given at Sinai (Exodus 20:2) and here rehearsed at Moab circa 1406 BC. Egypt's 'house of bondage' involved 430 years of slavery (Exodus 12:40-41), intensifying to forced brick-making and infanticide before the Exodus. God's deliverance through plagues, Passover, and Red Sea crossing demonstrated His sovereign power and covenant faithfulness to Abraham's descendants. This redemptive act became Israel's foundational salvation event.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's self-revelation as Redeemer before giving commandments establish grace as the foundation of obedience?
- In what ways does the Exodus typify Christian redemption from sin's bondage, grounding ethics in gospel gratitude?
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Analysis & Commentary
The self-identification formula 'I am the LORD thy God' establishes covenant relationship and divine authority. The redemptive basis 'which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage' grounds all commandments in grace—God redeemed first, then gave law. This order is crucial to Reformed covenant theology: salvation precedes obedience, not vice versa. Law flows from relationship, not as means to establish it. The phrase 'house of bondage' (Hebrew 'beit avadim') emphasizes both slavery's horror and God's delivering power. Obedience is the grateful response of the redeemed, not the means of earning redemption.