Deuteronomy 5:6
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 5:6
6 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 5 is a sermonic and legal chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of righteousness, mercy, judgment. Written during the end of the wilderness wandering (c. 1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Moses delivered these speeches as Israel prepared to enter a land filled with different Canaanite city-states.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-33: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it foreshadows Christ's work through typology and prophetic elements. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Deuteronomy and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Deuteronomy 5:6
6 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Analysis
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.
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.
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?
Word Studies
- God: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) H430 - God (plural of majesty)