Deuteronomy 5:17

¹⁶Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. ¹⁷You shall not murder.

Summary

The sixth commandment given in Deuteronomy 5:17 is 'You shall not murder.' This commandment emphasizes the sanctity of human life and the value God places on each individual. It serves as a reminder to respect and protect life, reflecting God's character as the giver and sustainer of life. By prohibiting murder, this commandment promotes peace, justice, and the well-being of society, highlighting the importance of love, compassion, and reconciliation in human relationships.

Commentary

John Gill
Tyndale

John Gill Bible Commentary

And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness,.... The thick darkness, where God was, and with which the mountain was covered, Exo 20:21. for the mountain did burn with fire; which is a reason both why the Lord spoke out of the midst of the fire, the mountain on which he descended burning with it and also for his speaking out of the midst of darkness, because not only a thick cloud covered the mountain, but it was altogether on a smoke, which ascended as the smoke of a furnace, Exo 19:16. that ye come near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes and your elders; or wise men, as the Targum of Jonathan; by which it appears, that not only the common people were frightened at what they heard and saw on Mount Sinai, but those of the first rank and eminence among them, who were the most famous for their authority and wisdom.