The Ten Commandments

• Found: Exodus chapter 19 - 34

Moses Called to the Mountain (Exodus 19)

The Israelites came to a place in the wilderness called Sinai. God called to Moses out of the mountain there and asked him to bring the people to the mountain. Three days later the Jews came to Mount Sinai. There was a cloud over the mountain and thunder and lightning coming from it. The people heard a very loud noise, like trumpets, and were afraid. The whole mountain trembled with the power of the Lord. The Lord called Moses up the mountain, and Moses went up to hear the Lord's commandments.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)

God gave Moses many commandments for the people, but most important were those known as the ten commandments. These were as follows:

1. Have no other Gods before God.
2. Do not worship idols.
3. Do not take the Lord's name in vain.
4. Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Honour your parents so you may live long.
6. Do not kill.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not give false witness against your neighbour.
10. Do not covet your neighbour's property.

God wrote his commandments in two tablets of stone and Moses came down the mountain with them

The Golden Calf (Exodus 32-34)

While Moses was away, the people grew restless. They turned to Aaron, who asked them to donate all their jewellery. They gathered together all the gold they had and Aaron melted it and made a golden calf. The people worshipped this calf instead of the real God

Moses started down the mountain with the stone tablets. Joshua heard the noise from the camp and said there must be a war. Moses knew differently. This wasn't the noise of war but the noise of a party. The Israelites were singing and dancing and worshipping the calf. When Moses saw this, he cast down the stone tablets in anger and they broke. He took the calf, ground it up and made the Hebrews drink the gold dust in their water.

Moses again went up to the mountain. He received a new set of tablets and brought them down to the people. When he appeared in the camp, his face was shining from having talked with God and he had to put a veil over his face.

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