The 10 Commandments...where are they?

Question

Interesting facts about the Decalogue:

* The Hebrew phrase for "Ten Commandments" does not appear anywhere in the Hebrew scriptures.
* The Greek phrase for "Ten Commandments" does not appear anywhere in the Greek scriptures.
* None of the commandments in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 4 is ever referred to as a numbered commandment (i.e. "the First Commandment" or "the Fourth Commandment") anywhere in the Christian Scriptures.
* None of the commandments referred to by Scripture as a numbered commandment (i.e. "the First Commandment", "the Second") comes from Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 4.
* The word erroneously translated "Commandments" in many modern versions of Exodus 24:38, Deut 4:13, and Deut 10:4 is actually the same Hebrew word as is translated "Chronicles" in the titles of I and II Chronicles. It could also be translated as "discourses" or "accounts".

# There are 10 distinct discourses recorded in Exodus 20 through Exodus 31, at the end of which God gives Moses the two stone tablets, about which it says literally (in Deut. 10:4) that God wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Discourses.
# Exodus 20 contains nine distinct commandments, comprised of seventeen specific injunctions, but not ten of anything. Specifically, it (1) forbids serving other gods, (2) forbids the taking the Lord's name in vain, (3) requires work 6 days a week and rest on the 7th, (4) commands honor for parents, (5) forbids murder, (6) forbids adultery, (7) forbids stealing, (8) forbids bearing false witness, and (9) forbids coveting.

Answer 1

they are supposed to be inside the ark. didn't you watch indiana jones in raiders of the lost ark?

Answer 2

the Hebrew phrase for the decalogue appears in Ex 34:28 so I'm not sure where you get your initial claim. The commandments are not numbered but the sum total is listed as ten. The concept that there are nine is imply a misunderstanding of the nature of each utterance.

Answer 3

I think you have made a rather bizzare mistake.

What we would number as Exodus 34:28 calls the tables God gave to Moses " 'eser dabar " -- literally, the 10 sayings, or promises, or edicts (cf. Jos 14:6, 1Ki 16:1). This phrase is repeated in Deu 4:13 and Deu 10:4.

Answer 4

Many historians have argued that the Ten Commandments of Moses have a basis in ancient Egyptian beliefs and texts. Chapter 125 of the Papyrus of Ani and several other sets of papyrus scrolls, often refered to as The Egyptian Book of the Dead, contain rules which Egyptians had to follow in order to get into the afterlife, including "not have I stolen", "not have I defiled the wife of man", "not have I killed", "not have I cursed god", "not have I falsely accused", and several other phrases which bear striking similarities to the Ten Commandments. The earliest of the Egyptian papyrus texts containing the rules for the afterlife dates to approximately 100 to 400 years before the estimated time of the Exodus, though one chapter of the Book of the Dead was found carved on the inside of the sarcophagus of Menthu-hetep who ruled around 2500 B.C.E. More interesting is that this carving cites, as its source, an original text which was written in 4266 B.C.E. during the reign of Hesep-ti.

Answer 5

They're there. The Hebrew bible did not number their verses or chapters. But to say ths means the 10 commandments aren't there is weak. There is a difference between a question that is loaded and a question that is seeking truth.

This is a loaded question. Open the Bible and read the 10 Commandments. Stop looking for loopholes, and start looking for God.

Answer 6

Physically the last known location of the 10 Commandments was in the ark of the covenant which has long since disappeared. Though many people seek tangible existance of religious artifacts and locales the very nature of faith is belief without proof. I don't put much weight on locating Noah's ark, the ark of the convenant, etc. as they are background not foreground.

Answer 7

Did you know that the Jews, Catholics, and Protestants each have a different version of the ten commandments? Each version has a slightly different ordering of the commands, each has one or more commands that others leave out, and each group claims divine inspiration. The only way to reconcile them all would be to combine them into a list of 13 commandments. Would the REAL Ten Commandments please stand up?

Answer 8

The Ten Commandments are the blue print of living given to us by God. They are the first written document of law, morality and order for the human race.

Answer 9

there was originally 15 ill give you the list later.

1i am all things i am all names for i am god of all things
2all men and women are to be treated as your equal
3 love yourself as you wish to be loved by others
: 4one shall not commit murder or kill anyone in my name
5justice and peace are the way of the warrior honor all
6 share all wealth with each & everyone of you
7reject no man for his or her beleifs
8 karma is to be observed
9 no power is greater than anothers.
10 children are to be protected at the highest levels
11 never steal cheat or lie to anyone
12 respect your body as if it were a temple
13 no one shall create sins with my name
14 no religion is greater or less than another
15 all commandments are to be respected and upheld above all else

Answer 10

And what bearing do these details have on anything? The commandments, discourses, accounts, however many there are, are still excellent moral guides to live by...who cares how many and exactly what they are called?

Really splitting hairs now aren't you?

Answer 11

Religion can do funny things to the simplicity of God. Mans traditions are his ultimate downfall.