Exodus 20:8

8 Thou shalt remember the sabbath day, to sanctify it.

Exodus 20:8 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 20:8

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
] By abstaining from all servile work and business, and from all pleasures and recreations lawful on other days, and by spending it in religious exercises, both internal and external. This the Israelites are bid to "remember", by observing it in such a manner, because this command had been given them before at the first time the manna was rained about their tents, ( Exodus 16:23 Exodus 16:25 Exodus 16:26 ) and because it was a command of positive institution, and not a part of the law of nature, and therefore more liable to be forgotten and neglected; for, as a Jewish writer ^F5 observes, all the laws of the decalogue are according to the dictates of nature, the law and light of reason, and knowledge of men, excepting this: wherefore no other has this word "remember" prefixed to it; there being somewhat in the light of every man's reason and conscience to direct and engage him in some measure to the observation of them. In what day of the week this sabbath was to be kept next follows; for all to the end of the eleventh verse belongs to this command, which is the fourth.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Aben Ezra.

Exodus 20:8 In-Context

6 and showing mercy unto thousands of generations of those that love me and keep my commandments.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain for the LORD will not hold guiltless anyone that takes his name in vain.

8 Thou shalt remember the sabbath day, to sanctify it.

9 Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work;

10 but the seventh day shall be the sabbath of the LORD thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manslave, nor thy maidslave, nor thy beast, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates;