Exodus 20:8

8 Remebre the Sabbath daye that thou sanctifie 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 yet shewe mercie vnto thousandes amonge them that loue me and kepe my commaundmentes.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vayne, for the Lord wil not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vayne.

8 Remebre the Sabbath daye that thou sanctifie it.

9 Sixe dayes mayst thou laboure ad do al that thou hast to doo:

10 but the seuenth daye is the Sabbath of the Lorde thy God, in it thou shalt do no maner worke: nether thou nor thy sonne, nor thy doughter, nether thy manservaunte nor thy maydeservaunte, nether thy catell nether yet the straunger that is within thi gates