The story of the Ten Commandments — at a smoking mountain, God gave Israel ten short rules that would shape the rest of the Bible and much of the world after it.
This account is found in Exodus 20, three months after Israel came out of Egypt.
The Story of the Ten Commandments
Israel camped at the foot of Mount Sinai. The mountain was covered in smoke and fire, thunder rolled, and a long trumpet blast grew louder and louder. The people trembled and kept their distance.
From the mountain, God spoke. He began by reminding the people who he was: the LORD who had brought them out of slavery in Egypt. Everything that followed rested on that rescue.
Then came the ten commands. The first few were about God: worship him alone, make no idols, honor his name, and keep a day of rest.
The rest were about how people treat one another: honor your father and mother, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not lie about your neighbor, and do not covet what belongs to someone else.
The people were terrified by the thunder and the smoke and begged Moses to speak to God for them. Moses went up into the cloud, and the commandments were later written on two tablets of stone.
Key Verses
“I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Exodus 20:2
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3
“Honour thy father and thy mother” Exodus 20:12
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), a public-domain translation.
What the Story of the Ten Commandments Teaches Us
The commandments did not begin with a demand but with a rescue: God had already freed the people before he asked anything of them. The rules were a way to live as a free people, not a way to earn his rescue.
Split simply, the ten fall into two halves — how to love God and how to treat other people. Thousands of years later they still stand behind much of how people think about right and wrong.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Ten Commandments?
They are ten commands God gave Israel at Mount Sinai in Exodus 20, covering how to honor God and how to treat other people, from keeping a day of rest to not stealing or lying.
Where did God give the Ten Commandments?
God gave them at Mount Sinai, which was covered in smoke, fire, and thunder while a trumpet sounded. The commandments were later written on two stone tablets.
Why were the people afraid?
The mountain shook with thunder, smoke, and a loud trumpet. The people were so frightened that they asked Moses to speak with God on their behalf.
How are the Ten Commandments divided?
They are often split into two groups: the first commands are about loving and honoring God, and the rest are about how to treat other people.
Where is this story in the Bible?
The Ten Commandments are given in Exodus 20, and repeated later in Deuteronomy 5.