I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Exodus 19-21.

    Today’s passage contains what we know as the Ten Commandments. Jewish tradition refers to them as the Ten Words, or Ten Sayings, depending on how one translates the Hebrew word “Aseret ha-D’varim”. The Jewish term makes it easier to make sense of them, since the first two do not clearly divide into two separate commands, but do separate into two distinct separate statements. Looked at this way the Ten become the following (I have left out the additional text because you can read it for yourself):

1. I AM the Lord your God.
2. You must not have any other god but Me.
3. Observe the Sabbath by keeping it holy.
4. Honor your father and mother.
5. You must not murder.
6. You must not commit adultery.
7. You must not steal.
8. You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.
9. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, or any of his property.

Knowing that, in Jewish eyes, these are the “Ten Sayings”, not the “Ten Commandments” makes a lot more sense out of Jesus’ answer to the question about what the greatest commandment is, since “Love your neighbor as yourself” is not one of these ten.

    I have rarely heard, or read, anyone comment on the connection between the second Saying and the instructions on building an altar. The Israelites were instructed to use an altar made out of packed earth or uncut stones. Perhaps I am reading too much into this, but this instruction seems to be designed to keep people from worshiping the altar itself.