Exodus 20 · Verse 2

Exodus 20:2

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, King James Version

Exodus 20:2 in other translations

BSB“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
WEB“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
ASVI am Jehovah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
YLTI am Jehovah thy God, who hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of a house of servants.
DARBYI am Jehovah thy God, who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
BBEI am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the prison-house.
WebsterI am the LORD thy God, who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

What does Exodus 20:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. I am the Lord thy God--This is a preface to the ten commandments--the latter clause being specially applicable to the case of the Israelites, while the former brings it home to all mankind; showing that the reasonableness of the law is founded in their eternal relation as creatures to their Creator, and their mutual relations to each other.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 I am the Lord thy God - יהוה אלהיך Yehovah eloheycha. On the word Jehovah, which we here translate Lord, see Clarke's note on Gen 2:4, and see Clarke's note on Exo 6:3. And on the word Elohim, here translated God, see Clarke's note on Gen 1:1. It is worthy of remark that each individual is addressed here, and not the people collectively, though they are all necessarily included; that each might feel that he was bound for himself to hear and do all these words. Moses labored to impress this personal interest on the people's minds, when he said, Deu 5:3, Deu 5:4 : "The Lord made this covenant with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day." Brought thee out of the land of Egypt, etc. - And by this very thing have proved myself to be superior to all gods, unlimited in power, and most gracious as well as fearful in operation. This is the preface or introduction, but should not be separated from the commandment. Therefore, -

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 20:1-2

God speaks many ways to the children of men; by conscience, by providences, by his voice, to all which we ought carefully to attend; but he never spake at any time so as he spake the TEN COMMANDMENTS. This law God had given to man before; it was written in his heart; but sin so defaced it, that it was necessary to revive the knowledge of it. The law is spiritual, and takes knowledge of the secret thoughts, desires…

Read the full comment on Exodus 20:1-2 →

Exodus 20:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אָֽנֹכִ֖י֙'a.no.KhiIH595
יְהוָ֣הYah.weh[am] YahwehH3068
אֱלֹהֶ֑֔יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaGod yourH430
אֲשֶׁ֧ר'a.SherwhoH834
הוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָho.tze.Ti.khaI brought out youH3318
מֵאֶ֥רֶץme.'E.retzfrom [the] land ofH776
מִצְרַ֖יִםmitz.Ra.yimEgyptH4714
מִבֵּ֣֥יתmi.Beitfrom a house ofH1004
עֲבָדִיֽ֑ם\׃'a.va.DimslavesH5650

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 20:2

  • Deuteronomy 5:6

    I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

  • Hosea 13:4

    Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

  • Leviticus 26:13

    I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.

  • Psalms 81:10

    I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

  • Exodus 13:3

    And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

  • Leviticus 19:36

    Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

  • Genesis 17:7-8

    And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

  • Deuteronomy 26:6-8

    And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:

  • Deuteronomy 7:8

    But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

  • Deuteronomy 5:15

    And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

  • Leviticus 23:43

    That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

  • Deuteronomy 15:15

    And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the Lord.
Ge 17:7,8; Le 26:1,13; De 5:6; 6:4,5; 2Ch 28:5; Ps 50:7; 81:10
Jer 31:1,33; Ho 13:4; Ro 3:29; 10:12
brought.
10:1-15:27; Le 19:36; 23:43
out of the.
13:3; De 5:15; 7:8; 13:10; 15:15; 26:6-8
bondage. Heb. servants.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 20:1

    And God spake all these words, saying,

  • Exodus 20:2

    I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

  • Exodus 20:3

    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Read all of Exodus 20

Exodus 20:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Yo soy JEHOVÁ tu Dios, que te saqué de la tierra de Egipto, de casa de siervos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je suis l’ Éternel, ton Dieu, qui t’ai fait sortir du pays d’Égypte, de la maison de servitude.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich bin Jehova, dein Gott, der ich dich herausgeführt habe aus dem Lande Ägypten, aus dem Hause der Knechtschaft.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ego sum Dominus Deus tuus, qui eduxi te de terra Ægypti, de domo servitutis.