Exodus 20 · Verse 3

Exodus 20:3

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20:3, King James Version

Exodus 20:3 in other translations

BSBYou shall have no other gods before Me.
WEB“You shall have no other gods before me.
ASVThou shalt have no other gods before me.
YLT‘Thou hast no other Gods before Me.
DARBYThou shalt have no othergods before me.
BBEYou are to have no other gods but me.
WebsterThou shalt have no other gods before me.

What does Exodus 20:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me--in My presence, beside, or except Me.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me - אלהים אחרים elohim acherim, no strange gods - none that thou art not acquainted with, none who has not given thee such proofs of his power and godhead as I have done in delivering thee from the Egyptians, dividing the Red Sea, bringing water out of the rock, quails into the desert, manna from heaven to feed thee, and the pillar of cloud to direct, enlighten, and shield thee. By these miracles God had rendered himself familiar to them, they were intimately acquainted with the operation of his hands; and therefore with great propriety he says, Thou shalt have no strange gods before me; על פני al panai, before or in the place of those manifestations which I have made of myself. This commandment prohibits every species of mental idolatry, and all inordinate attachment to earthly and sensible things. As God is the fountain of happiness, and no intelligent creature can be happy but through him, whoever seeks happiness in the creature is necessarily an idolater; as he puts the creature in the place of the Creator, expecting that from the gratification of his passions, in the use or abuse of earthly things, which is to be found in God alone. The very first commandment of the whole series is divinely calculated to prevent man's misery and promote his happiness, by taking him off from all false dependence, and leading him to God himself, the fountain of all good.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 20:3-11
The first four of the ten commandments, commonly called the FIRST table, tell our duty to God. It was fit that those should be put first, because man had a Maker to love, before he had a neighbour to love. It cannot be expected that he should be true to his brother, who is false to his God. The first commandment concerns the object of worship, JEHOVAH, and him only. The worship of creatures is here forbidden. Whatever comes short of perfect love, gratitude, reverence, or worship, breaks this commandment. Whatsoever ye do, do all the glory of God. The second commandment refers to the worship we are to render to the Lord our God. It is forbidden to make any image or picture of the Deity, in any form, or for any purpose; or to worship any creature, image, or picture. But the spiritual import of this command extends much further. All kinds of superstition are here forbidden, and the using of mere human inventions in the worship of God. The third commandment concerns the manner of worship, that it be with all possible reverence and seriousness. All false oaths are forbidden. All light appealing to God, all profane cursing, is a horrid breach of this command. It matters not whether the word of God, or sacred things, all such-like things break this commandment, and there is no profit, honour, or pleasure in them. The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. The form of the fourth commandment, "Remember," shows that it was not now first given, but was known by the people before. One day in seven is to be kept holy. Six days are allotted to worldly business, but not so as to neglect the service of God, and the care of our souls. On those days we must do all our work, and leave none to be done on the sabbath day. Christ allowed works of necessity, charity, and piety; for the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath, Mr 2:27; but all works of luxury, vanity, or self-indulgence in any form, are forbidden. Trading, paying wages, settling accounts, writing letters of business, worldly studies, trifling visits, journeys, or light conversation, are not keeping this day holy to the Lord. Sloth and indolence may be a carnal, but not a holy rest. The sabbath of the Lord should be a day of rest from worldly labour, and a rest in the service of God. The advantages from the due keeping of this holy day, were it only to the health and happiness of mankind, with the time it affords for taking care of the soul, show the excellency of this commandment. The day is blessed; men are blessed by it, and in it. The blessing and direction to keep holy are not limited to the seventh day, but are spoken of the sabbath day.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Exodus 20:3 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.

לֹֽ֣אlo'notH3808
יִהְיֶֽה\־yih.yeh-it will be[long]H1961
לְךָ֛֩le.Khato <the> you
אֱלֹהִ֥֨ים'E.lo.HimgodsH430
אֲחֵרִ֖֜ים'a.che.RimotherH312
עַל\־'al-onH5921
פָּנָֽ֗יַ\׃pa.Na.iface myH6440

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

Cross references for Exodus 20:3

  • Deuteronomy 5:7

    Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

  • Matthew 4:10

    Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

  • Psalms 81:9

    There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

  • Isaiah 46:9

    Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

  • Deuteronomy 6:14

    Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;

  • Deuteronomy 6:5

    And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

  • Jeremiah 25:6

    And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.

  • Joshua 24:18-24

    And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord. …

  • Jeremiah 35:15

    I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.

  • 1 John 5:20-21

    And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

  • 1 Corinthians 8:6

    But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

  • Philippians 3:19

    Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
15:11; De 5:7; 6:5,14; Jos 24:18-24; 2Ki 17:29-35; Ps 29:2; 73:25
Ps 81:9; Isa 26:4; 43:10; 44:8; 45:21,22; 46:9; Jer 25:6; 35:15
Mt 4:10; 1Co 8:4,6; Eph 5:5; Php 3:19; Col 2:18; 1Jo 5:20,21
Re 19:10; 22:9

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Exodus 20:4

    Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Read all of Exodus 20

Exodus 20:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No tendrás dioses ajenos delante de mí.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Tu n’auras point d’autres dieux devant ma face.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Du sollst keine anderen Götter haben neben mir. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non habebis deos alienos coram me.