Exodus 20:2-3
Exodus 20 :2 -3
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.
— NIV
Context
The opening of the Ten Commandments, given at Mount Sinai.
Exodus 20:2-3
The opening of the Ten Commandments, establishing the exclusive worship of God as the foundation of the covenant.
Structure
- Verse 2: God’s self-identification and the basis of the relationship (the Exodus)
- Verse 3: The first commandment—exclusive worship
In Jewish Tradition
These form the first of the Ten Commandments (Aseret HaDibrot). Jewish tradition sees the commandments as the heart of the covenant at Sinai, given to all Israel.
In Christian Tradition
Christians affirm these commandments as foundational. Jesus summarized the law as loving God with all one’s heart and loving neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:37-40).
In Islamic Tradition
Islam strongly affirms monotheism (tawhid). The Quran recounts Moses receiving guidance at the mountain and condemns shirk (associating partners with God) as the gravest sin.