Exodus 20:1–3
At Sinai, God speaks and presents himself as the one who freed his people from slavery
Study it word by word1Elohim spoke all these words, saying,
2“I am YHWH your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves.
3You shall have no other gods before me.
In its context
…
4You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth.
5You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, YHWH your Elohim, am a jealous El, calling to account the iniquity of the fathers on the sons, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,
Its words in the original
- יְדַבֵּרyedaber· speak
Speak, talk, say; also promise or command.
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- דְּבָרִיםdevarim· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- אמֹרmor· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- הוֹצֵאתִיhotseti· go out, bring out
Go out, come out. In the causative form, "make go out", "bring out", "lead out", "produce".
- אֶרֶץerets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- מִצְרַיִםmitsrayim· Egypt, Mizraim
Mizraim, the Hebrew name of Egypt; also the Egyptians. As a person, a son of Ham, ancestor of the Egyptians.
- בֵּיתbet· house, household
House. Also the family that lives in it ("the house of Noah") and someone's descendants ("the house of David"); also a temple, "the house of God".
- עֲבָדִיםavadim· slave, servant
Slave, servant: someone who belongs to another or is in his service. It can be a slave, a worker or a high official of the king; before God, one who serves him. "Your servant" is a polite way to say "I".
- יִהְיֶהyihye· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- אֲחֵרִיםacherim· other
Other, another; next.
- פָּנָpana· face, presence
Face. From there "surface" (the face of something) and "presence" (being before someone's face); with a preposition it means "before" or "in front of".