N a m e _________________________________D a t e _________________P e r i o d __________

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Primary
Source

The Ten Commandments, according to the book of Exodus in the Jewish Torah, and in the Christian
Bible, are laws for life given by God to Moses and the Hebrews of Israel. Great emphasis of the Ten
Commandments is also placed in the three verses of the Quran, the sacred book of Islam. Although the
Commandments are a guide for the three religions, Christian theologians place much more emphasis on the Ten
Commandments as a moral law of God to guide society.
Directions: Read the Ten Commandments and answer the questions below. Each sentence is numbered.

THE HOLY BIBLE
Exodus 20:1-17
And God spoke all these words:
1. 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you
out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You
shall have no other gods before[a] me. 4 “You
shall not make for yourself an image in the form
of anything in heaven above or on the earth
beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not
bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord
your God, am a jealous God, punishing the
children for the sin of the parents to the third and
fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but
showing love to a thousand generations of those
who love me and keep my commandments.
2. 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord
your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone
guiltless who misuses his name.
3. 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it
holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your
work,10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the
Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work,
neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your
male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any
foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days
the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the
sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the
seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the
Sabbath day and made it holy.
4. 12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that
you may live long in the land the Lord your God is
giving you.
5. 13 “You shall not murder.
6. 14 “You shall not commit adultery.
7. 15 “You shall not steal.
8. 16 “You shall not give false testimony against
your neighbor.
9. 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his
male or female servant,
10. [shall not covet] his ox or donkey, or anything
that belongs to your neighbor.”

Hey a table! Woo Hoo! Summarize the Ten Commandments in your own words in the table below.
COMMANDMENT
NUMBER SUMMARY
1 I am the only god. No other gods.

2 Do NOT worship other gods but me.

9
(covet means to yearn to
10 possess or have something)
N a m e _________________________________D a t e _________________P e r i o d __________

Primary
Source THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS
11. The Jewish religion was revolutionary during a time in history when societies around the world worshipped
many gods. Why was Judaism so revolutionary? ______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

12. Which of the commandments describe the Hebrews’ relationship with God?__________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
13. Why would the Sabbath(rest day) be a benefit of an agricultural society consisting of servants and slaves?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

14. The Ten Commandments formed the basis of Jewish laws in their society.
Which commandments protect the family? ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

15. Which commandments protect human life? ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

16. Which commandments protect people’s possessions?___________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

17. Which commandments are the basis of our government today? ___________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

18. In your opinion, which three commandments are YOUR most valued? Why?
1. __________________________________________________________________________________
Why? ______________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________________
Why? ______________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________________
Why? ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

© 2017 All Rights Reserved.

 KEY
N a m e _________________________________D a t e _________________P e r i o d __________

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Primary
Source

The Ten Commandments, according to the book of Exodus in the Jewish Torah, and in the Christian
Bible, are laws for life given by God to Moses and the Hebrews of Israel. Great emphasis of the Ten
Commandments is also placed in the three verses of the Quran, the sacred book of Islam. Although the
Commandments are a guide for the three religions, Christian theologians place much more emphasis on the Ten
Commandments as a moral law of God to guide society.
Directions: Read the Ten Commandments and answer the questions below. Each sentence is numbered.

THE HOLY BIBLE
Exodus 20:1-17
And God spoke all these words:
1. 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you
out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the
form of anything in heaven above or on the earth
beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not
bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord
your God, am a jealous God, punishing the
children for the sin of the parents to the third and
fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but
showing love to a thousand generations of those
who love me and keep my commandments.
2. 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord
your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone
guiltless who misuses his name.
3. 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it
holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your
work,10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the
Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work,
neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your
male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any
foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days
the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the
sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the
seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the
Sabbath day and made it holy.
4. 12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that
you may live long in the land the Lord your God is
giving you.
5. 13 “You shall not murder.
6. 14 “You shall not commit adultery.
7. 15 “You shall not steal.
8. 16 “You shall not give false testimony against
your neighbor.
9. 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his
male or female servant,
10. [shall not covet] his ox or donkey, or anything
that belongs to your neighbor.”

Hey a table! Woo Hoo! Summarize the Ten Commandments in your own words in the table below.
COMMANDMENT
NUMBER SUMMARY
1 I am the only god. No other gods.

2 Do NOT worship other gods but me.

3 Do Not take the lord’s name in vein OR Do not swear using god’s name
4 Do not work on the Sabbath
5 Respect your parents
6 Do not kill
7 Do not cheat on your spouse or cheat with others’s spouse
8 Do not steal
9 Do not lie
10 Do not want others’ property, or do not envy (Yes, women are equivalent to property)
 KEY
N a m e _________________________________D a t e _________________P e r i o d __________

Primary
Source THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS
11. The Jewish religion was revolutionary during a time in history when societies around the world worshipped
many gods. Why was Judaism so revolutionary? ______________________________________________
It was the only religion where there was a belief in one god (monotheism)
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Commandments 1 - 4
12. Which of the commandments describe the Hebrews’ relationship with God?__________________________
1. I am the only god. No other gods. 2. Do NOT worship other gods but me. 3. Do Not take the lord’s
_____________________________________________________________________________________
name in vein OR Do not swear using god’s name. 4. Do not work on the Sabbath
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
13. Why would the Sabbath(rest day) be a benefit of an agricultural society consisting of servants and slaves?
Slaves and servants need a day for rest. It would help them survive longer
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

14. The Ten Commandments formed the basis of Jewish laws in their society.
# 4. Honor your father and your mother and
Which commandments protect the family? ____________________________________________________
#7 You shall not commit adultery
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

# 13 You shall not murder

15. Which commandments protect human life? ___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

# 8 You shall not steal, covet your neighb or’s

16. Which commandments protect people’s possessions?___________________________________________
house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his property
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Laws against stealing, murder, and lying in

17. Which commandments are the basis of our government today? ___________________________________
a court of law
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

18. In your opinion, which three commandments are YOUR most valued? Why?
Answers will vary
1. __________________________________________________________________________________
Answers will vary
Why? ______________________________________________________________________________
2. Answers will vary
__________________________________________________________________________________
Answers will vary
Why? ______________________________________________________________________________
3. Answers will vary
__________________________________________________________________________________
Answers will vary
Why? ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

© 2017 All Rights Reserved.