Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
15. A different reason for the keeping of the Sabbath from that given in Exo 20:11. It is relevant to D’s addition in the previous v., and at first seems intended only to enforce the extension of the Sabbath-law to slaves, remember thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt and Jehovah thy God brought thee out; but before it closes it bases the whole observance of the Sabbath on the deliverance from Egypt as if the S. were a memorial of that event wherefore Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee to keep the S. day. This historical reference and the humanity enforced by it are characteristic of D. But Exo 20:11, under the influence of P, recites as the motive for the observance of the S. God’s rest on the seventh day from the work of creation. The influence of P on Ex. proves the D form to be the more original. Note that while it enforces the philanthropic motive for Sabbath-observance it is as theological as the other, and, like it, refers to God’s action as the ultimate sanction of the Sabbath.
remember that thou wast a bondman ] The same motive is expressed for the laws enforcing liberality to slaves, Deu 15:15; the duty of sharing the joy of the feasts with needy dependents, Deu 16:12; and justice and generosity to the poor, Deu 24:18; Deu 24:22.
a mighty hand and a stretched out arm ] See on Deu 4:34.
to keep ] lit. to do or make, i.e. to carry into effect; used by D also of the Passover, Deu 16:1; more frequently in P: of the Sabbath, Exo 31:16; of the Passover, Exo 12:47 f.; Num 9:4-6, etc.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 15. And remember that thou wast a servant] In this and the latter clause of the preceding verse Moses adds another reason why one day in seven should be sanctified, viz., that the servants might rest, and this is urged upon them on the consideration of their having been servants in the land of Egypt. We see therefore that God had three grand ends in view by appointing a Sabbath.
1. To commemorate the creation.
2. To give a due proportion of rest to man and beast. When in Egypt they had no rest; their cruel task-masters caused them to labour without intermission; now God had given rest, and as he had showed them mercy, he teaches them to show mercy to their servants: Remember that thou wast a servant.
3. To afford peculiar spiritual advantages to the soul, that it might be kept in remembrance of the rest which remains at the right hand of God.
Therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.] Here is a variation in the manner of expression, Sabbath day for seventh, owing, it is supposed, to a change of the day at the exodus from Sunday to Saturday, effected upon the gathering of the manna, Ex 16:23. The Sabbath now became a twofold memorial of the deliverance, as well as of the creation; and this accounts for the new reason assigned for its observance: “Therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.” See Dr. A. BAYLEY’S Hebr. and Eng. Bible, and See Clarke on Ex 16:23.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Remember that thou wast a servant, and therefore art highly obliged both to serve that God who redeemed thee, especially upon his own day, and not to grudge thy servants their rest upon that day.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6-20. I am the Lord thy GodTheword “Lord” is expressive of authority or dominion; andGod, who by natural claim as well as by covenant relation wasentitled to exercise supremacy over His people Israel, had asovereign right to establish laws for their government. [See on Ex20:2.] The commandments which follow are, with a few slightverbal alterations, the same as formerly recorded (Ex20:1-17), and in some of them there is a distinct reference tothat promulgation.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt,…. Even a bondservant; for Egypt was an house of bondage, and there the Israelites were made to serve in hard bondage; of which they are reminded, that their hearts might be touched with it, and inclined to show pity to persons in somewhat similar circumstances; calling to mind how sweet a little rest would have been unto them when in Egypt:
and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm; signifying that their deliverance from their state of bondage was not owing to themselves, nor to any creature, but to the mercy and kindness of God, and to his almighty power; and therefore they were under the greatest obligations to observe any command and institution of his he should think fit to make; and particularly this of the sabbath, which was made on that account, as follows:
wherefore the Lord thy God commandeth thee to keep the sabbath day; in commemoration of their rest from Egyptian bondage.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Deu 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.
Ver. 15. And remember that thou. ] It being a figure of our redemption by Christ, and so a fit subject for Sabbath meditations.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
And remember. A parenthetical break in Moses’ recital, in view of their shortly having servants of their own.
through = by.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
remember: Deu 15:15, Deu 16:12, Deu 24:18-22, Isa 51:1, Isa 51:2, Eph 2:11, Eph 2:12
the Lord: Deu 5:6, Psa 116:16, Isa 63:9, Luk 1:74, Luk 1:75, Tit 2:14
through: Deu 4:34-37
Reciprocal: Exo 13:3 – Remember Exo 20:2 – out of the Exo 20:10 – thy manservant Deu 6:21 – We were Deu 24:22 – General Deu 26:8 – the Lord 2Ki 17:36 – a stretched