Deuteronomy 5:15
in Deuteronomy 5Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. That is why the LORD your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 5
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd 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.
This site's exposition
And remember that thou wast a servant
Exodus 20:11 grounds the sabbath in the six days of creation. This account grounds it in the deliverance from Egypt, and both stand in the canon with neither replacing the other. Adam Clarke holds the two together and reads the rest given to servants and cattle in verse 14 as a third end of the day. Remember is one of the two commands that run through this book, fourteen occurrences against nine of forget, and this verse is the first of them.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The most considerable variation is in the fourth commandment. In Exod. xx. the reason annexed is taken from the creation of the world; here it is taken from their deliverance out of Egypt, because that was typical of our redemption by Jesus Christ, in remembrance of which the Christian sabbath was to be observed: Remember that thou wast a servant, and God brought thee out,
3 ), that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long. If there be instances of some that have been very dutiful to their parents, and yet have not lived long upon earth, we may reconcile it to the promise by this explication of it, Whether they live long or no, it shall go well with them, either in this world or in a better.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
The meaning thereof is that He commanded you to do so [give rest to the servant] on the Sabbath-day. So did Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explain it.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
כאשר צוך [HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER] AS THE LORD THY GOD HATH COMMANDED THEE — Also regarding honouring parents they received command at Marah, as it is said, (Exodus:25) “There He appointed for them a statute and a judgement” (cf. Rashi on that passage and Note p. 243) (Sanhedrin 56b).
He added here [in the commandment on the Sabbath] stating nor thine ox, nor thine ass. Verse.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְזָכַרְתָּ֞֗ | vezakharta | and you will remember | H2142 → | 230 times |
| כִּ֣י־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עֶ֤֥בֶד | ʾeved | a slave | H5650 → | 799 times |
| הָיִ֣֙יתָ֙׀ | hayita | you were | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְּאֶ֣רֶץ | beeretz | in [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| מִצְרַ֔֗יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| וַיֹּצִ֨אֲךָ֜֩ | vaiyotziakha | and he brought out you | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| יְהוָ֤֨ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֤֙יךָ֙ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| מִשָּׁ֔ם֙ | misham | from there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| בְּיָ֤֥ד | beyad | by a hand | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| חֲזָקָ֖ה֙ | chazakah | strong | H2389 → | 56 times |
| וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ | uvizroa' | and by an arm | H2220 → | 91 times |
| נְטוּיָ֑֔ה | netuyah | outstretched | H5186 → | 214 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | there- | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כֵּ֗ן | ken | -fore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| צִוְּךָ֙ | tzivekha | he has commanded you | H6680 → | 494 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת | laasot | to observe | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| י֥וֹם | yom | [the] day of | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַשַׁבָּֽת׃ ס | hashabat | the sabbath | H7676 → | 110 times |
וְזָכַרְתָּ֞֗and you will remember
vezakhartaH2142 →230 times
כִּ֣י־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
עֶ֤֥בֶדa slave
ʾevedH5650 →799 times
הָיִ֣֙יתָ֙׀you were
hayitaH1961 →3559 times
בְּאֶ֣רֶץin [the] land of
beeretzH776 →2504 times
מִצְרַ֔֗יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
וַיֹּצִ֨אֲךָ֜֩and he brought out you
vaiyotziakhaH3318 →1067 times
יְהוָ֤֨הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֤֙יךָ֙God your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
מִשָּׁ֔ם֙from there
mishamH8033 →834 times
בְּיָ֤֥דby a hand
beyadH3027 →1618 times
חֲזָקָ֖ה֙strong
chazakahH2389 →56 times
וּבִזְרֹ֣עַand by an arm
uvizroa'H2220 →91 times
נְטוּיָ֑֔הoutstretched
netuyahH5186 →214 times
עַל־there-
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כֵּ֗ן-fore
kenH3651 →771 times
צִוְּךָ֙he has commanded you
tzivekhaH6680 →494 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
לַעֲשׂ֖וֹתto observe
laasotH6213 →2628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
י֥וֹם[the] day of
yomH3117 →2304 times
הַשַׁבָּֽת׃ סthe sabbath
hashabatH7676 →110 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 5:6“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
it leads to
- Exodus 20:2–17
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
- Psalms 81:5–10
He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I heard an unfamiliar language:
- Deuteronomy 4:4
But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive to this day, every one of you.
- Leviticus 26:1–2
“You must not make idols for yourselves or set up a carved image or sacred pillar; you must not place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it. For I am…
- Exodus 20:2–17
Through
Deuteronomy 16:12Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and carefully follow these statutes.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 15:15
Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today.
- Deuteronomy 15:15
Through
Deuteronomy 15:15Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 16:12
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and carefully follow these statutes.
- Exodus 20:2
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
- Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
- Deuteronomy 16:12
About Deuteronomy
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.