Exodus 20

28 May 2026 - Theology

The Ten Commandments?

Ancient Eastern Weddings:

1. Betrothal (Cup of the Covenant) - Genesis 12
2. Groom leaves to prepare the house - Exodus 1-12
3. Arrival of the bridegroom - Exodus 12
4. Bride is consecrated - Exodus 19:10-15
5. Shofar is sounded (bride’s entrance) - Exodus 19:16
6. Gather under the chuppah - Exodus 19:17
7. Presentation of the ketubah
8. Exchange of wedding gifts
9. Consummation of the marriage
10. “Honeymoon” year (Deuteronomy 24:5)

We have already seen numbers 1-6, so now we should expect to see number 7, the presentation of the ketubah.

1. Presentation of the ketubah

What is a ketubah?

A ketubah is a marriage contract with a list of 7-12 things that define the relationship. See References below for a link to Wikipedia on the ketubah.

Here in Exodus 20, we see that God gives the people the 10 Commandments. These are not just tablets with basic rules, they are the ketubah defined on stone! Rabbis say that this is why the 10 Commandments are written on two tablets - both the bride and the groom must have a copy.

Today we know these as the Ten Commandments. But the word “commandment” is not used for these laws in the Torah. Instead, the Torah calls them devarim, meaning “words.” In Hebrew, they have always been called aseret ha-dibbrot, “The Ten Words.” Greek speaking Jews called them “ten” (deka) and “words” (logoi), and to this day we also refer to them as the Decalogue.

Still, we think of them as ten commands. But the Torah also does not say anything here about “ten.” In fact, Jews and Christians have always disagreed on how to divide these words to form ten commands. Even Jews do not always agree with one another. One Jewish commentator divided the words into thirteen commands! See References below for an article on how the Jews most commonly divide the Ten Commandments.

There are some differences between the Ten Commandments and the laws of other ancient nations. Rulers did not often worry about what ordinary people “set their heart on” or about setting aside a day of rest each week. Yet most of the ten commands were well known before they were given to the Israelites. Many are similar to laws inscribed on a stone tablet by Hammurabi, king of Babylon, five hundred years before the time of Moses.

The Rabbis noticed that the first two commands are spoken by the Lord in the first person (using the word “I”). The rest speak to the people, but about the Lord.

The Rabbis also created midrashic stories about the covenant. One said that at the moment God spoke to the people, the world was absolutely quiet. There was a great stillness; not even a bird chirped. So the words came like a whisper on a wind. This is often how it can seem with weddings today - the world feeling so quiet and still when the vows are read.

References:

1. The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
2. The BEMA Podcast, Episode 22: Under the Chuppah
3. The Torah Portion-by-Portion by Rabbi Seymour Rossel (2007)
4. ketubah
5. The Ten Commandments - Chabad.org