Deuteronomy fifth chapter quotes Moses himself, as he recites the Decalogue or Ten Directives, originally displayed in Exodus 20^th chapter. In Deuteronomy 5, verses 6 through 21, there is a virtual reproduction of the Ten Directives, in Exodus 20:2-17. And amidst exhibition of this “reproduction” is a wealth of informative, instructive orientation, which we must scrutinize, and contemplate astutely, in order best to understand “your sanctification”, and how the Fourth Directive of Deuteronomy 5 further teaches us, regarding “this, your sanctification”…

A. “As…”

Compared to the texts of their Exodus 20 predecessors, nine of the directives in Deuteronomy 5 are much, as they are in Exodus 20^th Chapter, and make neither real nor substantive change in their wording and construction: Directives 1 through 3 as well as 5 through 10 recall almost literally their Exodus 20 forerunners, as they are cited in Exodus 20^th chapter…

But such conspicuously is not the presentation of the Fourth Directive in Deuteronomy 5. And this apparent is in its latter two verses, verse 14 and verse 15:

(RSV Deuteronomy 5:12-15) ¹²“Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. ¹³Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; ¹⁴but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your manservant, or your maidservant, or your ox, or your ass, or any of your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you. ¹⁵You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day”.

Indeed, in this, the Fourth Directive version of Deuteronomy 5, the Exodus 20 version seems substantively altered, or even disregarded, despite what appears to be assertion and assurance, that this Fourth Directive of Deuteronomy 5 is faithfully recorded, “as the Lord your God commanded you” (RSV Deuteronomy 5:12). For segments of the customary Exodus 20 version seem omitted, unacknowledged, or substantively changed, and don’t at all appear to be remembered, or recited, “as the Lord your God commanded you”.

B. “Ludicrously Inappropriate”

And what is crucial to Exodus 20’s version is not so much as mentioned in Deuteronomy 5’s. For in this latter version of the Fourth Directive, the following remembrance of God’s having “rested” is obviously absent, or simply disregarded:

(RSV Exodus 20:11¹) “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day”.

This most significant part of Exodus 20th chapter’s version of the Fourth Directive seems mysteriously “deleted”, and excluded from the text of the Fourth Directive version of Deuteronomy 5, where neither is it mentioned, nor in any way acknowledged, and “ludicrously inappropriate” would plainly be.

Though it indispensably essential must be: This “resting” is how God holyized originally “the day of the sabbath”; how he made holy, or sanctified it, in at least some cardinal and principal capacity, as our traditions assert, and instruct:

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed [‘made holy‘, or ‘sanctified‘] it” (RSV Exodus 20:11).

Therefore, it exemplifies how this occurs: God is the “example” of “sanctification”, thus “your holyization”, “this, your sanctification”. And this, in italics above is affirmed.

Above is a seminar, instructing of this, and advising one how “this, your sanctification” is actually done, and first was achieved. And this, therefore, must make God’s “rest” most urgent, most important and most indispensable.

Which makes perplexing and incomprehensible the absolute absence of any indication of God’s having “rested”. No mention is there of such at all, as if Deuteronomy 5th Chapter’s Fourth Directive is totally unaware, that such ever happened, or need be “remembered”.

And Deuteronomy 5’s version so overlooks it, and is so oblivious of its ever having any Fourth Directive place as to indicate persuasively, and represent convincingly a radically different “version” or a new, revised “edition”, which augurs to necessitate an author other than Moses and an authorship aloof of authorization by Moses. For lacking Exodus 20:11’s proper translation, which necessarily is the de MontSabbathby Translation, this appears to be the most acceptable and plausible account for such “editing”. What, aside from this explains believably and workably this stark discrepancy between these conflicting “versions” of the Fourth Directive?

Without Exodus 20:11’s proper translation and accurate orientation to this Directive’s subject matter, this Fourth Directive of Deuteronomy 5 seems to formulate, and stipulate a notably different rationale, fulfillment and Exemplification to that observed in Exodus 20’s version: Though reciting its original Exodus 20 author (RSV Deuteronomy 5:12), there exhibits here an extensive modification or a substantive revision or simply another “version”, which is quite conspicuously and undeniably something totally other than “as the Lord your God commanded you” in the traditional Exodus 20th chapter version.

C. Inadmissible

For Deuteronomy 5’s version is altogether unaware of God’s “rest”, or his ever having at any time “rested”, as plainly is featured in verse 15…

(RSV Deuteronomy 5:12-15) ¹²“Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. ¹³Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; ¹⁴but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your manservant, or your maidservant, or your ox, or your ass, or any of your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you. ¹⁵You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day”.

How figures God’s “rest” into this Fourth Directive of Deuteronomy 5?

For clearly that italicized in this “version”, as it “remembers” Yahweh’s “mighty hand” and his ever “outstretched arm” must prohibit any mention, that God ever “rested”, and discredit any chronicle, professing such occurred. For “ludicrously inappropriate” such must be.

Altogether inadmissible is such mention here: Incompatible it is to this Fourth Directive of Deuteronomy 5.

Can “resting” depict here

The part, that God plays?

Does the author here quoted

God’s rôle so appraise?

When reviewing these words

Can recall of God’s “rest”

Be germane, while his might

And his labour are stressed?

A dilemma thus waits

In this biblical mystery

Which long endures

In the annals of history

Yet has tradition

No answer to solve

Or explain how solution

To such will evolve

For Deuteronomy 5’s version of the Fourth Directive seems to emanate of explanation and a rationale, which are greatly in contrast to that, which accounts for the Exodus 20 version, though Exodus 20th chapter’s version is long ordained, and sanctioned by tradition.

D. A Marked Dissimilarity

Recalled in Deuteronomy 5’s Fourth Directive, the text tells the reader, and elucidates, as follows (RSV Deuteronomy 5:15):

“You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day”.

And it herewith explains, and accounts for its instruction. It offers justification for what has preceded.

Compare the words, then, which precede this word, “therefore” in these two, differing “versions” of the Fourth Directive:

(RSV Deuteronomy 5:15) “You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore…”

(RSV Exodus 20:11²) “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore…”

In each of these “versions”, the word, “therefore” begins conclusion to the reasoning, which they offer for themselves, justifying their instruction and direction to the reader. And as you can see in conspicuous display, both precede this word with assertions about God, that are in blatant contrast and substantive disparity…

Where Exodus 20:11 precedes the word, “therefore” with “and [God] rested the seventh day”, it, thus, infers God’s weakness and his actual over-exertion. And irrefutably must this be granted, and admitted.

Deuteronomy 5:15, on the other hand, precedes the word, “therefore” with “the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm”, thus, asserting, and declaring Yahweh’s might and his omnipotence. Which as well admitted, and acknowledged must be.

While Deuteronomy 5 explains its Fourth Directive on the basis of God’s dynamism and his omnipotence, Exodus 20^th chapter authenticates its on the basis, that God actually “rested the seventh day” (RSV Exodus 20:11). In effect, consequently, the Fourth Directive cited by Exodus 20th chapter tells you to “remember the day of the sabbath to make it holy”, or “sanctify it”. Because: The Almighty God “rested the seventh day” (KJV Exodus 20:11).

And that Fourth Directive in Deuteronomy 5 tells you to “observe the day of the sabbath to make it holy”, or “sanctify it”, “as the Lord your God commanded you” (RSV Deuteronomy 5:12). Because: “The Lord your God brought you out” of “the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (RSV Deuteronomy 5:15). Quite noticeably, then, do these two scriptures exhibit disagreement and conspicuous discrepancy.

E. Multiple Involvement

Perhaps, therefore, more than anything else, it is errant meaning of the Fourth Directive’s text, that has recommended, warranted, and justified the notion, that the books of Moses (i. e. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) can not be the writings of any one man: They the literary effort of Moses are not. He cannot realistically have been their author.

For they more factually must needs derive from collective contribution and multiple involvement, a collaborative sort of work, composed by many, many authors. Some of whom were very possibly all but unaware of their colleagues and their writings, or even unconcerned for the writings of their colleagues.

Because: Each wrote, according to his individual and personal “school of thinking” and propensity of doctrine.

And this seems corroborated by the Fourth Directive of Deuteronomy 5 and its obvious difference to that of Exodus 20. But that, sir and madam, is complete and total nonsense.

Both have the same biblical author and composer: Both are the literary issue of Moses. And that will their accurate translation prove, as you, sir and madam, will presently perceive.

F. Presumably

Just a few verses prior to Deuteronomy 5, then, Moses instructs his listeners in Deuteronomy 4:2 (RSV) neither to “add to”, nor “take from” anything in the law…

“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you”.

And this must we now deliberate, and ponder. Because: Essential is it to our examination…

Presumably, Moses’s recitation in Deuteronomy 5 of the law in Exodus 20 would not violate his own prohibition of adding to, or taking from the law, in any way: Does it not naturally follow, that Moses would attend, and heed closely prohibition of which he himself is the origin and source?…

A mere reading of Deuteronomy 5’s Fourth Directive, however, hints at Moses’s having failed to comply with, and heed his own interdiction, his own specific ban: When Moses enjoins his listeners in Deuteronomy 5:12 to “observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you”, a portion of what follows quite plainly does not resemble Exodus 20’s Fourth Directive, “as the Lord your God commanded you” (RSV Deuteronomy 5:15)…

“You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day”.

Were it not for this version’s claim to represent the earlier “version” “as the Lord your God commanded you”, one could almost be given to believe, and accept, that disregarded here is the earlier version’s recollection, that God “rested” (KJV Exodus 20:11)…

Where does God’s “rest” find any credibility amidst these words or compatibility to them? Is there any possible resemblance between the above cited words and the corresponding words of the Exodus 20 “version”?

Upon simply reading, and examining the two, this segment of the Fourth Directive, as presented in Deuteronomy 5th chapter seems to be contradictory, and bear much disparity to that, represented in Exodus 20th chapter. Each seems effectively oblivious of the other.

G. Which Brings Us Back…

“As the Lord your God commanded you” must refer specifically and directly to Exodus twenty’s Fourth Directive. Because: That is the only instance, when “the Lord your God commanded” the Fourth Directive in its entirety, as he does here in Deuteronomy 5:12-15. Having recorded both, Moses will not have misrepresented here in Deuteronomy 5 that foregoing Fourth Directive, in Exodus 20:8-11.

Because, furthermore, Moses himself forbids in Deuteronomy 4:2 either addition to, or deletion from the law of Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 5’s law must reproduce, and recall Exodus 20’s. Despite the evident differences of these two contradictory Fourth Directive “versions”, then, some sort of parity associates the two, and must relate the two, which ascribes them with equivalent and interchangeable meanings.

Otherwise, the clause, “as the Lord your God commanded you” (RSV Deuteronomy 5:12) suggests the viable prospect of possible contradiction or something wrong between them. Because: At least one can not truly be “as the Lord your God commanded you”, as they traditionally are delivered to us, which brings us back to Section C’s dilemma:

If ever we are

To succeed at our quest

And success to make genuine

And manifest

This uncertainty cogently

Must be addressed

Does the Bible acknowledge

The Almighty’s “rest”?

¹Yes: For the sake of discussion and emphasis of contrast, the traditional Exodus 20:11 is being cited here.

²And again, we exhibit here tradition’s presentation of Exodus 20:11 to consider its indicative disparity and contrast.