“Will not have other gods before me.
Exo 15:11; Deu 5:7; Deu 6:5, Deu 6:14; Josh 24:18-24; 2Ki 17:29-35; Ps 29:2; Salt 73:25; Ps 81:9; Isaiah 26:4; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 44:8; Isaiah 45:21, Isaiah 45:22; Isaiah 46:9; Jer 25:6; Jer 35:15; Matt 4:10; 1Co 8:4, 1Co 8:6; Eph 5:5; Phil 3:19; Col 2:18; 1Jn 5:20, 1Jn 5:21; Rev 19:10; Rev 22:9.
Source: The Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
You shall have no other gods: Israel was not going to regard God as one of many gods or as the best. He was and will be the only living God. One had to adore, obey and venerate Him and only Him. Experts on the subject have argued for a long time that the monotheistic concept was a great achievement of the Israelites, just as art was for the Greeks and order for the Greeks. Romans. These connoisseurs believe that it was not until the time of Amos (8th century BC) that true monotheism (belief in one God) was reached. But the Bible records tell us something quite different. Biblical history tells us that the belief in one God is a true faith that was from the beginning of the history of Israel as a nation. This first commandment attests to this. Otherwise, this is not an achievement of Israel, but that Israel was favored with the revelation of God.
Source: New Illustrated Caribbean Bible Commentary
YOU CAN NOT HAVE OTHERS GODS IN FRONT OF ME. This commandment forbade the polytheism that characterized all the religions of the ancient Near East. Israel was not to worship or invoke any of the gods of the other nations; he was commanded to fear the Lord and serve Him alone (cf. Deu 32:39; Josh 24:14-15). When applied to NT believers, this command means at least three things.
(1) The worship of believers should be directed to God alone. There can be no worship, no prayer, and no seeking direction and help from “foreign gods,” spirits, or people who have died (cf. Lev 17:7; Deu 6:4 Deu 32:17; Ps 106:37; 1Co 10:19-20). The first commandment is directed primarily against the worship of spirits (ie, demons) through spiritism, divination, and other forms of idolatry (cf. Deu 18:9-22).
(2) Believers must consecrate themselves totally to God. Only God with his revealed will and his inspired Word can guide their lives (Matt 4:4; see ARTICLE THE INSPIRATION AND AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE, P. 1756. ).
(3) Believers should have as their purpose in life to seek and love God with all their hearts, with all their souls, and with all their strength, trusting Him to provide what is good for their lives (Deu 6:5; Ps 119:2; Matt 6:33; Phil 3:8; see Matt 22:37note; Col 3:5note).
Source: Full Life Study Bible
in front of me. Meaning “in front of me,” a highly appropriate expression in light of the verses that immediately follow. All false gods are in opposition to the true God, and the worship of them is incompatible with the worship of Yahweh (Jehovah). When Israel turned away from the worship of the one true God, it sank into religious confusion (Judg 17:1-13; Judg 18:1-31).
Source: MacArthur Study Bible
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue, and which follow the introductory historical prologue (v. Exo 20:2), are written as precepts or direct commandments given in the second person. This shape was rather unusual at the time. The legal codes of the ancient Near East were for the most part casuistic in form, that is, with an “if…then” construction, written in the third person where an alleged crime was followed by a statement of the action to be taken or of the action to be taken. the penalty to be applied. The Ten Commandments can also be grouped into two broad categories: The vertical, that is, man’s relationship with God (vv. Exo 20:2-11), and the horizontal, that is, the relationship of man with the community (vv. Exo 20:12-17). The second category is characterized by concisely expressed prohibitions, with one exception, an imperative in addition to its explanation (v. Exo 20:12). The explanation or reason attached to a prohibition characterizes the first category. True theology and true worship, God’s name and the Sabbath, family honor, life, marriage, property, truth, and virtue are well protected by these Ten Commandments. see note on Exo 24:7.
Source: MacArthur Study Bible
alien gods: Refers to gods other than the God of Israel, basically those worshiped by the surrounding peoples. The Hebrew word for “gods” is the same as the one used to refer to God (e.g., in v. Exo 20:2, and throughout the Bible) because its form is plural. The literary context indicates that in this case the word must be translated in the plural and that it does not refer to the God of Israel. The other versions better communicate these words: “Have no other gods besides me” (NIV), “have no other gods to rival me” (NBE), “other gods besides me” (TLA, BJ). The translator can choose, among these alternatives, the one that best suits the target language.
In front of me: It is a very common biblical expression, which means “next to me” or “in my presence”. Some versions omit its translation (NIV, NBE). TLA prefers “apart from me”, a translation that is correct.
Source: Commentary for Exegesis and Translation
— apart from me: It can also be translated: in front of me or in front of me or in my presence (see Deu 6:4-5; Matt 22:37).
Source: Hispano-American Interdenominational Translation
The first commandment. The exclusive alliance with Jehovah lies at the very heart of the covenant relationship. It is the foundation on which the rest rests. In practice the people would be monotheistic, worshiping only God. As is clear elsewhere in the Pentateuch, the worship of other gods was punishable by death (Num. 25:1-18; Deut. 13:1-18).
Source: New Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary
GRADES
(1) “No other gods.” Heb., lo’ ‘elo him ‘aje rim; Gr.: the ói.
(2) Or, “gods in defiance against me.”
CROSS-REFERENCES
d 859 Deu 5:7; 2Ki 17:35; Jer 25:6
Source: New World Translation
Will not have other gods before me. The first of the commandments that form the stipulations for Israel’s covenant with the Lord. The worship of other gods can be considered as theological treason, and therefore for the Israelites it is the most serious offense.
in front of me. The phrase in Heb. it suggests that it is insolence before God to deny his claims that he was the only God.
Source: The Bible of the Americas
in front of me. Lit., in my sight; ie, either in addition to me or against me. God does not share his worship with another.
Source: Ryrie Annotated Study Bible
Or, in addition to, or, together with
Source: The Bible of the Americas
*Mt 6:24 *Mk 10:18 *Mk 12:28 *1Jn 5:21