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Charlton Heston as Moses holding the Ten Commandments tablets

The Ten Commandments in Ancient Hebrew – Paleo-Hebrew & Pictographic Scripts

By Jeff A. Benner

Early Semitic (Pictographic Hebrew)

The Ten Commandments in Early Hebrew Script

Click here for a shortened version with an English translation

Middle Semitic (Paleo-Hebrew)

The Ten Commandments in Middle Hebrew Script


Late Semitic (DSS Hebrew)

The Ten Commandments in Late Hebrew Script

Modern Hebrew

The Ten Commandments in Modern Hebrew Script

The Mechanical Translation of the Ten Commandments

Exodus Chapter 20

20:1

וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֵאמֹר

wai'da'beyr e'lo'him eyt kol had'va'rim ha'ey'leh ley'mor

and~he~will~much~SPEAK "Elohiym POWER~s" AT ALL the~WORD~s the~THESE to~>~SAY

and "Elohiym Powers" spoke all these words say{ing},

20:2

אָנֹכִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים

a'no'khi YHWH e'lo'hey'kha a'sher ho'tsey'ti'kha mey'e'rets mits'ra'yim mi'beyt a'va'dim

I "Yhwh he~will~BE" "Elohiym POWER~s"~you(ms) WHICH I~did~make~GO-OUT~you(ms) from~LAND "Mits'rayim STRAIT~s2" from~HOUSE SERVANT~s

I {am} "Yhwh He is" your "Elohiym Powers", who made you go out from {the} land {of} "Mits'rayim Two straits", from {the} house {of} servants,

20:3

לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנָי

lo yih'yeh le'kha e'lo'him a'hhey'rim al pa'nai

NOT he~will~EXIST to~you(ms) "Elohiym POWER~s" OTHER~s UPON FACE~s~me

other "Elohiym Powers" will not exist (for) you upon my face ,

20:4

לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְכָל תְּמוּנָה אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וַאֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת וַאֲשֶׁר בַּמַּיִם מִתַּחַת לָאָרֶץ

lo ta'a'seh le'kha phe'sel we'khol te'mu'nah a'sher ba'sha'ma'ma'yim mi'ma'al wa'a'sher ba'a'rets mi'ta'hhat wa'a'sher ba'ma'yim mi'ta'hhat la'a'rets

NOT you(ms)~will~DO to~you(ms) SCULPTURE and~ALL RESEMBLANCE WHICH in~the~SKY~s2 from~UPWARD and~WHICH in~the~LAND from~UNDER and~WHICH in~the~WATER~s2 from~UNDER to~the~LAND

you will not (make) (for) you {a} sculpture and (any) resemblance which {is} in the skies /above/, and which {is} in the land /below, and which {is} in the waters /below/ the land,

20:5

לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לָהֶם וְלֹא תָעָבְדֵם כִּי אָנֹכִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵל קַנָּא פֹּקֵד עֲו?ֹן אָבֹת עַל בָּנִים עַל שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל רִבֵּעִים לְשֹׂנְאָי

lo tish'ta'hha'weh la'hem we'lo ta'av'deym ki a'no'khi YHWH e'lo'hey'kha eyl qa'na po'qeyd a'won a'vot al ba'nim al shi'ley'shim we'al ri'bey'im le'shon'ai

NOT you(ms)~will~self~BEND-DOWN to~them(m) and~NOT you(ms)~will~be~make~SERVE~them(m) GIVEN-THAT I "Yhwh he~will~BE" "Elohiym POWER~s"~you(ms) MIGHTY-ONE ZEALOUS REGISTER~ing/er(ms) INIQUITY FATHER~s UPON SON~s UPON THIRD-GENERATION~s and~UPON FOURTH-GENERATION~s to~HATE~ing/er(mp)~me

you will not bend {your}self down to them, and you will not be made {to} serve them, given that I {am} "Yhwh He is" your "Elohiym Powers", {the} mighty one {of} zealous{ness}, registering {the} iniquity {of the} fathers upon {the} sons, upon {the} third generation, and upon {the} fourth generation, to {the one}s hating me,

20:6

וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לַאֲלָפִים לְאֹהֲבַי וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְו?ֹתָי

we'o'seh hhe'sed la'a'la'phim le'o'ha'vai ul'shom'rey mits'otai

and~DO~ing/er(ms) KINDNESS to~the~THOUSAND~s to~LOVE~ing/er(mp)~me and~to~SAFEGUARD~ing/er(mp) DIRECTIVE~s~me

and doing kindness to the thousands, to {the one}s loving me, and to {the one}s safeguarding my directives,

20:7

לֹא תִשָּׂא אֶת שֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לַשָּׁוְא כִּי לֹא יְנַקֶּה יְהוָה אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא אֶת שְׁמוֹ לַשָּׁוְא

lo ti'sa et sheym YHWH e'lo'hey'kha la'sha'we ki lo ye'na'qeh YHWH eyt a'sher yi'sa et she'mo la'sha'we

NOT you(ms)~will~LIFT-UP AT TITLE "Yhwh he~will~BE" "Elohiym POWER~s"~you(ms) to~the~FALSENESS GIVEN-THAT NOT he~will~much~ACQUIT "Yhwh he~will~BE" AT WHICH he~will~LIFT-UP AT TITLE~him to~the~FALSENESS

you will not lift up {the} title {of} "Yhwh He is" your "Elohiym Powers" (for) the falseness, given that "Yhwh He is" will not acquit {one} (who) will lift up his title (for) the falseness,

20:8

זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ

za'khor et yom ha'sha'bat le'qad'sho

>~REMEMBER AT DAY the~CEASING to~>~much~SET-APART~him

remember {the} day {of} ceasing, to set him apart,

20:9

שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד וְעָשִׂיתָ כָּל מְלַאכְתֶּךָ

shey'shet ya'mim ta'a'vod we'a'si'ta kol me'lakh'te'kha

SIX DAY~s you(ms)~will~SERVE and~you(ms)~did~DO ALL BUSINESS~you(ms)

six days you will serve, and you will do all your business,

20:10

וְיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כָל מְלָאכָה אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתְךָ וּבְהֶמְתֶּךָ וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ

we'yom hash'vi'i sha'bat la'YHWH e'lo'hey'kha lo ta'a'seh khol me'la'khah a'tah u'vin'kha u'vi'te'kha av'de'kha wa'a'mat'kha uv'hem'te'kha we'ger'kha a'sher bish'a'rey'kha

and~DAY the~SEVENTH CEASING to~"Yhwh he~will~BE" "Elohiym POWER~s"~you(ms) NOT you(ms)~will~DO ALL BUSINESS YOU(ms) and~SON~you(ms) and~DAUGHTER~you(ms) SERVANT~you(ms) and~BONDWOMAN~you(ms) and~BEAST~you(ms) and~STRANGER~you(ms) WHICH in~GATE~s~you(ms)

and the seventh day {is a} ceasing to "Yhwh He is" your "Elohiym Powers", you will not do (any) business, you and your son and your daughter, your servant and your bondwoman, and your beast, and your stranger which {is} in your gates,

20:11

כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה יְהוָה אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֶת הַיָּם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּם וַיָּנַח בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עַל כֵּן בֵּרַךְ יְהוָה אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ

ki shey'shet ya'mim a'sah YHWH et ha'sha'ma'yim we'et ha'a'rets et hai'yam we'et kol a'sher bam wai'ya'nahh ba'yom hash'vi'i al keyn bey'rakh YHWH et yom ha'sha'bat wai'qad'shey'hu

GIVEN-THAT SIX DAY~s he~did~DO "Yhwh he~will~BE" AT the~SKY~s2 and~AT the~LAND AT the~SEA and~AT ALL WHICH in~them(m) and~he~will~REST in~the~DAY the~SEVENTH UPON SO he~did~much~KNEEL "Yhwh he~will~BE" AT DAY the~CEASING and~he~will~much~SET-APART~him

given that six days "Yhwh He is" (made) the skies and the land, the sea and all which {is} in them, and he rested in the seventh day, /therefore/, "Yhwh He is" [respected] {the} day {of} the ceasing, and he set him apart,

20:12

כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ לְמַעַן יַאֲרִכוּן יָמֶיךָ עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ

ka'beyd et a'vi'kha we'et i'me'kha le'ma'an ya'a'ri'khun ya'mey'kha al ha'a'da'mah a'sher YHWH e'lo'hey'kha no'teyn lakh

!(ms)~much~BE-HEAVY AT FATHER~you(ms) and~AT MOTHER~you(ms) to~THAT they(m)~will~make~PROLONG~must DAY~s~you(ms) UPON the~GROUND WHICH "Yhwh he~will~BE" "Elohiym POWER~s"~you(ms) GIVE~ing/er(ms) to~you(fs)

[honor] your father and your mother (so) that your days will {be} made long upon the ground which "Yhwh He is" your "Elohiym Powers" {is} giving to you,

20:13

לֹא תִרְצָח

lo tir'tsahh

NOT you(ms)~will~MURDER

you will not murder,

20:14

לֹא תִנְאָף

lo tin'aph

NOT you(ms)~will~COMMIT-ADULTERY

you will not commit adultery,

20:15

לֹא תִגְנֹב

lo tig'nov

NOT you(ms)~will~STEAL

you will not steal,

20:16

לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר

lo ta'a'neh ve'rey'a'kha eyd sha'qer

NOT you(ms)~will~AFFLICT in~COMPANION~you(ms) WITNESS FALSE

you will not afflict your companion (with) {a} witness {of} false{ness},

20:17

לֹא תַחְמֹד בֵּית רֵעֶךָ לֹא תַחְמֹד אֵשֶׁת רֵעֶךָ וְעַבְדּוֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ וְשׁוֹרוֹ וַחֲמֹרוֹ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לְרֵעֶךָ

lo tahh'mod beyt rey'e'kha lo tahh'mod ey'shet rey'e'kha we'av'do wa'a'ma'to we'sho'ro wa'hha'mo'ro we'khol a'sher le'rey'e'kha

NOT you(ms)~will~CRAVE HOUSE COMPANION~you(ms) NOT you(ms)~will~CRAVE WOMAN COMPANION~you(ms) and~SERVANT~him and~BONDWOMAN~him and~OX~him and~DONKEY~him and~ALL WHICH to~COMPANION~you(ms)

you will not crave {the} house {of} your companion, you will not crave {the} woman {of} your companion, and his servant, and his bondwoman, and his ox, and his donkey, and all which {belongs} to your companion,

20:18

וְכָל הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת וְאֶת הַלַּפִּידִם וְאֵת קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר וְאֶת הָהָר עָשֵׁן וַיַּרְא הָעָם וַיָּנֻעוּ וַיַּעַמְדוּ מֵרָחֹק

we'khol ha'am ro'im et ha'qo'lot we'et ha'la'pi'dim we'eyt qol ha'sho'phar we'et ha'har a'sheyn wai'yar ha'am wai'ya'nu'u wai'ya'am'du mey'ra'hhoq

and~ALL the~PEOPLE SEE~ing/er(mp) AT the~VOICE~s and~AT the~TORCH~s and~AT VOICE the~RAM-HORN and~AT the~HILL SMOKE and~he~will~SEE the~PEOPLE and~they(m)~will~STAGGER and~they(m)~will~STAND from~DISTANCE

and all the people {were} seeing the \thunder/ and the torches and {the} voice {of} the ram horn and the hill {of} smoke, and the people saw, and staggered, and they stood from {a} distance,

20:19

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה וְאַל יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ אֱלֹהִים פֶּן נָמוּת

wai'yom'ru el mo'sheh da'beyr a'tah i'ma'nu we'nish'ma'ah we'al ye'da'beyr i'ma'nu e'lo'him pen na'mut

and~they(m)~will~SAY TO "Mosheh PLUCKED-OUT" !(ms)~much~SPEAK YOU(ms) WITH~us and~we~will~HEAR~^ and~DO-NOT he~will~much~SPEAK WITH~us "Elohiym POWER~s" OTHERWISE we~will~DIE

and they said to "Mosheh Plucked out", you {will} speak with us and we will hear, and do not {let} "Elohiym Powers" speak with us, otherwise we will die,

20:20

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם אַל תִּירָאוּ כִּי לְבַעֲבוּר נַסּוֹת אֶתְכֶם בָּא הָאֱלֹהִים וּבַעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם לְבִלְתִּי תֶחֱטָאוּ

wai'yo'mer mo'sheh el ha'am al ti'ra'u ki le'va'a'vur na'sot et'khem ba ha'e'lo'him u'va'a'vur tih'yeh yir'a'to al pe'ney'khem le'vil'ti te'hhe'ta'u

and~he~will~SAY "Mosheh PLUCKED-OUT" TO the~PEOPLE DO-NOT you(mp)~will~FEAR GIVEN-THAT to~in~INTENTION >~much~TEST AT~you(mp) he~did~COME the~"Elohiym POWER~s" and~in~INTENTION she~will~EXIST FEARFULNESS~him UPON FACE~s~you(mp) to~EXCEPT you(mp)~will~ERR

and "Mosheh Plucked out" said to the people, do not fear, given that "Elohiym Powers" came (with) {the} intention to test you, and (with) {the} intention {that} his fearfulness will exist upon your faces (so) you will (not) err,

20:21

וַיַּעֲמֹד הָעָם מֵרָחֹק וּמֹשֶׁה נִגַּשׁ אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הָאֱלֹהִים

wai'ya'a'mod ha'am mey'ra'hhoq u'mo'sheh ni'gash el ha'a'ra'phel a'sher sham ha'e'lo'him

and~he~will~STAND the~PEOPLE from~DISTANCE and~"Mosheh PLUCKED-OUT" he~did~be~DRAW-NEAR TO the~THICK-DARKNESS WHICH THERE the~"Elohiym POWER~s"

and the people stood from a distance, and "Mosheh Plucked out" |had| been drawn near to the thick darkness which there, {is} the "Elohiym Powers",

20:22

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה כֹּה תֹאמַר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם כִּי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּבַּרְתִּי עִמָּכֶם

wai'yo'mer YHWH el mo'sheh koh to'mar el be'ney yis'ra'eyl a'tem re'i'tem ki min ha'sha'ma'yim di'bar'ti i'ma'khem

and~he~will~SAY "Yhwh he~will~BE" TO "Mosheh PLUCKED-OUT" IN-THIS-WAY you(ms)~will~SAY TO SON~s "Yisra'el he~will~TURN-ASIDE~+~MIGHTY-ONE" YOU(mp) you(mp)~did~SEE GIVEN-THAT FROM the~SKY~s2 I~did~much~SPEAK WITH~you(mp)

and "Yhwh He is" said to "Mosheh Plucked out", in this way you will say to {the} sons {of} "Yisra'el He turns El aside", you saw that I spoke with you from the skies,

20:23

לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן אִתִּי אֱלֹהֵי כֶסֶף וֵאלֹהֵי זָהָב לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם

lo ta'a'sun i'ti e'lo'hey ke'seph wey'lo'hey za'hav lo ta'a'su la'khem

NOT you(ms)~will~DO~must AT~me "Elohiym POWER~s" SILVER and~"Elohiym POWER~s" GOLD NOT you(mp)~will~DO to~you(mp)

you must not (make) me {a} "Elohiym Powers" {of} silver and {a} "Elohiym Powers" {of} gold, you will not (make) {them} (for) your{selves},

20:24

מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי וְזָבַחְתָּ עָלָיו אֶת עֹלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת שְׁלָמֶיךָ אֶת צֹאנְךָ וְאֶת בְּקָרֶךָ בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי אָבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ

miz'bahh a'da'mah ta'a'seh li we'za'vahh'ta a'law et o'lo'tey'kha we'et she'la'mey'kha et tson'kha we'et be'qa're'kha be'khol ha'ma'qom a'sher az'kir et she'mi a'vo ey'ley'kha u'vey'rakh'ti'kha

ALTAR GROUND you(ms)~will~DO to~me and~you(ms)~did~SACRIFICE UPON~him AT RISING~s~you(ms) and~AT COMPLETE~s~you(ms) AT FLOCKS~you(ms) and~AT CATTLE~you(ms) in~ALL the~AREA WHICH I~will~make~REMEMBER AT TITLE~me I~will~COME TO~you(ms) and~I~did~much~KNEEL~you(ms)

you will (make) {an} altar {of} ground (for) me, and you will sacrifice upon him your rising {sacrifice}s and your complete {sacrifice}s, your flocks and your cattle, in all the area (where) I will make my title remembered, I will come to you and I will [respect] you,

20:25

וְאִם מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי לֹא תִבְנֶה אֶתְהֶן גָּזִית כִּי חַרְבְּךָ הֵנַפְתָּ עָלֶיהָ וַתְּחַלְלֶהָ

we'im miz'bahh a'va'nim ta'a'seh li lo tiv'neh et'hen ga'zit ki hhar'be'kha hey'naph'ta a'ley'ah wat'hhal'le'le'ah

and~IF ALTAR STONE~s you(ms)~will~DO to~me NOT you(ms)~will~BUILD AT~them(f) HEWN-STONE GIVEN-THAT SWORD~you(ms) you(ms)~did~make~WAVE UPON~her and~you(ms)~will~much~PIERCE~her

and if you will (make) {an} altar {of} stones, you will not build them {of} hewn stone, given that you waved your sword upon her, and you (made) her [common],

20:26

וְלֹא תַעֲלֶה בְמַעֲלֹת עַל מִזְבְּחִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִגָּלֶה עֶרְוָתְךָ עָלָיו

we'lo ta'a'leh ve'ma'a'lot al miz'be'hhi a'sher lo ti'ga'leh er'wat'kha a'law

and~NOT you(ms)~will~GO-UP in~STEP~s UPON ALTAR~me WHICH NOT you(ms)~will~be~REMOVE-THE-COVER NAKEDNESS~you(ms) UPON~him

and you will not go up (with) steps upon my altar, (because) you will not [uncover] your nakedness upon him,





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