Upending the Ten Commandments

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I’m reading Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) and the New Revised Standard Version.

Deuteronomy 10

Moses recounts replacing the two stone tablets that had the Ten Commandments. Something caught my eye in Verse 4 where the Ten Commandments are referred to.

• In the YLT, they are called the Ten Matters.
• A note in the NRSV says that the original Hebrew says “ten words.”

“Ten Matters” and “Ten Words” don’t imply “Ten Commandments” in common English.

I was curious and went back to Exodus 20, the first chapter in which there’s a version of the Ten Commandments. Just two of them seem to be in the tone of giving orders:

YLT:

• “Remember the Sabbath-day to sanctify it…”
• “Honour your father and your mother…”

NRSV:

• “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy…”
• “Honor your father and your mother…”

The other commandments say “thou dost” in the YLT, meaning “you do” and “you shall” in the NRSV.

Both, to me, imply statements of fact. Or perhaps, of intention, or a standard.

I know I’ve expressed that this Bible Commentary project is in the spirit of reading it from start to finish, with fresh eyes as if I hadn’t read it before. At the same time, I think anyone interested in reading this knows something about what comes later, such as the books about Jesus. And I wanted to review the words the translators chose in the collection of some of Jesus’ most famous sayings, called The Beatitudes.

There are some “commands” in the Beatitudes, such as “rejoice and be glad,” but most Beatitudes are expressed as statements of fact, not commands: this is how it is.

In Matthew 5, it’s actually the YLT that uses “shall, “ as in “they shall.” The NRSV says “they will.”

Both “shall” and “will” affirm that something in the future is accomplished. “We shall be there for dinner at 7;” “We will be there for dinner at 7.”

We more often tend to use “shall” in a moral sense. “I shall do this” because I should do this or I ought to do this, because it is the right thing to do. And we use “will” as a statement of personal want, desire, or intent: “I will do this because I enjoy doing it or I want it done.”

In any case, “shall and we” are statements, or affirmations, of a future fact. An example from the Beatitudes:

• YLT: “Happy the meek — because they shall inherit the land.” In this translation, Jesus seems to say that the meek will inherit the land because they should inherit it; they ought to inherit it, they deserve to inherit it, and it is right that they inherit it. But if we understand “shall” the same way most of us interpret the Ten Commandments, then it would mean, “Blessed are the meek, for they are commanded to inherit the earth.” But “shall” is not actually a command. That’s not what it means.
• NRSV: ““Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” I think in this translation Jesus is saying the meek will inherit the earth because it is desirable to Jesus that they do so.

Now let’s go back to the Ten Commandments. The YLT, Young’s Literal Translation, is written mostly in the present tense because that’s the most literal version of the Hebrew. The YLT says, “Thou dost” meaning “You do.” This time, it’s the NRSV that says “You shall.”

• YLT: “Thou dost not murder,,” or “You do not murder.” That’s an affirmation of present fact. It’s like saying, “You are not a murderer because it’s not in your character to murder.”
• NRSV: “You shall not murder.” That’s an affirmation that you are not going to be murdering anybody and it’s good that you’re not. You ought not to be a murderer and you are not a murderer; that’s not in your character.

If there is an intended command,, one would think the proper translation would be “must:” “You must not murder.” “Or, “you are commanded to not murder,” or “You are ordered to refrain from murdering.” Something like that.

Instead, I understand it as, “Murder is not happening.” or “You are not (or “you are not going to be) murderers.”

This upends the Ten Commandments as I had known them. Many religious sects seem to believe that we are, by nature or inclination, murderers, adulterers, thieves, liars, and coveters, and that’s why the LORD prohibited these things.

But they actually read more like “The Ten Matters” (YLT) or “The Ten Words” (alternate NRSV).

Through these ten statements, the LORD is saying, “This is who you are. This is your true character.” Anything that we may do, murder, steal, whatever, isn’t because we are inclined to wickedness, but because we are “out of character.” Whatever evil we might do is not who we are.

We’re actually, by nature, good people. If we’re not being good, something is amiss. We’re out of alignment.

The way I’ve made sense of the Bible so far is to understand that the LORD is my highest and best self, and your highest and best self. And it is true that the best in you wouldn’t murder, steal, etc. Thus verse 12 says, “So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Later, the chapter reads, “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

In this chapter, the LORD is describing God’s character, and it is our character as well. This is who we are, and the commandments aren’t really rules at all, just descriptions of the best version of selves.

James Leroy Wilson writes Daily Miracles, The Daily Bible Chapter, JL Cells, and The MVP Chase. Thanks for your subscriptions and support!

(Photo credit: TyshkunVictor)