Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, consist of ten religious and moral imperatives that, according to the Hebrew Bible, were divinely revealed by Yahweh to Moses on Mount Sinai following the Exodus from Egypt.[1][2] These commandments appear in two versions—Exodus 20:2–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21—with minor differences in phrasing but identical core content emphasizing monotheism, prohibitions against idolatry and blasphemy, observance of the Sabbath, and ethical rules against murder, adultery, theft, false witness, and covetousness.[3] They establish the covenantal framework between God and the Israelites, delineating obligations to the divine and interpersonal conduct.[1] The commandments' textual tradition is attested in ancient Hebrew manuscripts, including fragments from the Dead Sea Scrolls such as 4Q41 (also known as the Deuteronomy scroll), which preserves portions of Deuteronomy 5 including the Decalogue and dates to the late Second Temple period around the 1st century BCE.[4] While the historicity of the Sinai revelation lacks direct archaeological confirmation and remains a point of scholarly debate—with minimalist views questioning a large-scale Exodus event—the enduring preservation of the text underscores its centrality to Jewish scriptural canon from antiquity.[5] Numbering and emphasis vary across traditions: Jewish reckoning combines the bans on other gods and images into the first commandment, yielding ten distinct imperatives; Protestant traditions separate these into two, splitting the final coveting prohibition; Catholic and Lutheran catechisms merge the first two and divide coveting into separate wife and possessions commands.[6] These precepts have exerted causal influence on Western legal and ethical systems, informing common law principles against homicide, theft, and perjury, as recognized in American judicial precedents and legislative acknowledgments, though not constituting a wholesale foundation for secular codes.[7][8] Controversies persist over public displays, such as monuments, which courts have evaluated under establishment clause standards, balancing historical significance against perceived endorsement of religion.[9]Origins and Biblical Text
Narrative in Exodus and Deuteronomy
In the Book of Exodus, the narrative of the Ten Commandments unfolds during the Israelites' encampment at Mount Sinai, approximately three months after their exodus from Egypt under Moses' leadership. God descends upon the mountain amid thunder, lightning, thick clouds, and trumpet blasts, causing the people to tremble as they witness divine manifestations including fire and smoke. The Lord then proclaims the commandments directly to the assembled Israelites from the mountain, beginning with declarations of his identity as the one who delivered them from Egyptian bondage and prohibiting other gods, graven images, misuse of his name, and neglect of the Sabbath. The people, overwhelmed by the spectacle, request that Moses serve as intermediary to receive further words from God, fearing direct exposure to the divine voice.[10][11] Moses ascends the mountain and receives additional instructions, including civil and ceremonial laws, while the people wait below. Upon descending, Moses finds the Israelites worshiping a golden calf idol fashioned by Aaron in his absence, prompting Moses to shatter the initial stone tablets inscribed by God's finger as a symbol of the broken covenant. God commands Moses to hew new tablets, which he does, ascending Sinai again for forty days and nights where the divine rewrites the commandments amid renewed affirmations of the covenant despite Israel's idolatry. This second set of tablets is placed in the Ark of the Covenant, establishing the enduring physical representation of the divine law.[12][13] The Book of Deuteronomy presents a retrospective account as Moses addresses the second generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, forty years after Sinai, recounting the covenant events to renew obedience before entering Canaan. Moses describes the Sinai theophany similarly, with God's voice amid fire proclaiming the commandments, which the terrified people urge him to relay instead. He emphasizes the uniqueness of direct divine speech at Horeb (another name for Sinai) and notes minor variations in phrasing, such as Sabbath rationale tied to both creation rest and Egyptian deliverance. This retelling underscores the commandments' role as foundational to the covenant, with Moses calling heaven and earth as witnesses to Israel's pledged fidelity.[14][15]Textual Formulations and Numbering Variations
The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are presented in two primary formulations within the Hebrew Bible: Exodus 20:1–17, delivered directly by God to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, and Deuteronomy 5:6–21, a retelling by Moses during his recapitulation of the covenant in the plains of Moab.[16] [3] These versions share a core structure prohibiting idolatry, misuse of God's name, Sabbath violation, murder, adultery, theft, false witness, and coveting, but exhibit approximately 20 minor differences in phrasing, such as word order, spelling variations, and added expressions.[17] [18] A notable substantive variance appears in the Sabbath commandment: the Exodus account grounds observance in God's rest after creation (Exodus 20:11), while Deuteronomy ties it to the Exodus deliverance from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15).[3] [19] Ancient textual witnesses, such as the Nash Papyrus (circa 2nd century BCE) and Qumran fragment 4QDeut^n (harmonizing elements from both versions), indicate early interpretive efforts to reconcile discrepancies, suggesting fluid transmission prior to standardization.[20] The biblical text does not explicitly number the commandments as "one" through "ten," leading to divergent enumerations across religious traditions based on how introductory declarations and prohibitions against coveting are divided.[21] Jewish tradition treats the preamble "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt" as the first commandment, followed by the prohibition on other gods and idols as a single second commandment, with coveting (of neighbor's house, wife, etc.) unified as the tenth.[22] [23] Catholic and Lutheran catechisms combine the prohibitions on other gods and graven images into the first commandment, resulting in coveting the neighbor's wife as ninth and goods as tenth.[22] Reformed Protestant traditions, following figures like John Calvin, separate the no-other-gods and no-idols prohibitions as first and second, respectively, while combining all coveting into the tenth.[6] [24]
| Tradition | 1st Commandment | 2nd Commandment | 9th/10th Commandment(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish | I am the Lord your God... | No other gods; no idols | Do not covet (all combined) |
| Catholic/Lutheran | No other gods; no idols (combined) | No misuse of name | Covet wife (9th); covet goods (10th) |
| Reformed Protestant | No other gods | No idols | Do not covet (all combined) |
| [25] [23] These variations stem from patristic influences, such as Augustine's grouping for Catholics versus Origen's for some Protestants, without altering the underlying ethical imperatives.[26] [6] |
Ancient Near Eastern Contexts and Parallels
The Ten Commandments, as presented in Exodus 20:2–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21 (c. 13th–6th centuries BCE in scholarly dating), emerged within the broader cultural and legal milieu of the ancient Near East, where various civilizations codified ethical and social norms predating or contemporaneous with Israelite traditions. Mesopotamian law codes, such as the Sumerian Laws of Ur-Nammu (c. 2100–2050 BCE) and the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi (c. 1754 BCE), exhibit parallels in prohibiting offenses like murder, theft, adultery, and false accusation, reflecting shared concerns over social order in agrarian societies.[27] [28] For instance, Hammurabi's Code (laws 1–5, 14, 195–214) mandates death for kidnapping, adultery, and perjury, akin to the Decalogue's succinct absolutes, though Hammurabi employs casuistic case law ("if... then") with class-stratified penalties, contrasting the Decalogue's apodictic imperatives ("you shall not") and implied universality.[29] [30] Hittite laws (c. 1650–1200 BCE) from Anatolia show further affinities, particularly in compensatory justice for bodily harm; Hittite law §10 parallels Exodus 21:18–19 (adjacent to the Decalogue) by requiring restitution for temporary injury without permanent damage, emphasizing proportional redress over lex talionis in some cases.[31] [32] Egyptian ethical texts, including the 42 Negative Confessions from the Book of the Dead (c. 1550 BCE onward) tied to Ma'at principles of cosmic order, list denials of wrongdoing such as "I have not killed" or "I have not stolen," echoing Commandments 6–8, but frame them as personal oaths for postmortem judgment rather than covenantal divine imperatives.[33] [34] Sumerian wisdom literature, like the Instructions of Shuruppak (c. 2600 BCE), offers proverbial moral guidance—"Do not steal" or "Do not commit adultery"—prefiguring Decalogue themes, yet prioritizes pragmatic advice for prosperity over theological loyalty.[35] [36] These parallels underscore a common ANE ethical substrate rooted in maintaining communal stability, with Israelite formulations adapting motifs amid Canaanite and Mesopotamian influences during the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550–1200 BCE).[37] [38] However, the Decalogue diverges markedly in its monotheistic preamble (no other gods), aniconic prohibition, Sabbath observance (absent in pagan codes), and filial piety framed as covenant response to Yahweh's deliverance, rejecting polytheistic or king-centered justifications.[27] [28] Hittite suzerain-vassal treaties (c. 14th–13th centuries BCE) structurally resemble the Sinai covenant's preamble, stipulations, and blessings/curses, suggesting rhetorical borrowing for suzerainty emphasis, but without the Decalogue's terse, tablet-inscribed format.[39] [40] Such distinctions—evident in the Decalogue's egalitarianism versus ANE hierarchies—indicate innovation rather than derivation, with empirical comparisons revealing shared human legal intuitions tempered by unique Israelite theology.[37][29]Historical and Scholarly Analysis
Archaeological Evidence and Lack Thereof
No direct archaeological evidence confirms the existence of the original stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments, as described in Exodus 24:12 and Deuteronomy 10:1-5, where they were reportedly placed within the Ark of the Covenant, whose location remains unknown.[41] Extensive surveys of the Sinai Peninsula, including by Israeli teams over decades, have yielded no traces of encampments, artifacts, or inscriptions linked to a large-scale migration of Israelites or the mass assembly at Mount Sinai during the proposed 13th-century BCE timeframe.[42] Egyptian archaeologists working in northern Sinai similarly report no material remains supporting the biblical narrative of the Exodus or subsequent lawgiving events.[43] Proposed locations for Mount Sinai, such as the traditional Jebel Musa in Egypt's southern Sinai or alternative sites like Jebel al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia, lack confirmatory inscriptions, altars, or settlement debris tied to the described theophany in Exodus 19-20.[44] Claims of evidence at Jebel al-Lawz, including alleged golden calf remnants, have been refuted due to absence of biblical geographical alignment, anachronistic artifacts, and restricted access preventing independent verification.[41] No Egyptian records from the Ramesside period document plagues, a slave exodus, or disruptions consistent with the scale of events preceding the Sinai revelation.[45] Archaeological attestation of the Ten Commandments text itself appears in later Second Temple-era manuscripts, such as a fragment from Qumran Cave 4 (4Q41) preserving Deuteronomy 5:1-6:1, dated paleographically to the late first century BCE, confirming the Decalogue's circulation in Hebrew prior to the Common Era.[46] A separate paleo-Hebrew inscription on stone from a synagogue site, dated circa 300-500 CE and containing nine of the commandments plus a temple tax clause, provides epigraphic evidence of early Jewish liturgical use but postdates the biblical events by over a millennium.[47] Artistic depictions, such as a 6th-century CE ivory pyxis fragment from Austria showing Moses receiving tablets, reflect enduring tradition but offer no empirical corroboration of the original occurrence.[48] Fringe assertions of original tablets in Egyptian collections lack scholarly validation and peer-reviewed documentation.[49] Overall, while the textual tradition is archaeologically preserved from antiquity, the historical kernel of the Sinai covenant remains unsubstantiated by physical finds, prompting scholarly debate over whether absence reflects nomadic impermanence or non-occurrence.[50]Theories on Composition and Dating
The traditional view, held by conservative biblical scholars, posits that the Ten Commandments were composed as a unified divine revelation to Moses at Mount Sinai around the 15th or 13th century BCE, consistent with the internal chronology of Exodus and the absence of anachronistic elements such as references to later monarchic institutions.[51] This perspective emphasizes the text's apodictic style—direct imperatives without casuistic expansions—as indicative of an ancient covenantal core predating Israelite settlement, potentially drawing from primordial moral intuitions rather than evolving legal codes.[52] Critical scholarship, influenced by the documentary hypothesis, regards the Decalogue as composite, with the Exodus 20 version attributed to the Elohist (E) source from the northern kingdom circa 9th–8th century BCE, and the Deuteronomy 5 recension to the Deuteronomist (D) during King Josiah's reforms in the late 7th century BCE (ca. 622 BCE).[53] Differences between the versions—such as the Sabbath rationale shifting from creation rest (Exodus 20:11) to exodus deliverance (Deuteronomy 5:15), and expanded coveting prohibitions in Deuteronomy—suggest redactional adaptation for distinct audiences, with Deuteronomy's humanistic emphases reflecting monarchic-era centralization efforts amid Assyrian threats.[20] [54] Some analyses propose an even later crystallization, with the core Decalogue emerging between the 8th-century prophet Hosea and Deuteronomistic composition, functioning initially as a cultic or treaty preamble before liturgical excerpting in Second Temple texts like the 2nd-century BCE Nash Papyrus, which blends Exodus and Deuteronomy elements.[52] [20] More revisionist theories, such as those positing Hellenistic influences post-3rd century BCE, argue for Greek parallels in Delphic maxims shaping the prohibitions, though these lack broad acceptance due to linguistic and cultural mismatches with Near Eastern substrates.[55] Debate persists, as the documentary hypothesis underpinning late dating has faced challenges for over-reliance on hypothetical sources without manuscript corroboration, prompting supplementary models of oral tradition evolution or single-authorship unity; empirical constraints include no pre-7th-century BCE inscriptions of the text, yet linguistic archaisms support pre-exilic roots over post-exilic invention.[56][57]Ritual Decalogue Hypothesis
The Ritual Decalogue Hypothesis posits that the biblical passage in Exodus 34:11–26 preserves an alternative formulation of the Ten Commandments, distinct from the more familiar ethical precepts in Exodus 20:2–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21, with a primary focus on cultic rituals, festivals, and sacrificial observances rather than interpersonal ethics.[58] This view emerged in 19th-century biblical criticism, particularly through Julius Wellhausen's analysis within the Documentary Hypothesis, which attributes the text to the Yahwist (J) source from the southern Kingdom of Judah, suggesting it represents an older covenantal tradition emphasizing Israel's liturgical obligations to Yahweh.[59] Proponents argue that Exodus 34:28 explicitly refers to these as "ten words" (ʿāśer dəbārîm), aligning with the term "Decalogue," and that their placement after the Golden Calf incident (Exodus 32) depicts a covenant renewal centered on renewed worship practices, such as prohibiting foreign altars, mandating the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and regulating firstborn offerings and sabbaths.[60] Scholars identifying the Ritual Decalogue enumerate its components as follows: (1) destroy altars of other gods; (2) smash sacred pillars; (3) cut down Asherim; (4) worship no other god; (5) make no molten gods; (6) observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; (7) redeem all firstborn males; (8) abstain from leavened bread during specified periods; (9) offer firstborn of livestock on the seventh day; and (10) observe the Sabbath alongside the firstfruits harvest festival.[61] Unlike the Ethical Decalogue's prohibitions on murder, adultery, and theft, this list overlaps only partially (e.g., bans on idolatry and foreign worship) and prioritizes temple-related rites, which some interpret as evidence of its priestly origins predating the ethical compilation's redaction during the monarchy or exile.[58] This hypothesis draws parallels to ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties where divine covenants included ritual stipulations to maintain loyalty, positioning the Ritual Decalogue as a potential liturgical core for annual covenant renewals at Sinai or local shrines.[59] Critics of the hypothesis, including some contemporary source critics, contend that Exodus 34's text shows signs of later expansion and harmonization with the Covenant Code (Exodus 20:22–23:33), undermining claims of its antiquity or independence as a standalone Decalogue.[59] For instance, the absence of explicit numbering and the integration of ethical echoes (e.g., monolatry) suggest it functions narratively as a degraded or provisional replacement for the shattered first tablets, rather than a rival tradition.[60] Empirical analysis of Hebrew syntax and vocabulary further indicates Deuteronomistic or Priestly influences, with ritual emphases reflecting post-exilic concerns over temple purity amid Persian-era reforms around 450 BCE, rather than Bronze Age origins.[62] While the hypothesis highlights textual diversity in Pentateuchal traditions, its reliance on subjective source division has faced challenges from minimalist archaeology, which lacks direct epigraphic evidence for any early Israelite Decalogue, ritual or ethical.[59]Religious Interpretations and Applications
Judaism
In Judaism, the Ten Commandments, termed Aseret ha-Dibrot ("Ten Statements" or "Ten Utterances"), represent the divine declarations proclaimed by God to the Israelites at Mount Sinai following the Exodus from Egypt.[63] These utterances form the core of the Sinaitic revelation, encapsulating foundational principles that underpin the 613 mitzvot of the Torah, though all commandments are considered equally binding.[64] The event is commemorated annually on Shavuot, marking the giving of the Torah.[65] The Aseret ha-Dibrot appear twice in the Torah: in Exodus 20:2–14 and Deuteronomy 5:6–18, with minor textual variations.[17] The Exodus version grounds the Sabbath observance in the creation narrative, emphasizing God's rest on the seventh day, while Deuteronomy links it to the liberation from Egyptian slavery, extending rest to servants and animals as a remembrance of redemption.[66] Other differences include expanded lists in Deuteronomy, such as coveting a neighbor's field, and slight phrasing adjustments, reflecting Moses' recapitulation to the new generation entering the land.[67] Jewish tradition numbers the statements differently from many Christian formulations: the first is "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage," interpreted by Maimonides as the commandment to affirm God's existence and unity.[68] The second prohibits other gods and graven images; subsequent ones address vain use of God's name, Sabbath observance, honoring parents, and prohibitions against murder, adultery, theft, false witness, and coveting.[64] These are viewed not merely as isolated laws but as categories encompassing broader ethical and ritual obligations.[69] Observance integrates the Aseret ha-Dibrot into liturgy and practice; they are recited publicly three times yearly during Torah readings in parashot Yitro and Va'etchanan, and fully on Shavuot with congregants standing in reverence.[63] The original stone tablets, inscribed by God and Moses, were housed in the Ark of the Covenant.[70] Rabbinic authorities, wary of idolatry, discouraged visual depictions or selective emphasis that might imply superiority over other mitzvot, leading to the abandonment of ancient practices like incorporating them into daily prayers.[71] Maimonides further elaborated that the first statement mandates knowledge of God, distinguishing it as a rational imperative rather than a performative act.[72]Christianity
In Christian theology, the Ten Commandments form the core of God's revealed moral law, providing a framework for righteous living in relationship with God and others.[73] Affirmed by Jesus Christ, who declared in Matthew 5:17 that he came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it, the commandments are viewed as enduring principles rather than mere ceremonial rules abrogated by the New Covenant.[74] Nine of the ten appear reiterated in the New Testament epistles and Jesus' teachings, such as prohibitions against murder, adultery, theft, false witness, and coveting in Romans 13:9, underscoring their applicability to believers under grace.[75] Jesus summarized the Decalogue in the dual command to love God with all one's heart, soul, and mind (encompassing the first four commandments) and to love one's neighbor as oneself (the remaining six), as stated in Matthew 22:37-40.[76] This summation highlights the commandments' role in expressing love, with Paul echoing in Romans 13:10 that "love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."[76] While salvation comes through faith in Christ alone, not law-keeping (Ephesians 2:8-9), the commandments serve as a guide for sanctification, convicting sin and promoting holiness, as articulated in Reformed and evangelical traditions.[77] Numbering of the commandments varies between traditions, reflecting theological emphases on idolatry and coveting. Protestants, following the Reformed tradition, treat "no other gods" as the first and "no graven images" as the second, combining coveting into the tenth.[78] Catholics and Lutherans, per Augustinian tradition, merge the first two into one prohibiting idolatry broadly, while dividing coveting into ninth (neighbor's wife) and tenth (goods or property), as outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Luther's Small Catechism.[79] [80] These differences do not alter the content but prioritize warnings against false worship differently, with Protestant numbering preserving a distinct idolatry ban rooted in Exodus 20:4-6.[24] The fourth commandment on Sabbath observance shifts in Christianity from the Jewish seventh day (Saturday) to the Lord's Day (Sunday), commemorating Christ's resurrection. Early Christians gathered on the first day of the week, as evidenced in Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2, with Emperor Constantine formalizing Sunday rest in 321 AD via edict.[81] Mainstream denominations view this as a fulfillment rather than abolition, emphasizing rest, worship, and mercy over strict legalism, per Jesus' critique of Pharisaic additions in Mark 2:27 ("The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath").[81] Seventh-day groups like Adventists retain Saturday, but the historical consensus among Catholics, Orthodox, and most Protestants upholds Sunday as the Christian Sabbath equivalent.[81] The commandments underpin Christian ethics in catechisms worldwide, such as the Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647), which expounds each for moral instruction, and the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), framing them as a "rule of thankfulness" post-redemption.[82] This enduring role counters antinomian views minimizing law, affirming instead that the moral law written on believers' hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10) aligns with the Decalogue's principles for societal order and personal piety.[83]Islam
In Islamic theology, the Ten Commandments are regarded as elements of the Tawrat (Torah) revealed by Allah to Prophet Musa (Moses) on Mount Sinai, serving as foundational moral and legal guidance for the Children of Israel, though the Quran does not enumerate them explicitly as a fixed list of ten. The Quran affirms the authenticity of this revelation in its original form, describing how Musa ascended the mountain for forty nights, during which Allah inscribed the tablets with "the fundamentals of everything; commandments and explanations of all things," instructing Musa to hold to them firmly and command his people to observe the best of them. This event underscores Musa's role as a major prophet whose message, while time-bound for his community, contains universal ethical principles reaffirmed in the Quran as the final and preserved revelation. The Quranic narrative emphasizes the tablets' content as encompassing admonition, details of all matters, and a covenant, with Musa later retrieving them after breaking them in anger upon discovering the Israelites' idolatry with the golden calf. Islamic exegesis, such as in tafsir works, interprets these as including prohibitions against polytheism, murder, and injustice, aligning with broader Sharia principles derived from the Quran and Sunnah, but superseding ritual laws like Sabbath observance, which Islam replaces with Jumu'ah (Friday congregational prayer). Unlike the Biblical formulations, the Quran scatters parallel injunctions across surahs, notably in Al-An'am (6:151-153), where Allah commands: "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you: associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and do not kill your children for fear of poverty—We will provide for you and them—and do not approach immoralities, what is apparent of them and what is concealed, and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual relations." These verses, traditionally linked to the Mosaic revelation, prohibit shirk (associating partners with God), infanticide, adultery, and unjust killing, echoing core Decalogue tenets while framing them as direct divine imperatives rather than mediated through intermediaries. Further parallels appear in Surah Al-Isra (17:22-39), a passage cited by scholars as a comprehensive ethical code recited to Musa, including commands to worship Allah alone, honor parents without excess, give relatives their due, avoid wastefulness, refrain from killing offspring, shun adultery, preserve orphan property, fulfill contracts, use just measures, and avoid pursuing desires that lead astray. These align with Biblical prohibitions on idolatry, coveting, false witness, theft, and dishonoring parents, but Islamic sources stress their monotheistic primacy—starting with tawhid (oneness of God)—and integration into a holistic system where intentions and societal welfare amplify individual duties. For instance, the Quranic ban on unlawful killing (17:33) specifies justice as the only permissible exception, such as qisas (retaliation) in cases of murder, reflecting causal accountability absent in some interpretive leniencies of Biblical "thou shalt not kill." Hadith literature reinforces these, with Prophet Muhammad stating, "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself," extending communal ethics beyond the Decalogue's scope. (Sahih al-Bukhari 13)| Biblical Commandment (Exodus 20) | Quranic Parallel | Key Reference |
|---|---|---|
| No other gods before me | Worship Allah alone; associate no partners | Quran 17:22; 6:151 |
| No graven images | Prohibit idols and false deities | Quran 17:39; 21:52-53 |
| No misuse of God's name | Implicit in oaths and truthfulness | Quran 17:36 (on certainty in claims) |
| Honor parents | Be good to parents | Quran 17:23; 6:151 |
| No murder | Do not kill souls unjustly | Quran 17:33; 6:151 |
| No adultery | Avoid immoralities | Quran 17:32; 6:151 |
| No stealing | Fulfill trusts and contracts | Quran 17:34 |
| No false witness | Speak justly; avoid slander | Quran 17:35 (implied in measures and truth) |
| No coveting neighbor's goods | Avoid pursuing base desires | Quran 20:131; 17:39 |
| No coveting neighbor's wife | Guard chastity; lower gazes | Quran 17:32; 24:30-31 |