Ten Commandments Before Sinai
1st & 2nd: No Other Gods / Idolatry: Jacob commanded his household to "put away the foreign gods" [
Genesis 35:2-4], and he understood that stealing household idols was a sin [
Genesis 31:30-35].
3rd: Taking God’s Name in Vain: Job offered sacrifices for his children, fearing they might have "cursed God in their hearts" [
Job 1:5].
4th: The Sabbath: Instituted at creation when God "blessed the seventh day and sanctified it" [
Genesis 2:1-3]. Later, before reaching Sinai, God tested Israel's obedience to the Sabbath through the gathering of manna [
Exodus 16:4, 23-30].
5th: Honoring Parents: Explicitly mentioned as a reason for God’s blessing on Abraham's descendants [
Genesis 26:34-35] and reflected in the respect shown by Jacob to his parents [
Genesis 28:6-7].
6th: Prohibition of Murder: God held Cain accountable for killing Abel, labeling it a sin [
Genesis 4:8-15]. After the Flood, God established a formal decree: "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed" [
Genesis 9:5-6].
7th: Prohibition of Adultery: Joseph refused Potiphar’s wife, calling the act a "great evil and sin against God" [
Genesis 39:7-9]. Pharaoh and Abimelech were also warned by God regarding taking another man's wife [
Genesis 12:17-20, 20:3-9].
8th: Prohibition of Stealing: Jacob and Laban recognized theft as a punishable offense [
Genesis 30:33, 31:32], and Joseph’s brothers understood the gravity of being accused of stealing a silver cup [
Genesis 44:8-9].
9th: Prohibition of Lying: Cain was punished for his dishonest response to God [
Genesis 4:9-12], and various "adultery narratives" involve rebukes for lying about marital status [
Genesis 12:10-20, 20:1-5].
10th: Prohibition of Coveting: The fall of humanity began with Eve "coveting" the forbidden fruit [
Genesis 3:6].
Other Divine Laws & Statutes
Clean and Unclean Animals: Noah was commanded to take seven pairs of "clean" animals and only two of "unclean" animals into the Ark [
Genesis 7:2].
Dietary Restrictions (Blood): God forbade Noah and his descendants from eating meat with its life-blood still in it [
Genesis 9:4].
Tithing: Abraham gave a tenth of his spoils to Melchizedek [
Genesis 14:20], and Jacob vowed to give God a tenth of everything he received [
Genesis 28:22].
Circumcision: Established as a covenant sign for Abraham and his descendants [
Genesis 17:10-14].
Sacrificial System: Cain and Abel offered sacrifices [
Genesis 4:3-5], and the patriarchs regularly built altars to offer burnt offerings to God [
Genesis 8:20, 12:7, 26:25].
Abraham's Legacy: Scripture explicitly summarizes this era of pre-Sinai law in
Genesis 26:5, where God states that Abraham "obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws".
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