Deuteronomy 5:17 is a short command: people are not to take the life of another human being. Moses delivers it to Israel as one of the Ten Commandments, spoken as a direct word from the LORD to a people who have just been brought out of slavery in Egypt.
“You shall not murder.
Deuteronomy 5:17 (WEB)
What Deuteronomy 5:17 Means
The Hebrew verb behind “murder” refers to the unlawful, deliberate killing of a person. It is not a general word for every death. Scripture elsewhere makes room for capital justice, for war, and for accidental killing, so the commandment is best read as a prohibition on the wrongful taking of life that stems from hatred, greed, or revenge.
The command is also stated in the second person and addressed to each listener personally: “you shall not.” Every individual within the covenant community is responsible for the lives of others around them. The verse does not spell out every case or every penalty; it draws a firm line and trusts the people to honor the God who gave it.
The Context of Deuteronomy 5:17
Deuteronomy is Moses’ address to the generation about to enter the promised land, recorded as a series of speeches that retell and apply the law given at Sinai. The Ten Commandments appear twice in the Torah, here in chapter 5 and earlier in Exodus 20, and the two lists differ slightly in wording and in the reasons attached to them. Here the Sabbath command is grounded in Israel’s rescue from Egypt, and the verses that follow it reflect the same theme of a people shaped by a God who acted on their behalf.
The verses around 5:17 show that the commandments are a unit. The rest, sabbath rest for servants and animals, honor for parents, and the protections for marriage, property, and truthful speech, all describe a community where life, household, and trust are guarded. Read alongside those neighbors, the prohibition on murder is part of a whole way of living under God, not an isolated rule about violence.
Key Phrases in Deuteronomy 5:17
Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.
(WEB)
This verse grounds the worth of human life in the image of God, showing why the taking of a person’s life is so grave. It explains the reason behind the commandment in Deuteronomy by reaching back to creation itself.
Matthew 5:21-22
21 “You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’ and ‘Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in danger of the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.
(WEB)
Jesus expands the command from outward action to the inner attitudes of anger and contempt. Reading this passage beside Deuteronomy 5:17 helps you see how the law reaches into the heart as well as the hands.
A Short Prayer From Deuteronomy 5:17
Lord, you are the giver of life, and you have made every person in your image. Forgive me for the anger I have nursed and the harsh words I have chosen when I should have chosen mercy. Guard my heart from hatred, and help me to protect the lives and dignity of the people around me, especially those who are hardest to love. Give me patience in tense moments and the courage to seek peace where I have been tempted to strike back. Shape me into someone who honors you by honoring every person you have made. Amen.
