◄ Deuteronomy 5:19 ►
You shall not steal.
Study Bible
You shall not
This phrase is a direct command from God, emphasizing the imperative nature of the instruction. In Hebrew, the phrase is "לֹא תִּגְנֹב" (lo tignov), which is a clear prohibition. The use of "shall not" indicates a timeless and universal principle that transcends cultural and historical contexts. It is not merely a suggestion but a divine mandate that reflects God's moral law. This command is part of the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, which were given to Moses on Mount Sinai and are foundational to Judeo-Christian ethics. The imperative form underscores the seriousness with which God views the act of stealing, highlighting the expectation of obedience from His people.

steal
The Hebrew word for "steal" is "גָּנַב" (ganav), which means to take something secretly or by stealth. This commandment addresses the respect for personal property and the rights of others. In the ancient Near Eastern context, theft was a significant offense that disrupted social harmony and trust within the community. The prohibition against stealing is not limited to physical possessions but extends to any form of dishonest gain, including deception and fraud. This commandment calls believers to a life of integrity and honesty, reflecting God's character. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of contentment and reliance on God's provision, as opposed to coveting and taking what belongs to others. The broader biblical narrative reinforces this principle, as seen in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, who emphasize love for one's neighbor and the pursuit of righteousness.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai and delivered them to the people.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who were given the Law as a covenant to live by as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.

3. Mount Sinai
The place where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, including the commandment against stealing.

4. The Promised Land
The land promised by God to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, where the Israelites were to live according to God's laws.

5. The Ten Commandments
A set of laws given by God to the Israelites, serving as a moral foundation for their society.
Teaching Points
Understanding the Commandment
The commandment "You shall not steal" is a clear directive against taking what does not belong to you. It encompasses a wide range of dishonest actions, including theft, fraud, and deceit.

Respect for Others' Property
This commandment teaches us to respect the property and rights of others. It calls for a community where trust and integrity are foundational.

Heart of Contentment
At the root of stealing is often a heart of discontentment. Cultivating contentment and gratitude for what God has provided can guard against the temptation to steal.

Restitution and Repentance
If one has stolen, the Bible encourages making restitution and seeking forgiveness. This is a step towards healing and restoring relationships.

Living Generously
Instead of taking from others, Christians are called to live generously, sharing with those in need and reflecting God's love and provision.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the commandment "You shall not steal" reflect God's character and His desire for justice and fairness in society?

2. In what ways can we be tempted to "steal" in modern contexts, beyond physically taking someone else's property?

3. How does the principle of restitution, as seen in other parts of the Bible, apply to situations where we have wronged others?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to cultivate a heart of contentment and avoid the temptation to steal?

5. How can Ephesians 4:28 guide us in transforming our lives from taking to giving, and what impact does this have on our communities?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 20:15
This verse is a parallel to Deuteronomy 5:19, as it is part of the original giving of the Ten Commandments.

Leviticus 19:11
This verse expands on the commandment by instructing not to steal, lie, or deceive one another, emphasizing honesty and integrity.

Ephesians 4:28
This New Testament verse encourages those who have stolen to steal no longer but to work and share with those in need, highlighting transformation and generosity.

Proverbs 10:2
This verse contrasts ill-gotten gains with righteousness, teaching that wealth obtained through sin is ultimately unprofitable.

Matthew 19:18
Jesus reiterates the commandment against stealing when discussing the requirements for eternal life, showing its continued relevance.
Sermons
Desiring to Live Honestly in All ThingsJames Owen.Deuteronomy 5:19
Neither Shalt Thou StealK. H. Caspari.Deuteronomy 5:19
On TheftJohn Mackenzie, D. D.Deuteronomy 5:19
Rights of PropertyJ. P. Newman.Deuteronomy 5:19
StealingG. Campbell Morgan.Deuteronomy 5:19
Stealing in BusinessG. S. Barrett, D. D.Deuteronomy 5:19
The Eighth CommandmentEdwards, JonathanDeuteronomy 5:19
The DecalogueR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 5:1-21
Reminiscences of HorebJ. Orr Deuteronomy 5:1-33
The Divine Plan for the Conduct of Our Life on EarthD. Davies Deuteronomy 5:6-21
People
Moses
Places
Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, Horeb
Topics
Property, Steal
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 5:19

     5318   fraud
     5414   money, stewardship
     5555   stealing
     8711   covenant breakers

Deuteronomy 5:6-21

     1443   revelation, OT
     7263   theocracy
     8412   decisions

Deuteronomy 5:16-20

     2333   Christ, attitude to OT

Deuteronomy 5:16-21

     8841   unfaithfulness, to people

Deuteronomy 5:17-21

     8242   ethics, personal

Deuteronomy 5:19-20

     8716   dishonesty, examples

Library
Prayer and Obedience
"An obedience discovered itself in Fletcher of Madeley, which I wish I could describe or imitate. It produced in him a ready mind to embrace every cross with alacrity and pleasure. He had a singular love for the lambs of the flock, and applied himself with the greatest diligence to their instruction, for which he had a peculiar gift. . . . All his intercourse with me was so mingled with prayer and praise, that every employment, and every meal was, as it were, perfumed therewith." -- JOHN WESLEY. …
Edward M. Bounds—The Necessity of Prayer

The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
The first important part of the Old Testament put together as a whole was the Pentateuch, or rather, the five books of Moses and Joshua. This was preceded by smaller documents, which one or more redactors embodied in it. The earliest things committed to writing were probably the ten words proceeding from Moses himself, afterwards enlarged into the ten commandments which exist at present in two recensions (Exod. xx., Deut. v.) It is true that we have the oldest form of the decalogue from the Jehovist …
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

"They have Corrupted Themselves; their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; they are a Perverse and Crooked Generation. "
Deut. xxxii. 5.--"They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation." We doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives. It might seem strange to us, that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be so rebellious and perverse, if our own experience did not teach us how free his choice is, and how long-suffering he is, and constant in his choice. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The True Manner of Keeping Holy the Lord's Day.
Now the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things--First, In resting from all servile and common business pertaining to our natural life; Secondly, In consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of those holy means which belong to our spiritual life. For the First. 1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease are, generally, all civil works, from the least to the greatest (Exod. xxxi. 12, 13, 15, &c.) More particularly-- First, From all the works of our …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Everlasting Covenant of the Spirit
"They shall be My people, and l will be their God. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me."--JER. xxxii. 38, 40. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye …
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

Jesus Fails to Attend the Third Passover.
Scribes Reproach Him for Disregarding Tradition. (Galilee, Probably Capernaum, Spring a.d. 29.) ^A Matt. XV. 1-20; ^B Mark VII. 1-23; ^D John VII. 1. ^d 1 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judæa, because the Jews sought to kill him. [John told us in his last chapter that the passover was near at hand. He here makes a general statement which shows that Jesus did not attend this passover. The reason for his absence is given at John v. 18.] ^a 1 Then there …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Angel of the Lord in the Pentateuch, and the Book of Joshua.
The New Testament distinguishes between the hidden God and the revealed God--the Son or Logos--who is connected with the former by oneness of nature, and who from everlasting, and even at the creation itself, filled up the immeasurable distance between the Creator and the creation;--who has been the Mediator in all God's relations to the world;--who at all times, and even before He became man in Christ, has been the light of [Pg 116] the world,--and to whom, specially, was committed the direction …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Mount Zion.
"For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them: for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: but ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Foundations of Good Citizenship.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.--Ex. 20:1-17. Parallel Readings. Hist. Bible I, 194-198. Prin. of Politics, Chap. II. Lowell, Essay on "Democracy." Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Honor thy father and thy mother. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou …
Charles Foster Kent—The Making of a Nation

Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf. …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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