Grade 2, Chapter 20

The Ten Commandments

In Chapter 20, you learned more about the Ten Commandments. Do you know the story of the Ten Commandments? Read to find out how God gave Moses the Ten Commandments.

In that time, God did something great for His People. Pharaoh was holding them as slaves in Egypt. The people were treated very badly. Then, God freed His People! He chose Moses as their leader. The people were so happy! They praised God! God told Moses that He would lead the people to the Promised Land. They had to travel in the desert for many years to get there. The people needed to trust in God.

But, after traveling for so long, Moses and God's People became very tired. It was difficult to keep on trusting God.

Then one day, God spoke to Moses. He told Moses to come to the top of Mount Sinai. There God gave Moses these rules for His People:

1. There is only one God. I am the Lord, your God.
   
   
2. You should respect God's name. Speak God's name with love and honor.
   
   
3. Remember the Lord's Day and keep it holy.
   
   
4. Honor your mother and your father.
   
   
5. You should not kill or hurt other people.
   
   
6. You should treat your body with respect. Treat other people with respect also.
   
   
7. You should not steal.
   
   
8. You should not lie.
   
   
9. You should not be jealous of other people.
   
   
10. You should not be jealous of other people's things.

Moses came down the mountain. The Ten Commandments were written on two stone slabs. Moses told the rules to the people.

--Based on Exodus 19:20-20:17, 24:12-25:9

Ask someone in your family to read the list of the commandments with you. Can you list all of them without looking at the paper? Give it a try! Chapter 20 tells you many ways that you can follow these Commandments. What do you do to follow God's rules?