How does the biblical account of the Ten Commandments describe the source of moral law?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ethics Detail of the stela inscribed with the Code of Hammurabi showing the king before the god Shamash, bas-relief from Susa, 18th century bce; in the Louvre, Paris.

In the biblical account, the Ten Commandments (the Decalogue) describe the source of moral law as Yahweh, the sovereign God of the Israelites. Rather than originating from political bureaucracy or human social structures, these ethical norms are presented as the essence of divine command.1

The authority of this moral law is rooted in a covenantal relationship. Yahweh is identified as the covenant giver who initiated the relationship through a voluntary act of grace: the Exodus, or the deliverance of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. This historical act serves as the foundation for the community's obligations. By accepting these commandments, the community enters into a relationship with God, while rejecting them entails a state of hostility toward the divine.1

Ultimately, the Decalogue establishes that the well-being of a community relies on adherence to these divine ethical standards rather than on socially organized force or the deification of political power.1