The Seventh Commandment
God spoke the 10 Commandments aloud to the thousands of Israelites gathered at the base of Mount Sinai. When He finished speaking, He added “nothing more. Then He wrote them on two stone tablets” and gave them to Moses [Deuteronomy 5:22]. Why nothing more? Because those Ten Commandments are the only laws needed by mankind to develop a perfect society.
The first 4 define our relationship with God; the other 6 define our relationship with each other.
The Ten Commandments are recorded in the Book of Exodus, chapter 20, verses 2 – 17 and Deuteronomy 5:1–22.
Here is the Seventh Commandment:
14 “You shall not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18 (NIV84)
The Hebrew word nâʾaph (pronounced naw-`af) is the only Hebrew word translated as “adultery”. It appears in the Old Testament 31 times with all contexts agreeing with the translation.
According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and other such lexicons, the meaning is quite clear: “To have sexual relations with someone married to another person.” The only caveat to that definition is the analogy of worshiping another “god”, which is also called “adultery”.
As we have emphasized throughout this series on the Commandments, each is a personal Commandment or law to be obeyed individually.
We should understand these laws exactly as they are written and not add other definitions, doctrines or dogma nor should we in any fashion diminish their clear meaning.
Some of the consequences of breaking the 7th Commandment are discussed below.
What about other terms like “fornication”?
Nâʾaph is not the same act as zânâh (pronounced zaw-`naw) which is most often translated as “harlot”, “whoredom” or “whore” but which is also translated as fornication and which meaning is also quite clear: “ to have sexual relations outside of marriage, especially wantonly, randomly or as the act of someone who sells or trades sexual relations.
Zânâh would include adultery but is not exclusive to that term.
Zânâh and its Greek equivalent pŏrnĕia (from which we get the English word “pornography” is soundly and often condemned throughout the Old and New Testaments. The broad meaning of both is “sexual immorality” or “indulging unlawful lusts”.
Thus, any sexual act outside of marriage is condemned as sinful. This includes adultery, fornication, being a whore, relations with a whore, homosexuality and bestiality.
Jesus taught us to expand our understanding of this 7th Commandment:
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27–28 (NIV84)
Why, when God spoke the Ten Commandments in His own voice (after which He said “nothing more” and wrote the Commandments on stone and gave them to Moses [Deuteronomy 5:22]), did He specifically condemn nâʾaph (sexual relations with the spouse of another)?
My understanding is this: God, who created us, programmed our DNA, who knows our every thought and action, who knows our very heart, designed us to reach adulthood, to find one “help-mate” [Genesis 2:20], to leave our human father and mother and be united – to become “one flesh” [Genesis 2:24] and to be “naked, and feel no shame” [Genesis 2:25].
If you are looking for one prime cause for the deterioration of our culture today and a cause of a large proportion of our “personal” problems, it is the violation of the 7th Commandment.
Each of us, individually, should write this law on our hearts and minds and teach it to our children, family, friends and anyone else we can reach.
It’s that important!
