Mandamientos

Mandamiento, in its most general sense, is a command or instruction that enforces a duty or prohibition. The term comes from Latin mandāmentum, from mandare “to command.” In religious contexts, mandamientos designate authoritative rules believed to come from a divine source and binding on adherents.

The best known set is the Diez Mandamientos (Ten Commandments), central to Judaism and Christianity. They are presented in the Hebrew Bible in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy and are traditionally interpreted as a two-part code: duties toward God and duties toward other people. Variations exist in wording, emphasis, and numbering among Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant traditions, but all identify prohibitions against other gods and idolatry, misuse of God’s name, neglect of the Sabbath, and laws against murder, theft, adultery, false witness, and coveting. In Catholic tradition, the commandments are complemented by further precepts of the Church, while Protestant traditions may reorder or group some of the statements differently.

Beyond the biblical corpus, mandamientos can refer to any formal commands, edicts, or moral imperatives in religious or secular contexts. In Islam, similar prohibitions and ethical guidelines exist within the Qur’an and Hadith, though they are not organized as a single “Decalogue” with the same numbering. In broader use, the term can denote official rules within institutions, communities, or organizations, reflecting a normative framework for conduct.

In summary, mandamientos denote authoritative commands that define moral or legal duties, with the Diez Mandamientos acting as a foundational example in Judeo-Christian traditions.