commandments

Commandments is a term used to describe formal rules or directives that govern behavior, often of a religious or moral nature. The phrase is most closely associated with sets of laws attributed to a deity, and it is also used more broadly to refer to important ethical guidelines in various traditions. The word “commandment” derives from Latin mandatum, meaning order or charge, and in religious use denotes a binding rule.

The most widely known example is the Ten Commandments, or the Decalogue, found in the biblical books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. In Judaism and Christianity, they are regarded as foundational moral and spiritual precepts revealed by God to the prophet Moses on Mount Sinai. Traditionally they are described as two groups: duties to God (for example, no other gods, no idols, not taking the Lord’s name in vain, and keeping the Sabbath) and duties to others (honor your father and mother, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet). The wording and enumeration of these commandments vary among religious traditions.

Beyond the Ten Commandments, Rabbinic Judaism maintains a larger corpus of 613 commandments (mitzvot) that expand on ritual, civil, and ethical law. In Catholic and some Protestant traditions, the same commandments appear with slight differences in order and emphasis. In Islam and other faiths, similar moral injunctions exist but are framed within distinct theological and legal systems. In secular contexts, “commandments” sometimes describe broad moral norms or codes of conduct that are not tied to divine revelation.