Exodus 20:13 (WEB)

Passage

“You shall not murder.

Nearby Context

Exodus 20:11 for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.

Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.

Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.

Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "shall" and "murder". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "shall" and "murder", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "Honor your father and your mother that..." into verse 14's "You shall not commit adultery...", so "shall" and "murder" belong inside that flow. In Exodus context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "shall" and "murder" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.