But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

DEUTERONOMY 5:14KJV
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Deuteronomy 5:14 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 5:14 mean?

Deuteronomy 5:14 commands that the seventh day is to be a Sabbath, a day of rest dedicated to the LORD God, when no one in the household or community—including children, servants, animals, and foreigners living among them—is to do any work. This verse emphasizes that rest is not just for the head of the household, but for everyone and everything under their care.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land, repeating the Ten Commandments God gave them at Sinai. The instruction here is practical and inclusive, making it clear that the Sabbath is a universal rest day, not just for Israelites but also for servants, animals, and even foreigners living within their gates. The verse highlights fairness and compassion by ensuring that rest is shared equally.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 5:14

  • "Sabbath" (שַּׁבָּת, shabbat): This word means "rest" or "ceasing." The command is not just about stopping work but about setting aside the day for a special purpose connected to God.
  • "Work" (מְלָאכָה, melakhah): This word refers to labor or occupation, not just heavy labor but any kind of work, making the command broad and comprehensive.
  • "Stranger" (גֵּר, ger): This term means a foreigner or resident alien. Including the "ger" shows that the Sabbath rest was meant to extend beyond ethnic Israelites, reflecting an ethic of hospitality and equality.
  • "Rest" (נוּחַ, nuach): This verb means to rest or settle down. The verse uses it to stress that servants should experience the same refreshment as those they serve.

Why Deuteronomy 5:14 matters

  • Deuteronomy 5:14 makes clear that Sabbath rest is not a privilege for a select few but a right for everyone, including the most vulnerable and even animals, highlighting the value of dignity and compassion in the community.
  • The verse connects the Sabbath to God's authority ("of the LORD thy God"), showing that this rest is not just a social custom but a command rooted in the relationship between God and His people.
  • By repeating and expanding on the Sabbath command from Exodus, Deuteronomy 5:14 emphasizes the importance of remembering and practicing justice, mercy, and equality as part of Israel's identity.

Where else these words appear

“maidservant” Hebrew H519 · used in 49 verses

  • Genesis 20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
  • Leviticus 25:44 Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.
  • 1 Samuel 25:41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.

“rest” Hebrew H5117 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 8:4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
  • 2 Samuel 21:10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
  • Isaiah 7:19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes.

“ox” Hebrew H7794 · used in 69 verses

  • Genesis 32:5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.
  • Leviticus 17:3 What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,
  • Judges 6:25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:

“stranger” Hebrew H1616 · used in 83 verses

  • Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
  • Leviticus 25:35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
  • Deuteronomy 27:19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.