COMMANDMENT (מִצְוָה, H5184, commandment; etc.; ἐντολή, G1953, commandment, etc.) An authoritative word or series of words from God or man expecting obedience on the part of the hearers and readers.

Of the several OT Heb. words which convey the idea of commandment are such as דָּבָר, H1821, speech, word, used for the Ten Commandments (Exod 34:28; Deut 4:13) and the law book of Joshua (24:26); חֹק, H2976, meaning something prescribed, and employed for the statute of Joshua (24:25) and the commandment for the Passover (Exod 12:24); פֶּה, H7023, meaning mouth, but then conveying the idea of commandment (of the Lord) as in Exodus 17:1 and Numbers 3:16.

Psalm 19:7-9 gives a series of interesting synonyms for commandment: תּﯴרָה, H9368, law or code of law (Exod 24:12; Josh 24:26); עֵדוּת, H6343, testimony, used for the two tables of testimony in Exod 31:18, or as God’s law (Ps 119:88); פִּקּוּדִים, H7218, precept (Ps 103:18); יִרְאָה, H3711, fear (of the Lord) meaning reverence for the law in Ps 19:9; מִשְׁפָּט, H5477, judgment, ordinance (Josh 24:25); and מִצְוָה, H5184, commandment. Mīzwâh is the most frequently used OT Heb. word for commandment, being used for the Ten Commandments (Exod 24:12), the general commands of God (20:6), etc.

Often OT references to the commandments of God refer back to the Ten Commandments and the Torah.

In the NT, although there are other words for commandment, as ἔνταλμα, G1945, (Matt 15:9), and ἐπιταγή, G2198, (Rom 16:26; 1 Tim 1:1), the main word used for the concept is ἐντολή, G1953, (as in Luke 23:56; Matt 5:19). There is emphasis, too, in the NT on the OT Ten Commandments with Jesus summarizing the meaning of them in Matthew 22:37-40 (Mark 12:29-31; Luke 10:27). They are also referred to in Romans 13:8-10 and James 2:8-11. The law of God is to be in the hearts of His people (Heb 10:16) and the believer is to exhibit them in Christian love (John 13:34, 35).

Bibliography H. G. G. Herklots, The Ten Commandments and Modern Man (1958).