ARE WE TO REMEMBER OR OBSERVE THE SABBATH? (EXODUS 20:8; DEUTERONOMY 5:12)

 

Are we to remember or to observe the Sabbath? (Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12)

The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, appears in two slightly different forms within the Old Testament, and that is especially true of one particular commandment.

As Durham puts it: “The fourth commandment is the longest in the Decalogue, because it is the most expanded of all the commandments. No other commandment has received as much reapplication and as many defining and justifying clauses as this one.”

And Childs says, “In the history of the critical study of the Decalogue over the last hundred years certainly more attention has been devoted to this commandment than most of the others.”

The Anchor Bible translation is typical in demonstrating the differences found in just the opening words of each:

    Exodus 20:8 – “Remember (zkr) the Sabbath day and keep it holy.”

    Deuteronomy 5:12 – “Observe (smr) the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as YHWH your God has commanded you.”

The respective opening verbs in other English versions of these parallel passages include the following variations:

    remember, keep – KJV, RSV, NIV, NEB

    remember, observe – JB, NRSV

    observe, observe – TEV

    observe, keep – Living Bible

    observe, “no working on” – The Message

As you can see, the two Hebrew words are used practically interchangeably with one another in these renderings. And this understanding is found in most of the commentaries on these passages, as seen below:

Meyes on Deuteronomy 5 says, “Observe: Exod. 20:8 has 'remember'. The latter is probably original, and the change should be seen along with the verb 'aseh [keep] at the end of the commandment (v. 15, 'to keep'; this does not appear in the Exodus version), for the two verbs together form a fixed idiomatic expression in Deuteronomy in the context of the proclamation of the law; cf. 5:23; 6:3, 17f., 25, etc...”

Durham states that the Hebrew word in Exodus “means 'remember,' as always in contexts of covenantal obligation, in the sense of 'observe without lapse' or 'hold as a present and continuing priority.' SamPent [the Samaritan Penteteuch] reads 'aseh 'keep,' as does the parallel version of the commandment in Deut 5:12.” He cites scholars who argue as to which verb is the original but concludes with the words: “Noth and Andreasen argue that both verbs, in this usage, come to mean about the same thing.”

“The positive formulation of the commandment [in Deuteronomy] has some small differences which distinguish it from the form of the commandment in Exod. 20:8-11, and which are further evidence of its horatory [i.e. aiming to exhort] style in which the commandment is presented in Deuteronomy. The The Hebrew word used in v. 12 is shamor, 'take care'; in Exod. 20:8; it is rather zakor, 'remember' or 'remembering in.'” (Craigie)

Cousins says, “The slight differences in vv. 12-14 [of Deuteronomy 5] between this and the form in Exodus are not important.”

“The first version of the Ten Commandments, in the fourth commandment, grounds this rest in God's own creation Sabbath (Exod. 20:8-11)...The second version of the fourth commandment (Deut 5:12-15), however, grounds Sabbath observance in a different motive – namely, the Israelite remembers his experience of slavery and deliverance...Theologians will describe the difference by saying that Exodus 20:11 appeals to creation, while Deuteronomy 5:15 appeals to redemption. It would be a mistake to contrast these, however...Exodus itself brings the two together (31:12-17).” (C.J. Collins)

Weinfeld: “In the Exodus version the verb for observing is zkr: 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.' In fact, there is no significant difference between the two, for both verbs, zkr and smr, connote 'keep' as well as 'remember.' Thus we find in Gen 37:11 that Jacob 'kept (smr) the matter' (i.e., Joseph's dream), which means remembered it or kept it in mind.' smr and zkr parallel each other in Ps 103:18.” He also cites Esther 9:28 as another example.

H.R. Jones sees a possible added significance to the use of “remember” in Exodus 20 when he states that “this is no new command. It goes back to Gen. 2:103 This could have been forgotten by the Israelites while in Egypt, and there are no references to it in patriarchal times.”

Lastly, we have some comments on the basic meanings of smr and zkr from linguistic experts:

smr – “Among the most frequent uses of the vb. is the admonition to be careful and diligent in respect to religious and spiritual responsibilities.” (Schoville)

zkr – “The root and its derivatives have crucial roles in the OT. On the human level, the words embrace reflection, especially on what is in the past. Such reflection may lead to regret or relief, or more actively appreciation and commitment. God's remembering has to do with his attention and intervention, whether in grace or in judgment. Religious worship is the context where human and divine usage come together, in the fellowship of praise and blessing...Rather than denoting simply a mental process, remembering frequently induces present action...The Israelites' historical experience of being slaves in Egypt is urged as a reason to include their slaves in the Sabbath rest and in the Feast of Weeks (Deut 5:15; 16:12)...To remember the Sabbath day (Exod 20:8; cf. 'observe,' Deut 5:12) is to observe it by abstaining from work.” (Allen)