We call them the Ten Commandments, but the Bible doesn’t. In Hebrew, they’re called “Aseret ha-Debarim” — The Ten Words, the ten spoken declarations.

Treaty Language

To understand why they were called the Ten Words, we need to step back into the ancient world. They were structured like the Suzerain-Vassal treaties used in the ancient Near East—especially by the Hittites. In those treaties:

1. A great king rescued a people from danger
2. He gave them a constitution—a way of life under his reign

That is what we see at Sinai.

1. “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of Egypt…” (Exodus 20:2)
2. “You shall have no other gods before me…” etc. (Exodus 20:3-)

A Different Covenant

But God’s covenant with Israel was radically different from the treaties of other kings.

• There was no human ruler—God Himself ruled directly.
• Loyalty wasn’t merely political—it was relational and moral.
• It demanded exclusive devotion to one God—unheard of in a world of many gods and divided allegiances.
• The focus was not on paying tribute—but on justice, honor, holiness, and faithfulness.

The Ten Words were a way of life that reflected the character of the God who had already delivered them.

Like the New Covenant

A rescued people, brought out of danger by a great King, given a way of life under His reign. That’s exactly what the New Covenant is:

1. Jesus has rescued us—not from Egypt, but from sin, death, and every power that enslaved us.
2. He gives us a new way to live—not written on stone tablets, but written on our hearts by His Spirit.