The Meaning of Exodus 20:11 Explained

Exodus 20:11

KJV: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

YLT: for six days hath Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and resteth in the seventh day; therefore hath Jehovah blessed the Sabbath-day, and doth sanctify it.

Darby: For in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

ASV: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For [in] six  days  the LORD  made  heaven  and earth,  the sea,  and all that in them [is], and rested  the seventh  day:  wherefore the LORD  blessed  the sabbath  day,  and hallowed  it. 

What does Exodus 20:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 20:1-17 - The "ten Words" Spoken At Sinai
The Law was given by the disposition of angels, through the medium of Moses. See John 1:17; Acts 7:53. It tells us, not what God is, for that is only shown in Jesus Christ, but what man should be. It combines in a concise form that moral code which is part of the nature of things, and is written on man's conscience. See Romans 2:5. Even the Fourth Commandment is deeply graven on our physical nature. These laws are mostly negative, but their positive side is stated in Matthew 5:1-48. For practical purposes this divine code consists of two divisions or tables; the first, of our duties toward God; the second, of those to man; but these are summed up in the one great law of love. See Mark 12:29-31; Romans 13:8-10 and Galatians 5:14. Our Lord Jesus stands surety for us at the bar of Sinai. By His righteousness imputed and imparted, by His obedience and death, by the gracious indwelling of His Spirit, He comes "not to destroy, but to fulfill." See Matthew 5:17; Romans 8:4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 20

1  The ten commandments are spoken by Jehovah
18  The people are afraid, but Moses comforts them
21  Idolatry is forbidden
23  Of what sort the altar should be

What do the individual words in Exodus 20:11 mean?

for [in] six days made Yahweh - the heavens and the earth the sea all that [is] in them and rested the day seventh - Therefore blessed the day Sabbath and consecrated it -
כִּ֣י שֵֽׁשֶׁת־ יָמִים֩ עָשָׂ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־ הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־ הָאָ֗רֶץ הַיָּם֙ כָּל־ אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֔ם וַיָּ֖נַח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י עַל־ כֵּ֗ן בֵּרַ֧ךְ אֶת־ י֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ ס

שֵֽׁשֶׁת־  [in]  six 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁשׁ  
Sense: six.
יָמִים֩  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
עָשָׂ֨ה  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם  the  heavens 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
הָאָ֗רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הַיָּם֙  the  sea 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
אֲשֶׁר־  that  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בָּ֔ם  in  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
וַיָּ֖נַח  and  rested 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נוּחַ 
Sense: to rest.
בַּיּ֣וֹם  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י  seventh 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal masculine singular
Root: שְׁבִיעִי  
Sense: seventh.
עַל־  - 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בֵּרַ֧ךְ  blessed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
י֥וֹם  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת  Sabbath 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ  and  consecrated  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation