The Meaning of Exodus 20:8 Explained

Exodus 20:8

KJV: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

YLT: 'Remember the Sabbath-day to sanctify it;

Darby: Remember the sabbath day to hallow it.

ASV: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Remember  the sabbath  day,  to keep it holy. 

What does Exodus 20:8 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 20:8 mean?

Remember the day Sabbath to keep it holy
זָכ֛וֹר֩ אֶת־ י֥֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖֜ת לְקַדְּשֽׁ֗וֹ‪‬

זָכ֛וֹר֩  Remember 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
י֥֨וֹם  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשַּׁבָּ֖֜ת  Sabbath 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
לְקַדְּשֽׁ֗וֹ‪‬  to  keep  it  holy 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.