At Sinai God spoke the "ten words" or "ten commandments" directly to the Israelites (Exod 20:1; 34:28). The numbering is not specified in Exodus 20 (or Deut 5, where they are repeated), and there are three different traditional numberings---one Jewish and two Christian ones.
In Jewish tradition the first "word" is in verse 2: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."
This preamble to the commandments is important. It reminds us that the commandments are given in a context of grace to a people that has already been rescued. They are loving instruction for a redeemed community, not a means of earning salvation.
Verse 2 also states why the Israelites have an obligation to heed this instruction. It comes from the one who delivered them, bringing them out of the "house of slavery." The Israelites should never romanticize their time in Egypt, as they had a tendency to do (e.g., Exod 16:3). It was a place of slavery.
The fact that the commandments were given publicly in a place outside the land of Israel is significant. These words are the basis of the Sinai covenant, and they are also important instruction for all people.
There are many wonderful books on the Decalogue, and Exodus commentaries give great discussions of their meaning and significance. One commandment whose scope is often underestimated is given in Exodus 20:7: "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain."
The word for "take", nasa, means to "bear" or "carry." The Israelites carry God's name in the sense that the are his representatives, and what they do will reflect upon his reputation in the world. They are not to misrepresent him. That's the full meaning of this commandment, going well beyond questions of the taking of oaths or use of language. This is brought out in many sources now, most notably in Carmen Imes' book Bearing God's Name.
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