Most famously, the Old Testament contains the Ten Commandments, given in Exodus 20. In Jewish tradition, however, the Law of Moses is counted as containing 613 commandments in total.
Two common counts
When people ask how many commandments are in the Old Testament, they are often thinking of the best-known set: the Ten Commandments. These are presented in the Old Testament in two places: Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.
Alongside that well-known summary, Jewish tradition counts a much larger total for the Law of Moses: 613 commandments (mitzvot) across the five books of the Law. This traditional count includes the Ten Commandments and many additional laws.
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments are the most famous commandments in the Old Testament. They are given in Exodus 20 (and repeated in Deuteronomy 5), and they function as a central statement of God’s commands to Israel.
“And God spake all these words, saying,” (Exodus 20)
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Exodus 20 is the passage that introduces and presents the Ten Commandments. Because they are concise and widely taught, many Christians and Jews refer to them as the commandments, even though the Old Testament contains many other commands as well.
The 613 commandments
Jewish tradition has long counted 613 commandments (mitzvot) within the Law of Moses, meaning the commandments found across the five books of the Law. Under this way of counting, the Ten Commandments are included within a larger body of instruction.
These 613 commandments include many other laws for worship, justice, and daily life. In other words, the Ten Commandments are not presented as the only commands in the Law; they are part of a wider set of requirements and instructions that address more than one area of life.
How people mean it
Because “commandments” can be used in more than one way, the answer depends on what someone is asking:
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If someone means the most famous commandments, they are referring to the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20; also Deuteronomy 5).
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If someone means the total number of commandments in the Law of Moses as counted in Jewish tradition, the answer is 613 commandments across the five books of the Law.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are there only ten commandments in the Old Testament?
The Ten Commandments are the best known, but Jewish tradition counts 613 commandments (mitzvot) across the five books of the Law, which includes the Ten Commandments along with many other laws.
Where are the Ten Commandments found?
The Ten Commandments are given in Exodus 20 and are also presented in Deuteronomy 5.
What does Exodus 20 contain?
Exodus 20 contains the giving of the Ten Commandments.
What are the 613 commandments about?
According to Jewish tradition, the 613 commandments include the Ten Commandments as well as many other laws for worship, justice, and daily life.
Why do people give different numbers for “the commandments”?
People often mean different things by the question. Some mean the famous Ten Commandments from Exodus 20 (and Deuteronomy 5), while Jewish tradition uses a broader count of 613 commandments across the five books of the Law.