The Ten Commandments (a.k.a. Decalog) are a listing of some of the most important behavioral rules in the Hebrew Scriptures (a.k.a. Old Testament).
 | Within Judaism, they have historically been accepted as a summary of the most important ten rules of behavior which God expects all Jews to follow. The Torah records that God gave the Decalogue to Moses on Mount Sinai, inscribed on stone tablets, and intended for the guidance of the ancient Hebrews. They form a small but vital part of the total of 623 laws in the Hebrew Scriptures. |
| Within Christianity, the Decalogue has traditionally been regarded as the foundational laws that all Christians are to conform to. Most Christians continue to hold them in high regard, even though they have rejected most of the other laws in the Mosaic Code as no longer applicable or binding. |
| Within Islam, the religion's holy book -- the Qur'an -- appears to refer to the Decalogue and to urge that they be followed; however it does not contain the actual text: |
007.145 "And We ordained laws for him in the tablets in all matters, both commanding and explaining all things, (and said): 'Take and hold these with firmness, and enjoin thy people to hold fast by the best in the precepts'..."
The term "Decalogue" or "Decalog" is derived from the Middle English "decaloge" which comes from the Latin "decalogus," which in turn originates from the Greek "dekalogus." "Deka" in Greek means "ten".
The Ten Commandments are a brief summary of certain basic rules of behavior.
