Exodus 20:12
“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Among the Ten Commandments, this is the first directed toward human relationships and the first to carry a promise.
What Does Exodus 20:12 Mean?
This verse means that God commands His people to give weighty respect and care to their parents, and He attaches a promise of blessing to it. As the first commandment to come with an explicit promise, it forms a bridge between honoring God and honoring people. To "honour" parents is to treat them as weighty and worthy of respect -- to value them, listen to them, and care for them through every season of life.
The promise -- "that thy days may be long upon the land" -- ties the well-being of the whole community to the strength of its families. A society that honors the generations before it tends to endure; one that despises them frays. This command reaches far beyond a child's obedience; it speaks to grown children who must care for aging parents and to the lasting respect that binds families together. By placing this command among the first that govern human relationships, God shows that learning to honor at home shapes how we honor everyone else. Where parents are honored, life and stability tend to follow.
In the Original Language
The word "honour" is the Hebrew kabed, from a root meaning to be heavy or weighty, hence to give weight and respect.
Cross References
“Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise.”
- Ephesians 6:2
“Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”
- Proverbs 23:22
“Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee.”
- Deuteronomy 5:16
Application
Show your parents genuine respect and care in every season of life, treating them as worthy of honor.