Law (Torah) — Meaning in the Bible

God's instruction. "The law" can mean the commands given through Moses, the first five books of the Bible, or God's instruction more broadly.

Scripture in WEBWorld English Bible — Protestant Edition

What it means

God gave Israel the Ten Commandments and other laws at Sinai. The Hebrew word torah means instruction or teaching, and the psalms delight in it. Exodus 20:1–17 Deuteronomy 4:44 Psalm 1:2 Psalm 119:97

Jesus said he came not to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfil them. Paul writes that no one is justified by works of the law, and that love fulfils the law. Matthew 5:17–18 Galatians 2:16 Romans 13:8–10

Key passages

Exodus 20:1–17 — The Ten Commandments.
Deuteronomy 6:1–9 — Teaching the commands to your children.
Psalm 1:1–3 — Delighting in the law.
Psalm 119:97–105 — "Oh how I love your law!"
Matthew 5:17–20 — Fulfilling the law.
Romans 13:8–10 — Love fulfils the law.

Different senses

Commands: The specific commands God gave. Exodus 20:1–17
The books of Moses: Genesis to Deuteronomy, as in "the law and the prophets". Luke 24:44
Instruction: God's teaching generally. Psalm 1:2

Original language

תּוֹרָה to.rah

Hebrew · Strong’s H8451 · gloss: “instruction”

The Hebrew word torah, "instruction" or "law". Psalm 1:2

A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

For children

The law is God's teaching about how to live. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Exodus 20:1–17

The Ten Commandments

Study further

Exodus 19–20 The law given.
Psalm 119:1–16 Loving God's word.
Matthew 5:17–48 Jesus and the law.