The Decalogue: Bill of Rights for the Other Guy

Whereas some argue that the Decalogue seeks to protect the power and privileges of wealthy male Israelites, it actually does the opposite, intentionally reining in potential abuse of power by male heads of households. In so doing this document functions as an Israelite version of a bill of rights. However, unlike modern bills of rights, the document does not protect one's own rights but the rights of the next person. Each of the terms may be recast as a statement of another person's rights and the adult males' responsibility to guard the rights first of the covenant Lord, and second of fellow Israelites.

--Daniel I. Block, Deuteronomy (NIV Application Commentary; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 161.