The Old Testament views leadership in general as a privilege granted to an individual in order to serve the interests of those who are led. This view of leadership is reflected in particular in Deuteronomy's version of the Decalogue. This article offers a comparison of Deuteronomy 5's versions of the Decalogue with Exodus 20.

It became fashionable in the early 1980s to study Old Testament theology from a political and sociological point of view. The author critically confronts such an approach and reflects on the task of Old Testament Theology.