The minds of the people, blinded and debased by slavery and heathenism, were not prepared to appreciate fully the far-reaching principles of God's ten precepts. That the obligations of the Decalogue might be more fully understood and enforced, additional precepts were given, illustrating and applying the principles of the Ten Commandments. These laws were called judgments, both because they were framed in infinite wisdom and equity and because the magistrates were to give judgment according to them. Unlike the Ten Commandments, they were delivered privately to Moses, who was to communicate them to the people.

Folket var forblindet og nedværdiget af slaveri og hedenskab og kunne ikke til fulde fatte de vidtrækkende principper i Guds ti forskrifter. For at indskærpe de ti buds bindende krav og for at gøre dem mere forståelige for folket blev der givet yderligere forskrifter, der skulle tjene til at belyse principperne i de ti bud samt vise deres anvendelse i praksis. Disse forskrifter blev kaldt lovbud. Gud havde formuleret dem i sin uendelige visdom og retfærdighed, og dommerne skulle dømme efter dem. I modsætning til de ti bud blev disse forskrifter overdraget til Moses i al stilhed. Han skulle så give dem videre til folket.