Exodus 20:12 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

The word honour doth not only note the reverence, love, and obedience we owe them, but also support and maintenance, as appears from Matthew 15:4-6, and from the like signification of that word, 1 Timothy 5:3,17, which is so natural and necessary a duty, that the Jews say a man is bound even to beg, or to work with his hands, that he may relieve his parents. The father is put first here, and the mother Leviticus 19:3, to show that we owe this duty promiscuously and indifferently to both of them. Compare Exodus 21:15,17 Deu 21:18 27:16 Proverbs 20:20, Proverbs 30:17. And because these laws are brief, and yet comprehensive, under these are contained all our superiors and governors. That thy days may be long, Heb. that they, i.e. thy parents, may prolong thy days, or the days of thy life, to wit, instrumentally, by their prayers made to God for thee, and by their blessing in my name conferred upon thee; though the active verb is commonly taken impersonally, as Job 7:3 Proverbs 9:11 Luke 12:10; and so it may be here, they prolong, for be prolonged.