The song recounts a duel which occurred between John Laurens and Charles Lee.^[2] The duel took place as a result of disparaging remarks made by Lee about George Washington following Lee's dismissal from the role of Major General in the Continental Army in the wake of Lee's failure at the Battle of Monmouth.^[3] The lyrics describe the process of a duel during the era in a manner modelled after the ten commandments. When the seconds in the duel, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, make a final attempt to negotiate a resolution, Burr speaks out against the practice, whereas Hamilton insists that Lee take responsibility for his actions and references the impact of his military inexperience. The duel results in Laurens non-fatally shooting Lee in the side after Hamilton encourages him to "not throw away his shot", a motif in the show and expression of the time.^[4]

Ten Duel Commandments edit

1. Demand satisfaction. No dueling is necessary if they apologize.
2. If they do not apologize, choose someone to act as your second.
3. Have your seconds negotiate not dueling, or the location and date for the duel.
4. If a duel is settled, choose your weapons and have a doctor present.
5. Duel before dawn.
6. Write a note for your next of kin.
7. Confess your sins.
8. Once again, have your seconds attempt to negotiate peace.
9. Aim no higher than the dueler's eye.
10. Count ten paces, then fire.

The eponymous ten commandments refer to the Ten Commandments of the Abrahamic faiths, which guide followers on how to live their lives. Miranda also stated that the concept of ten commandments stemmed from the "Ten Crack Commandments", which served as a guide to illegal acts during the 1990s, as well as being a song by the Notorious B.I.G.^[5] This connection is acknowledged in the credits of the 2020 filmed version of Hamilton, which states that elements of "Ten Crack Commandments" are used with permission.

Elizabeth Logan, writing for Huffington Post, stated that the song has a key role in making the audience "comfortable with duels".^[6] This becomes important in Act 2 of the musical, where two duels occur in Weehawken, New Jersey. Thus, as per the author, the audience will be on board when "some beloved characters pick up pistols" later on in the musical.

The song receives two reprises at key junctures in the musical: during "Blow Us All Away" when Philip Hamilton and George Eacker are about to duel, and in "The World Was Wide Enough" in the lead-up to the Burr–Hamilton duel. In addition, the counting Leitmotif is heard in a modified form in various songs throughout the show, such as in the first of the "Cabinet Battle" songs, where it is orchestrated in baroque counterpoint, and in "Take a Break", where Phillip and his mother Eliza Hamilton argue over and learn about the correct notes on a piano scale and French counting.^[7]

The Young Folks had it ranked 29th among songs in Hamilton.^[8]

Huffington Post said that the song was a "club-worthy jam",^[6] and Vibe.com said that it contained a "strong percussive beat" with the men involved "exuding dominance".^[9]