1 Now these are the commandments, H4687 the statutes, H2706 and the judgments, H4941 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 commanded H6680 to teach H3925 you, that ye might do H6213 them in the land H776 whither ye go H5674 to possess H3423 it:
2 That thou mightest fear H3372 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to keep H8104 all his statutes H2708 and his commandments, H4687 which I command H6680 thee, thou, and thy son, H1121 and thy son's H1121 son, H1121 all the days H3117 of thy life; H2416 and that thy days H3117 may be prolonged. H748
3 Hear H8085 therefore, O Israel, H3478 and observe H8104 to do H6213 it; that it may be well H3190 with thee, and that ye may increase H7235 mightily, H3966 as the LORD H3068 God H430 of thy fathers H1 hath promised H1696 thee, in the land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
4 Hear, H8085 O Israel: H3478 The LORD H3068 our God H430 is one H259 LORD: H3068
5 And thou shalt love H157 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 with all thine heart, H3824 and with all thy soul, H5315 and with all thy might. H3966
6 And these words, H1697 which I command H6680 thee this day, H3117 shall be in thine heart: H3824
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently H8150 unto thy children, H1121 and shalt talk H1696 of them when thou sittest H3427 in thine house, H1004 and when thou walkest H3212 by the way, H1870 and when thou liest down, H7901 and when thou risest up. H6965
8 And thou shalt bind H7194 them for a sign H226 upon thine hand, H3027 and they shall be as frontlets H2903 between thine eyes. H5869
9 And thou shalt write H3789 them upon the posts H4201 of thy house, H1004 and on thy gates. H8179
10 And it shall be, when the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall have brought H935 thee into the land H776 which he sware H7650 unto thy fathers, H1 to Abraham, H85 to Isaac, H3327 and to Jacob, H3290 to give H5414 thee great H1419 and goodly H2896 cities, H5892 which thou buildedst H1129 not,
11 And houses H1004 full H4392 of all good H2898 things, which thou filledst H4390 not, and wells H953 digged, H2672 which thou diggedst H2672 not, vineyards H3754 and olive trees, H2132 which thou plantedst H5193 not; when thou shalt have eaten H398 and be full; H7646
12 Then beware H8104 lest thou forget H7911 the LORD, H3068 which brought thee forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the house H1004 of bondage. H5650
13 Thou shalt fear H3372 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and serve H5647 him, and shalt swear H7650 by his name. H8034
14 Ye shall not go H3212 after H310 other H312 gods, H430 of the gods H430 of the people H5971 which are round about H5439 you;
15 (For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 is a jealous H7067 God H410 among H7130 you) lest the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 thy God H430 be kindled H2734 against thee, and destroy H8045 thee from off the face H6440 of the earth. H127
16 Ye shall not tempt H5254 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 as ye tempted H5254 him in Massah. H4532
17 Ye shall diligently H8104 keep H8104 the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 your God, H430 and his testimonies, H5713 and his statutes, H2706 which he hath commanded H6680 thee.
18 And thou shalt do H6213 that which is right H3477 and good H2896 in the sight H5869 of the LORD: H3068 that it may be well H3190 with thee, and that thou mayest go in H935 and possess H3423 the good H2896 land H776 which the LORD H3068 sware H7650 unto thy fathers, H1
19 To cast out H1920 all thine enemies H341 from before H6440 thee, as the LORD H3068 hath spoken. H1696
20 And when thy son H1121 asketh H7592 thee in time to come, H4279 saying, H559 What mean the testimonies, H5713 and the statutes, H2706 and the judgments, H4941 which the LORD H3068 our God H430 hath commanded H6680 you?
21 Then thou shalt say H559 unto thy son, H1121 We were Pharaoh's H6547 bondmen H5650 in Egypt; H4714 and the LORD H3068 brought us out H3318 of Egypt H4714 with a mighty H2389 hand: H3027
22 And the LORD H3068 shewed H5414 signs H226 and wonders, H4159 great H1419 and sore, H7451 upon Egypt, H4714 upon Pharaoh, H6547 and upon all his household, H1004 before our eyes: H5869
23 And he brought us out H3318 from thence, that he might bring us in, H935 to give H5414 us the land H776 which he sware H7650 unto our fathers. H1
24 And the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 us to do H6213 all these statutes, H2706 to fear H3372 the LORD H3068 our God, H430 for our good H2896 always, H3117 that he might preserve us alive, H2421 as it is at this day. H3117
25 And it shall be our righteousness, H6666 if we observe H8104 to do H6213 all these H2063 commandments H4687 before H6440 the LORD H3068 our God, H430 as he hath commanded H6680 us.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 6
Commentary on Deuteronomy 6 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 6
De 6:1-25. Moses Exhorts Israel to Hear God and to Keep His Commandments.
1-9. Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them … whither ye go to possess it—The grand design of all the institutions prescribed to Israel was to form a religious people, whose national character should be distinguished by that fear of the Lord their God which would ensure their divine observance of His worship and their steadfast obedience to His will. The basis of their religion was an acknowledgment of the unity of God with the understanding and the love of God in the heart (De 6:4, 5). Compared with the religious creed of all their contemporaries, how sound in principle, how elevated in character, how unlimited in the extent of its moral influence on the heart and habits of the people! Indeed, it is precisely the same basis on which rests the purer and more spiritual form of it which Christianity exhibits (Mt 22:37; Mr 12:30; Lu 10:27). Moreover, to help in keeping a sense of religion in their minds, it was commanded that its great principles should be carried about with them wherever they went, as well as meet their eyes every time they entered their homes. A further provision was made for the earnest inculcation of them on the minds of the young by a system of parental training, which was designed to associate religion with all the most familiar and oft-recurring scenes of domestic life. It is probable that Moses used the phraseology in De 6:7 merely in a figurative way, to signify assiduous, earnest, and frequent instruction; and perhaps he meant the metaphorical language in De 6:8 to be taken in the same sense also. But as the Israelites interpreted it literally, many writers suppose that a reference was made to a superstitious custom borrowed from the Egyptians, who wore jewels and ornamental trinkets on the forehead and arm, inscribed with certain words and sentences, as amulets to protect them from danger. These, it has been conjectured, Moses intended to supersede by substituting sentences of the law; and so the Hebrews understood him, for they have always considered the wearing of the Tephilim, or frontlets, a permanent obligation. The form was as follows: Four pieces of parchment, inscribed, the first with Ex 13:2-10; the second with Ex 13:11-16; the third with De 6:1-8; and the fourth with De 11:18-21, were enclosed in a square case or box of tough skin, on the side of which was placed the Hebrew letter (shin), and bound round the forehead with a thong or ribbon. When designed for the arms, those four texts were written on one slip of parchment, which, as well as the ink, was carefully prepared for the purpose. With regard to the other usage supposed to be alluded to, the ancient Egyptians had the lintels and imposts of their doors and gates inscribed with sentences indicative of a favorable omen [Wilkinson]; and this is still the case, for in Egypt and other Mohammedan countries, the front doors of houses (in Cairo, for instance) are painted red, white, and green, bearing conspicuously inscribed upon them such sentences from the Koran, as "God is the Creator," "God is one, and Mohammed is his prophet." Moses designed to turn this ancient and favorite custom to a better account and ordered that, instead of the former superstitious inscriptions, there should be written the words of God, persuading and enjoining the people to hold the laws in perpetual remembrance.
20-25. when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying—The directions given for the instruction of their children form only an extension of the preceding counsels.