Deuteronomy 6:6-16

Listen to Deuteronomy 6:6-16
6 And 1these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
7 2You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
8 3You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 4You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
10 “And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities 5that you did not build,
11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full,
12 6then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
13 It is 7the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and 8by his name you shall swear.
14 You shall not 9go after other gods, 10the gods of the peoples who are around you—
15 for 11the Lord your God in your midst 12is a jealous God— 13lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
16 14“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, 15as you tested him at Massah.

Deuteronomy 6:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 6

In this chapter Moses proceeds on in his exhortations to the people of Israel, to attend to the commandments of God, that it might be well with them, De 6:1-3, and begins with a principal and fundamental article of religion, which deserved their first and chief regard, the unity of God, and the love of him, De 6:4,5, which they were carefully to instinct their children in, and ever to be mindful of themselves, De 6:6-9, and when they were come into the land of Canaan, and into a plentiful enjoyment of all good things in it, they are exhorted to be careful not to forget the Lord, their kind benefactor; but to fear him, serve him, and not go after other gods, since he is jealous of his honour and worship, De 6:10-15 and not to tempt him, as they had done, but diligently keep, his commandments, that it might be well with them in that land, De 6:16-19, and when their children inquired the reason and meaning of such testimonies, statutes, and judgments, that were enjoined them, they were to give them the history of their case in Egypt, their deliverance from thence, the wonders that were wrought for them, and the introduction of them into the good land of Canaan; and to let them know that these commands were some of them in commemoration of these blessings; and by these they were laid under obligation to regard them all, and the rather, since they were not only for the glory of God, but for their own good, De 6:20-25.

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Cross References 15

  • 1. 6:6 ch. 11:18; 32:46; Ps. 37:31; Isa. 51:7; Jer. 31:33
  • 2. 6:7 See ch. 4:9
  • 3. 6:8 ch. 11:18; Prov. 3:3; 6:21; 7:3; See Ex. 13:9
  • 4. 6:9 ch. 11:20; [Isa. 57:8]
  • 5. 6:10 Josh. 24:13; [Josh. 11:13; Neh. 9:25; Ps. 105:44]
  • 6. 6:12 [Prov. 30:8, 9]
  • 7. 6:13 Cited Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8
  • 8. 6:13 ch. 10:20; Josh. 2:12; Ps. 63:11; Isa. 45:23; 65:16; Jer. 12:16
  • 9. 6:14 ch. 8:19; 11:16, 28; 13:2, 3; 28:14; Jer. 25:6
  • 10. 6:14 ch. 13:7
  • 11. 6:15 ch. 7:21
  • 12. 6:15 See Ex. 20:5
  • 13. 6:15 ch. 7:4; 11:17
  • 14. 6:16 Cited Matt. 4:7; Luke 4:12
  • 15. 6:16 ch. 9:22; 33:8; Ps. 95:8; [1 Cor. 10:9]; See Ex. 17:2-7
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025