Deuteronomy 6:1-11

Obey God and Prosper

1 "Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where * you are going over to possess it,
2 so that you and your son and your grandson might 1fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, 2all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.
3 "O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that 3it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in 4a land flowing with milk and honey.
4 "5Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the 6LORD is one!
5 "7You shall love the LORD your God 8with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
6 "9These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
7 "10 You shall teach them diligently to your sons 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 up.
8 "11You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead *.
9 "12You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
10 "Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, 13great and splendid cities which you did not build,
11 and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and 14you eat and are satisfied,

Deuteronomy 6:1-11 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.

Cross References 14

  • 1. Exodus 20:20; Deuteronomy 10:12; Psalms 111:10; Psalms 128:1; Ecclesiastes 12:13
  • 2. Deuteronomy 4:9
  • 3. Deuteronomy 5:33
  • 4. Exodus 3:8, 17
  • 5. Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:29, 30; Luke 10:27
  • 6. Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; John 10:30; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Ephesians 4:6
  • 7. Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
  • 8. Deuteronomy 4:29; Deuteronomy 10:12
  • 9. Deuteronomy 11:18
  • 10. Deuteronomy 4:9; Deuteronomy 11:19; Ephesians 6:4
  • 11. Exodus 12:14; Exodus 13:9, 16; Deuteronomy 11:18; Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 6:21; Proverbs 7:3
  • 12. Deuteronomy 11:20
  • 13. Deuteronomy 9:1; Deuteronomy 19:1; Joshua 24:13; Psalms 105:44
  • 14. Deuteronomy 8:10; Deuteronomy 11:15; Deuteronomy 14:29

Footnotes 3

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