Deuteronomy 6:7-17

7 "1 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 "2You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead *.
9 "3You 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, 4great 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 5you eat and are satisfied,
12 then watch yourself, that 6you do not forget the LORD who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
13 "7You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and 8swear by His name.
14 "9You shall not follow * other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,
15 for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a 10jealous God; otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off * the face of the earth.
16 "11You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, 12as you tested Him at Massah.
17 "13You should diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you.

Deuteronomy 6:7-17 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 13

  • 1. Deuteronomy 4:9; Deuteronomy 11:19; Ephesians 6:4
  • 2. Exodus 12:14; Exodus 13:9, 16; Deuteronomy 11:18; Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 6:21; Proverbs 7:3
  • 3. Deuteronomy 11:20
  • 4. Deuteronomy 9:1; Deuteronomy 19:1; Joshua 24:13; Psalms 105:44
  • 5. Deuteronomy 8:10; Deuteronomy 11:15; Deuteronomy 14:29
  • 6. Deuteronomy 4:9
  • 7. Deuteronomy 13:4; Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8
  • 8. Deuteronomy 5:11; Deuteronomy 10:20; Psalms 63:11; Matthew 5:33
  • 9. Jeremiah 25:6
  • 10. Deuteronomy 4:24; Deuteronomy 5:9
  • 11. Matthew 4:7; Luke 4:12
  • 12. Exodus 17:7
  • 13. Deuteronomy 11:22; Psalms 119:4

Footnotes 6

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