Deuteronomy 6:11-21

11 and houses full of all [sorts] of good things that you did not fill, and hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant, and {you have eaten your fill},
12 then take care for yourself, so that you [do] not forget Yahweh, who brought you out from the land of Egypt from the house of slavery.
13 "You shall fear Yahweh your God, and you shall serve him, and by his name you shall swear.
14 You shall not go after other gods from the gods of the peoples who [are] all around you,
15 for Yahweh your God [is] a jealous god in your midst, {so that the anger of Yahweh your God would be kindled}, and he would destroy you from the face of the earth.
16 You shall not put Yahweh your God to [the] test, as you tested [him] at Massah.
17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your God and his legal provisions and his rules that he has commanded you.
18 And you shall do [what is] right and good in the eyes of Yahweh, so that {it shall go well} for you and [so that] you may go and you may take possession of the good land that Yahweh swore for your ancestors,
19 by driving out all [of] your enemies {before you}, [just] as Yahweh {has promised}.
20 "When your child asks you in the future, {saying}, 'What [is the meaning of] the legal provisions and the rules and the regulations that Yahweh our God commanded for you?'
21 Then you shall say to your child, 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and Yahweh brought us out from Egypt with a strong hand.

Deuteronomy 6:11-21 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.

Footnotes 10

  • [a]. Hebrew "thing"
  • [b]. Literally "you have eaten and you are satisfied"
  • [c]. Literally "so that not/lest the nose of Yahweh your God would become hot"
  • [d]. Literally "he/it shall be good"
  • [e]. Or "your fathers"
  • [f]. Literally "the face of you"
  • [g]. Literally "had spoken"
  • [h]. Or "son"
  • [i]. Literally "to say"
  • [j]. Or "son"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.