Deuteronomy 6:17-25

17 Be sure that you obey all the laws that he has given you.
18 Do what the Lord says is right and good, and all will go well with you. You will be able to take possession of the fertile land that the Lord promised your ancestors,
19 and you will drive out your enemies, as he promised.
20 "In times to come your children will ask you, "Why did the Lord our God command us to obey all these laws?'
21 Then tell them, "We were slaves of the king of Egypt, and the Lord rescued us by his great power.
22 With our own eyes we saw him work miracles and do terrifying things to the Egyptians and to their king and to all his officials.
23 He freed us from Egypt to bring us here and give us this land, as he had promised our ancestors he would.
24 Then the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these laws and to honor him. If we do, he will always watch over our nation and keep it prosperous.
25 If we faithfully obey everything that God has commanded us, he will be pleased with us.'

Deuteronomy 6:17-25 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 1

  • [a]. If we faithfully . . . with us; [or] The right thing for us to do is to obey faithfully everything that God has commanded us.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.