Deuteronomy 6:17-25

17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded thee.
18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD that it may be well with thee and that thou may enter in and inherit the good land which the LORD swore unto thy fathers
19 so that he will cast out all thine enemies from before thy presence, as the LORD has spoken.
20 And when tomorrow thy son asks thee, saying, What are the testimonies and the statutes and the rights, which the LORD our God has commanded you?
21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand;
22 and the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and sore, in Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes;
23 and he brought us out from there that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he swore unto our fathers.
24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes that we might fear the LORD our God for our good always that he might give us life, as it is at this day.
25 And we shall have justice when we keep ourselves by doing all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he has commanded 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.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010