Deuteronomy 6:13

13 But feare the Lorde thy God and serue hym, and swere by his name,

Deuteronomy 6:13 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 6:13

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him
Serve him through fear; not through slavish fear, a fear of hell and damnation; but through filial fear, a reverential affection for that God that had brought them out of a state of bondage into great and glorious liberty, out of Egypt into Canaan's land, out of a place of misery into a land of plenty; and therefore should fear the Lord and his goodness, and from such a fear of him serve him, in every part of worship, public and private, enjoined; this passage Christ refers to ( Matthew 4:10 )

and shalt swear by his name;
when they made a covenant with any, or were called to bear a testimony for the decision of any controversy which could not be otherwise finished; or whenever they took an oath on any account, which should never be taken rashly or on any trivial account, and much less falsely; it should be taken not in the name of any idol, or of any other but the true and living God; the Targum of Jonathan is,

``in the name of the Word of the Lord, in truth ye shall swear.''

Deuteronomy 6:13 In-Context

11 and housses full of all maner goodes which thou filledest not, and welles dygged which thou dyggedest not, ad vynes and olyue trees which thou plantedest not, ad whe thou hast eaten, and art full:

12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lorde which broughte the out off the lande of Egipte the housse of bondage.

13 But feare the Lorde thy God and serue hym, and swere by his name,

14 and se that ye walke not after straunge goddes of the Goddes off the nacyons whiche are aboute you.

15 For the Lorde thy God is a gelouse God among you lest the wrath of the Lorde thy God waxe hotte vppon the and destroye the from the erth.