Deuteronomy 6:1-9

1 These be the commandments, ceremonies, and dooms, which your Lord God commanded that I should teach you, and that ye do them in the land to which ye pass over to wield; (These be the commandments, and statutes, and laws, or judgements, which the Lord your God commanded that I should teach you, so that ye would do them in the land to which ye shall cross over to take;)

2 that thou dread thy Lord God, and keep all his commandments, and behests, which I command to thee, and to thy sons, and to the sons of thy sons, in all the days of thy life, that thy days be lengthened. (that thou fear the Lord thy God/that thou revere the Lord thy God, and obey all his commandments, and statutes, which I command to thee, and to thy sons and daughters, and to thy children's children, in all the days of thy life, so that thy days be lengthened.)

3 Thou Israel, hear, and keep, that thou do those things which the Lord commanded to thee, and that it be well to thee, and thou be multiplied more, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised, to give to thee a land flowing with milk and honey. (Hear, O Israel, and obey, that thou do those things which the Lord commanded thee, and that it be well with thee, and thou be greatly multiplied in the land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord God of thy fathers promised thee.)

4 Thou Israel, hear, thy Lord God is one God. (Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is one God.)

5 Thou shalt love thy Lord God of all thine heart, and of all thy soul, and of all thy strength. (Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength.)

6 And these words which I command to thee today, shall be in thine heart;

7 and thou shalt tell those to thy sons, and thou shalt think upon them, sitting in thine house, and going in the way (and going on the way), lying down, and rising (up).

8 And thou shalt bind those as a sign in thine hand; and those shall be, and shall be moved before thine eyes; (And thou shalt bind them upon thy hands for a sign; and they shall be before thine eyes forevermore;)

9 and thou shalt write them in the lintel, and in the doors of thine house. (and thou shalt write them on the lintels, and on the door-posts of thy houses.)

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 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.