Deuteronomy Chapter 6

From The Open Bible Project

6:1 Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Yahweh your God commanded to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it;

• (a) A reverent face and love for God is the first beginning to keeping God’s commandments.

6:2 that you might fear Yahweh your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, you, and your son, and your son's son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged.

6:3 Hear therefore, Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with you, and that you may increase mightily, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised to you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

• (b) Which has an abundance of all things needed for man’s life.

6:4 Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:

6:5 and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

6:6 These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart;

6:7 and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.

• (c) Some read, "You shall whet them upon your children": that is, that they may imprint them more deeply in their memory.

6:8 You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes.

6:9 You shall write them on the door posts of your house, and on your gates.

• (d) That when you enter in you may remember them.

6:10 It shall be, when Yahweh your God shall bring you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities, which you didn't build,

6:11 and houses full of all good things, which you didn't fill, and cisterns dug out, which you didn't dig, vineyards and olive trees, which you didn't plant, and you shall eat and be full;

6:12 then beware lest you forget Yahweh, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

• (e) Do not let wealth and ease cause you to forget God’s mercies, by which you were delivered out of misery.

6:13 You shall fear Yahweh your God; and you shall serve him, and shall swear by his name.

• (f) We must fear God, serve him only and confess his Name, which is done by swearing lawfully.

6:14 You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you;

6:15 for Yahweh your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; lest the anger of Yahweh your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

6:16 You shall not tempt Yahweh your God, as you tempted him in Massah.

• (g) By doubting his power, refusing lawful means, and abusing his graces.

6:17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he has commanded you.

6:18 You shall do that which is right and good in the sight of Yahweh; that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land which Yahweh swore to your fathers,

• (h) Here he condemns all of man’s good intentions.

6:19 to thrust out all your enemies from before you, as Yahweh has spoken.

6:20 When your son asks you in time to come, saying, "What do the testimonies, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Yahweh our God has commanded you mean?"

• (i) God not only requires that we serve him all our lives, but also that we see that our posterity sets forth his glory.

6:21 then you shall tell your son, "We were Pharaoh's bondservants in Egypt: and Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand;

6:22 and Yahweh showed great and awesome signs and wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his house, before our eyes;

6:23 and he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he swore to our fathers.

• (k) Nothing should move us more to true obedience than the great benefits which we have received from God.

6:24 Yahweh commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear Yahweh our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as at this day.

6:25 It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all this commandment before Yahweh our God, as he has commanded us."

• (l) Because no one can fully obey the law, we must turn to Christ to be justified by faith.