Deuteronomy 6 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
2 That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deuteronomy Chapter 6 (Old Testament)
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
10 And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,
11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Deuteronomy Chapter 6 (Old Testament)
13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;
15 (For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
16 Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.
17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath 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 mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers.
19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the Lord hath spoken.
20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you?
21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
22 And the Lord shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:
23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.
24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| שְׁמַע — shema | Verse 4 — “Hear, O Israel…” | “Hear,” obey. | Shema (“to hear/obey”) merges listening with responsive obedience (“hear/obey”). It stands as the theological center of Jewish faith. The term emphasizes internalization of God’s voice. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament |
| אָהַב — ahav | Verse 5 — “Thou shalt love the LORD thy God…” | “To love,” covenant loyalty. | Ahav (“to love”) conveys covenant commitment (“love”). It expresses devotion grounded in obedience, not emotion alone. The term signifies relational allegiance. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon |
| לֵבָב — levav | Verse 5 — “…with all thy heart…” | “Heart,” inner being. | Levav (“heart”) includes intellect, will, and emotions (“heart”). It defines total-person devotion. The term establishes holistic covenant spirituality. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament |
| נֶפֶשׁ — nephesh | Verse 5 — “…with all thy soul…” | “Soul,” life. | Nephesh (“soul/life”) reflects the whole living self (“soul/life”). It deepens the call to complete consecration. The term evokes full surrender to God. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| מְאֹד — me’od | Verse 5 — “…with all thy might.” | “Strength,” might. | Me’od (“might/strength”) intensifies dedication (“might”). It expresses exceeding, overflowing commitment. The term emphasizes totality of covenant love. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| שָׁנַן — shanan | Verse 7 — “Teach them diligently unto thy children…” | “To sharpen,” inculcate. | Shanan (“to sharpen”) signifies repeated, precise instruction (“teach diligently”). It implies careful shaping of character. The term illustrates educational discipline rooted in Torah. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| דִּבֶּר — dibber | Verse 7 — “…when thou talkest of them…” | “To speak,” converse. | Dibber (“to speak”) places God’s Word in daily dialogue (“speak”). It frames spirituality as continual conversation. The term transforms home life into worship. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| קָשַׁר — kashar | Verse 8 — “…bind them for a sign…” | “To bind,” tie. | Kashar (“to bind”) suggests symbolic covenant marking (“bind”). It externalizes inward devotion. The term reflects visible testimony to Torah loyalty. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon |
| כָּתַב — katav | Verse 9 — “Thou shalt write them…” | “To write,” inscribe. | Katav (“to write”) formalizes memory through inscription (“write”). It ensures permanence of God’s commandments. The term underscores the importance of recorded revelation. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| שָׁכַח — shakhach | Verse 12 — “…beware lest thou forget…” | “To forget,” neglect. | Shakhach (“to forget”) warns against spiritual drift (“forget”). It ties memory to covenant fidelity. The term urges deliberate remembrance of redemption. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar | Work | View on Chapter 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Franz Delitzsch (University of Leipzig, Germany, 1813–1890) | Biblischer Commentar über das Alte Testament | Moses commands Israel to love God wholly, emphasizing the centrality of devotion in covenant life. |
| Charles Foster Kent (Yale University, United States, 1867–1925) | The Bible and Modern Scholarship | Kent stresses the ethical and practical implications of wholehearted loyalty to God. |
| Hermann Schultz (University of Göttingen, Germany, 1841–1903) | Die Bücher Mose | Schultz interprets the Shema as both a theological affirmation and a moral imperative. |
| August Dillmann (University of Leipzig, Germany, 1823–1894) | Die Pentateuchkritik | The chapter connects love of God with obedience and remembrance of divine acts. |
| Johann Peter Lange (University of Bonn, Germany, 1802–1884) | Commentarius in Sacram Scripturam | Lange emphasizes Israel’s responsibility to internalize and transmit divine commands. |
Deuteronomy Chapter 6
Verse: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." - Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Lesson: In this chapter, Moses instructs the Israelites to love and obey God with their whole being. He emphasizes the importance of passing on this knowledge to future generations, and keeping God's commandments in their hearts and minds at all times. The verses above highlight the importance of loving God with our whole being.
Conclusion: As Christians, we too must love and obey God with our whole being. We must also pass on this knowledge to future generations and keep God's commandments in our hearts and minds at all times.
Prayer points: Let us pray for the grace and strength to love God with our whole being. May we be diligent in passing on this knowledge to future generations, and may we always keep God's commandments in our hearts and minds.
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