Deuteronomy 6
Deuteronomy 6 is part of “Second Address: The Law Expounded” (5–26) in the outline of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 6 summary
Moses, in this chapter, goes on with his charge to Israel, to be sure to keep up their religion in Canaan. It is much the same with ch. 4. I. His preface is a persuasive to obedience (Deu 4:1-3).
Read the full introduction
Moses, in this chapter, goes on with his charge to Israel, to be sure to keep up their religion in Canaan. It is much the same with ch. 4. I. His preface is a persuasive to obedience (Deu 4:1-3). II. He lays down the great principles of obedience. The first truth to be believed, That God is one (Deu 4:4). The first duty to be done, To love him with all our heart (Deu 4:5). III. He prescribes the means for keeping up religion (Deu 4:6-9). IV. He cautions them against those things which would be the ruin of religion - abuse of plenty (Deu 4:10-12), inclination to idolatry (Deu 4:14, Deu 4:15), and gives them some general precepts (Deu 4:13, Deu 4:16-18). V. He directs them what instructions to give their children (Deu 4:20, etc.).
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Key verses in Deuteronomy 6
Deuteronomy 6 (ASV)
American Standard Version (public domain)
The Greatest Commandment
1Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it; 2that thou mightest fear Jehovah 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. 3Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as Jehovah, the God of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee, in a land flowing with milk and honey. 4Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah: 5and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; 7and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. 9And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.
Warning Against Forgetting God
10And it shall be, when Jehovah thy God shall bring 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 buildest not, 11and houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and cisterns hewn out, which thou hewedst not, vineyards and olive-trees, which thou plantedst not, and thou shalt eat and be full; 12then beware lest thou forget Jehovah, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 13Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God; and him shalt thou serve, and shalt swear by his name. 14Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples that are round about you; 15for Jehovah thy God in the midst of thee is a jealous God; lest the anger of Jehovah thy God be kindled against thee, and he destroy thee from off the face of the earth. 16Ye shall not tempt Jehovah your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. 17Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of Jehovah your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. 18And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of Jehovah; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which Jehovah sware unto thy fathers, 19to thrust out all thine enemies from before thee, as Jehovah hath spoken.
Teaching Your Children
20When thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which Jehovah our God hath commanded you? 21then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt: and Jehovah brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; 22and Jehovah showed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his house, before our eyes; 23and he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. 24And Jehovah commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear Jehovah our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as at this day. 25And it shall be righteousness unto us, if we observe to do all this commandment before Jehovah our God, as he hath commanded us.