King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [is] one LORD:
Complete Jewish Bible:
"Sh'ma, Yisra'el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra'el! ADONAI our God, ADONAI is one];
Berean Standard Bible:
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.
American Standard Version:
Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah:
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Hear{H8085}, O Israel{H3478}: The LORD{H3068} our God{H430} is one{H259} LORD{H3068}:
Cross-References (KJV):
Mark 12:29
- And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mark 12:32
- And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Isaiah 44:6
- Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God.
1 Timothy 2:5
- For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Isaiah 45:5
- ¶ I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
Isaiah 45:6
- That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that [there is] none beside me. I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else.
John 17:3
- And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Deuteronomy 6:4
Deuteronomy 6:4, known as the Shema (from the Hebrew word for "hear"), is one of the most central and significant verses in Judaism, serving as a declaration of faith and a cornerstone of Jewish liturgy. The verse proclaims the monotheistic essence of Judaism: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." This affirmation asserts that there is only one God, and it is a direct challenge to the polytheistic beliefs that were prevalent in the surrounding ancient Near Eastern cultures at the time.
Historically, this verse is set within the broader context of Moses' farewell speech to the Israelites as they stand on the brink of entering the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt. Moses is instructing the people on how to live according to the covenant with God, emphasizing the importance of wholehearted devotion and loyalty to the one true God, Yahweh. The Shema serves as a theological foundation for the unity, exclusivity, and uniqueness of God, which is a theme that runs throughout the Hebrew Bible.
Thematically, Deuteronomy 6:4 underscores the concepts of unity, divine authority, and the need for a singular focus in the religious life of the Israelites. It calls for an unswerving commitment to God, which is to permeate every aspect of life. This verse also sets the stage for the following verses, which command the Israelites to love God with all their heart, soul, and might, and to teach these words diligently to their children, thereby ensuring the transmission of this foundational belief through generations. The Shema has been recited by Jews for millennia, traditionally twice daily, as a reaffirmation of the faith in the singularity and sovereignty of God.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. - Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H430
There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. - Strong's Number: H259
There are 801 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶחָד
Transliteration: ʼechâd
Pronunciation: ekh-awd'
Description: a numeral from אָחַד; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first; a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,