Deuteronomy6

Deuteronomy 6 instructs Israel to diligently obey God's commandments upon entering the promised land, emphasizing that this obedience ensures their well-being and prolonged life. Central to this is the command to love the LORD God with all heart, soul, and might, and to teach these precepts to future generations. The chapter warns against forgetting God amidst prosperity and stresses that faithful adherence to His laws is essential for possessing the land.

Purpose of the Commandments

"Now this is the mitzvah, the laws and rulings which ADONAI your God ordered me to teach you for you to obey in the land you are crossing over to possess,

so that you will fear ADONAI your God and observe all his regulations and mitzvot that I am giving you - you, your child and your grandchild - as long as you live, and so that you will have long life.

Therefore listen, Isra'el, and take care to obey, so that things will go well with you, and so that you will increase greatly, as ADONAI, the God of your ancestors, promised you by giving you a land flowing with milk and honey.

The Great Commandment (Shema)

"Sh'ma, Yisra'el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra'el! ADONAI our God, ADONAI is one];

and you are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources.

These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart;

and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead,

and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.

Warnings Against Forgetfulness

"When ADONAI your God has brought you into the land he swore to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz'chak and Ya'akov that he would give you - cities great and prosperous, which you didn't build;

houses full of all sorts of good things, which you didn't fill; water cisterns dug out, which you didn't dig; vineyards and olive trees, which you didn't plant - and you have eaten your fill;

then be careful not to forget ADONAI, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you lived as slaves.

You are to fear ADONAI your God, serve him and swear by his name.

You are not to follow other gods, chosen from the gods of the peoples around you;

because ADONAI, your God, who is here with you, is a jealous God. If you do, the anger of ADONAI your God will flare up against you and he will destroy you from the face of the earth.

Do not put ADONAI your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah [testing].

Observe diligently the mitzvot of ADONAI your God, and his instructions and laws which he has given you.

You are to do what is right and good in the sight of ADONAI, so that things will go well with you, and you will enter and possess the good land ADONAI swore to your ancestors,

expelling all your enemies ahead of you, as ADONAI said.

Teaching the Next Generation

"Some day your child will ask you, 'What is the meaning of the instructions, laws and rulings which ADONAI our God has laid down for you?'

Then you will tell your child, 'We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and ADONAI brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand.

ADONAI worked great and terrible signs and wonders against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household, before our very eyes.

He brought us out from there in order to bring us to the land he had sworn to our ancestors that he would give us.

ADONAI ordered us to observe all these laws, to fear ADONAI our God, always for our own good, so that he might keep us alive, as we are today.

It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to obey all these mitzvot before ADONAI our God, just as he ordered us to do.'"

Study Notes for Deuteronomy 6

Verse 1

These verses introduce the goal of the Deuteronomic code: to ensure Israel remembers and executes the covenant requirements upon entering the promised land.

Verse 2

The promise of 'prolonged days' is conditional upon faithful obedience, linking covenant keeping directly to the security and longevity of life in the land.

Verse 4

This verse, known as the Shema (Hebrew for 'Hear'), is the foundational declaration of Israel’s faith, affirming YHWH’s singular identity and exclusive claim on Israel's loyalty ('one LORD').

Verse 5

This is the summary of the entire Law, demanding total, undivided devotion (intellect, emotion, and resources). It is quoted by Jesus as the greatest commandment (Matt 22:37).

Verse 7

The command emphasizes pervasive education; teaching the Law must be integrated into every aspect of daily family life, not limited to formal instruction or ceremony.

Verse 8

These instructions led to the later physical practices of *tefillin* (phylacteries) and *mezuzot*, symbolizing the constant presence and commitment to the Law.

Verse 10

This section shifts focus, warning Israel about the spiritual dangers that accompany success and prosperity in the land they did not earn.

Verse 12

Moses warns against the profound danger of affluence leading to spiritual amnesia, where Israel might forget the source of their blessings and assume self-sufficiency.

Verse 15

God is 'jealous' in the sense that He zealously protects the integrity of the covenant relationship, demanding exclusive loyalty and punishing infidelity (idolatry).

Verse 16

This refers specifically to the incident at Massah (Exod 17:1-7), where the Israelites tested God by demanding proof of His presence and provision.

Verse 20

This passage provides a framework for intergenerational instruction, ensuring that the historical context of the covenant is passed down to future generations.

Verse 21

The foundation of Israel's identity and obedience is always redemption: they were slaves, and God delivered them. The Law is a grateful response to prior grace.

Verse 24

The purpose of the statutes is ultimately for Israel's 'good always,' linking obedience not to burden, but to divine preservation and blessing.

Verse 25

To observe the commands is counted as 'righteousness' (covenant faithfulness). This concept means fulfilling the requirements of the relationship established by God’s grace.

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Deuteronomy6

Purpose of the Commandments

The Great Commandment (Shema)

Warnings Against Forgetfulness

Teaching the Next Generation

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