Deuteronomy6

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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 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:

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.

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.

The Great Commandment (Shema)

¶ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

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.

And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Warnings Against Forgetfulness

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,

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;

Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;

(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.

Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.

¶ Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.

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,

To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken.

Teaching the Next Generation

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?

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:

And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:

And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.

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.

And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

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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