1 Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Yahweh your God commanded to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it; 2 that you might fear Yahweh your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, you, and your son, and your son's son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged. 3 Hear therefore, Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with you, and that you may increase mightily, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised to you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. 4 Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one: 5 and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart; 7 and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the door posts of your house, and on your gates. 10 It shall be, when Yahweh your God shall bring you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities, which you didn't build, 11 and houses full of all good things, which you didn't fill, and cisterns dug out, which you didn't dig, vineyards and olive trees, which you didn't plant, and you shall eat and be full; 12 then beware lest you forget Yahweh, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 13 You shall fear Yahweh your God; and you shall serve him, and shall swear by his name. 14 You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you; 15 for Yahweh your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; lest the anger of Yahweh your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth. 16 You shall not tempt Yahweh your God, as you tempted him in Massah. 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he has commanded you. 18 You shall do that which is right and good in the sight of Yahweh; that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, 19 to thrust out all your enemies from before you, as Yahweh has spoken. 20 When your son asks you in time to come, saying, "What do the testimonies, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Yahweh our God has commanded you mean?" 21 then you shall tell your son, "We were Pharaoh's bondservants in Egypt: and Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; 22 and Yahweh showed great and awesome signs and wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his house, before our eyes; 23 and he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he swore to our fathers. 24 Yahweh commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear Yahweh our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as at this day. 25 It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all this commandment before Yahweh our God, as he has commanded us."
The great design of God in giving his laws is, that the people may fear and obey him, that they may continue in peace and prosperity, and be mightily increased, Deuteronomy 6:1-3. The great commandment of the law, Deuteronomy 6:4, Deuteronomy 6:5, which shall be laid up in their hearts, Deuteronomy 6:6; taught to their children, Deuteronomy 6:7; and affixed as a sign to their hands, heads, doors, and gates, Deuteronomy 6:8, Deuteronomy 6:9. How they are to act when they shall come into the promised land, Deuteronomy 6:10-19. How they shall instruct their children, and relate the history to them of God's wonderful acts, Deuteronomy 6:20-25.
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 6
In this chapter Moses proceeds on in his exhortations to the people of Israel, to attend to the commandments of God, that it might be well with them, Deuteronomy 6:1, and begins with a principal and fundamental article of religion, which deserved their first and chief regard, the unity of God, and the love of him, Deuteronomy 6:4, which they were carefully to instinct their children in, and ever to be mindful of themselves, Deuteronomy 6:6, and when they were come into the land of Canaan, and into a plentiful enjoyment of all good things in it, they are exhorted to be careful not to forget the Lord, their kind benefactor; but to fear him, serve him, and not go after other gods, since he is jealous of his honour and worship, Deuteronomy 6:10 and not to tempt him, as they had done, but diligently keep, his commandments, that it might be well with them in that land, Deuteronomy 6:16, and when their children inquired the reason and meaning of such testimonies, statutes, and judgments, that were enjoined them, they were to give them the history of their case in Egypt, their deliverance from thence, the wonders that were wrought for them, and the introduction of them into the good land of Canaan; and to let them know that these commands were some of them in commemoration of these blessings; and by these they were laid under obligation to regard them all, and the rather, since they were not only for the glory of God, but for their own good, Deuteronomy 6:20.
(Deuteronomy 6:1-3) A persuasive to obedience.
(Deuteronomy 6:4, Deuteronomy 6:5) An exhortation to obedience.
(Deuteronomy 6:6-16) Obedience taught.
(Deuteronomy 6:17-25) General precepts, Instructions to be given to their children.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.