6:1 observe in the land The land promised to Abraham and his posterity (Gen 12:1). Israel’s inheritance of the land is once again connected to obedience (Num 14:23; 32:11. Deut 4:1, 5). See Num 14:23; 32:11; Deut 4:1, 5.

6:2 you and your children and grandchildren The wording here indicates that Israel’s laws had a twofold purpose: They were an expression of reverence for Yahweh and a means of teaching this reverence to the next generation.

you may live long lives This verse links possession of the land to obedience to the law. The Abrahamic covenant is therefore conceptually tied to the Sinai covenant (Gen 12:1–3; 15:1–6). Leviticus 26 discusses this connection in detail. Compare Deut 4:40.

Leviticus 26 and the New Testament

6:3 with milk and honey A frequent Hebrew idiom for a fertile and fruitful land.

6:4 Hear, Israel The affirmation of loyalty to Yahweh in this verse is traditionally called the “Shema” from this opening call to attention, which in Hebrew is shema’ yisra’el. The Shema represents the greatest commandment of Judaism and Christianity, as it represents God’s expectation that God’s people will remain wholly loyal to him.

Yahweh our God, Yahweh is unique The four Hebrew words used here represent the core confession of belief in Yahweh as the one true God. However, the syntactic relationship of these four Hebrew words—yhwh elohenu yhwh echad—presents a complicated translation issue. These four words can be understood as a single clause or as two separate clauses.

6:5 you shall love The command is not a demand to manufacture false emotion but to cultivate a disposition (see Lev 19:17–18).

with all of your heart and with all of your soul The Hebrew terms levav (often translated “heart”) and nephesh (often translated “soul”) do not refer to separate components of the human person. Rather, the terms overlap in meaning, conveying the internal life, dispositions, emotions, and intellect.

Old Testament Anthropology

might The Hebrew word here is not a noun but an adverb meaning “exceedingly.” This description of love of Yahweh thus implies totality: as Yahweh is undivided unity and alone worthy of worship, so the Israelites must have undivided loyalty to Him.

6:6 these words The Ten Commandments, which are literally known in the Hebrew as the “ten words” (Exod 34:28). The phrase “these words” and similar ones refer to the entirety of the law (e.g., Deut 4:2, 40; 6:1–2; 19:9; 28:1, 14–15).

on your heart Israelites must take them to heart—commit them to memory and make them an integral part of their life.

The Formation of the Old Testament

6:7 you shall recite them to your children The Hebrew phrase here literally means “repeat.” Parents are to rehearse the laws of God to their children. This command presumes that teachers know their content, which in turn presumes concentrated effort and study.

you shall talk about them The practice of constantly repeating and reciting God’s commands also involves committing them to memory so they become applied knowledge for life.

living in your house and at the time of your going These paired, contrasting phrases (and the following ones) are figures of speech indicating totality (merism). In this instance, all of life is the whole. In other words, Israelites are to make the laws of God the focal point of life (see Prov 6:21–22).

6:10 that he swore to your ancestors Another See Gen 12:1–3; 15:1–6; 28:13; 35:12; 48:21.

large and fine cities that you did not build This comment either anticipates or presumes the conquest, which has not yet occurred. See Josh 24:13.

6:11 hewn cisterns that you did not hew Cisterns in ancient Canaan and elsewhere were cavities hewn out of rock for catching and storing water.

you did not plant As with Deut 6:10, this listing anticipates or presumes the conquest.

6:12 from the house of slavery See Exod 12–14.

6:13 by his name you shall swear Swearing by Yahweh’s name served as an oath of loyalty (e.g., Deut 10:20; Josh 2:12; Psa 63:11; Isa 45:23; 65:16; Jer 12:16). Compare Matt 5:33–37.

6:14 You shall not go after other gods This command is central to the Shema (see Deut 6:4 and note): exclusive loyalty to Yahweh. All other gods are forbidden for the Israelites (see 5:7; 13:6–8; compare 4:19–20; 32:8–9).

6:15 in your midst Israel’s realization that the very presence of God is in their midst deters them from violating God’s laws and thus from sinning (see 23:15).

he would destroy you Loyalty to Yahweh is critical not only to Israel’s continued occupation of the promised land but to their existence as a people (see Lev 26). Compare Deut 7:16.

6:16 as you tested him at Massah Moses recalls an earlier incident of the people’s rebellion and disloyalty to Yahweh. See Exod 17:1–7.

6:20 the legal provisions Moses again discusses the duty to teach the next generation, beginning with a person’s own children. When children ask about how Israel escaped Egypt (Exod 12–14) and came to dwell in the land, their parents must know how to respond because it is integral to Israel’s very identity as a nation governed by Yahweh Himself.

6:22 great and awesome signs and wonders in Egypt Refers to the 10 plagues with which God punished Pharaoh and all of Egypt. See Exod 7–12.

6:24 to observe all of these rules Refers not only to the Ten Commandments, which were reiterated in Deut 5 (see Exod 20), but also to the commands that follow this prologue in the rest of Deuteronomy.

6:25 it shall be righteousness for us This comment about righteousness and its connection to the law suggests obedience to the law brought God’s continued blessing, while disobedience resulted in exile and alienation.