Bible Commentaries
Deuteronomy 6

Verse 1

these are. Hebrew "this is".

commandments. See note on Deuteronomy 5:31 .

statutes, and the judgments. See note on Deuteronomy 4:1 .

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

go. Hebrew pass over.

Verse 3

Hear . . . observe. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ), used for emphasis: May be Englished "Hear . . . Heed".

as = according as.

the land, &c. Compare Genesis 17:8 . Exodus 3:8 , Exodus 3:17 ; Exodus 13:5 ; Exodus 33:3 .Numbers 13:27 ; Numbers 13:14 , Numbers 13:8 ; Numbers 16:13 , Numbers 16:14 .Joshua 5:6 . Jeremiah 11:5 ; Jeremiah 32:22 .Ezekiel 20:6 , Ezekiel 20:15 .

Verse 4

Hear. In the Hebrew text this word ( sham'a) has the last letter majuscular (i.e. larger than the others) as also the last letter of the last word ( 'echad ), to emphasize "the first and great commandment" (Matthew 22:38 . Mark 12:29 , Mark 12:30 ). These two letters taken together make 'ed = "a witness", because God is a witness and looketh on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7 ). In Hebrew. shem'a yisrael yeh6va elheynu yehova. echad = "Hear, O Israel, Jehovah (the Self and ever existing One), our Elohim is one Jehovah".

one. Hebrew ' ehad = a compound unity (Latin. unus) , one made up of others: Genesis 1:5 , one of seven; Deuteronomy 2:11 , one of four; Deuteronomy 2:21 , one of twenty-four; Deuteronomy 2:24 , one made up of two; Deuteronomy 3:22 , one of the Trinity: Deu 49:16 , one of twelve; Numbers 13:23 , one of a cluster. So Psalms 34:20 , &c. It is not yahid, which is (Latin) unicus, unique a single, or only one, occurs twelve times: Genesis 22:2 , Genesis 22:12 , Genesis 22:16 . Judges 11:34 .Psalms 22:20 ; Psalms 25:16 ; Psalms 35:17 ; Psalms 68:6 . Proverbs 4:3 .Jeremiah 6:26 . Amos 8:10 . Zechariah 12:10 . Hebrew of all other words for "one" is 'echad.

(4-9) One of the four Phylacteries. Exodus 13:1-10 ; Exodus 13:11-16 . Exodus 6:4-9 ; Exo 11:13-21 . See note on Exodus 13:1 , Compare the Structures of the second pair (above).

Verse 5

love. The Law founded on love.

soul. Hebrew. nephesh. See App-13 .

Verse 6

this day. See note on Deuteronomy 4:26 .

Verse 7

teach. Hebrew "sharpen" or "whet" = rub them in by repetition.

Verse 8

bind. Still practiced by orthodox Jews.

hand. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, read plural "hands".

as = for.

frontlets. Greek. phylacteries = guards or watch-posts.

Verse 9

write. See note on Exodus 17:4 and App-47 .

posts = door-posts. Hebrew. mezuza. Used to-day, for cases containing the Phylactery.

Verse 10

Abraham, &c. Note inclusion of all three patriarchs. See note on Deuteronomy 1:8 .

Verse 12

LORD = Jehovah. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel Septuagint, Syriac, add "thy God".

bondage. Hebrew bondmen, put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for their bondage.

Verse 13

Thou shalt fear. Read this verse as follows, and preserve the emphasis on "Him", and the Figure of speech Polysyndeton, App-6 : "Jehovah, thy Elohim, Him shalt thou reverence, And Him shalt thou serve, And by His Name shalt thou swear. "

Verse 15

destroy = cut off: exterminate. Hebrew. shamad.

earth. Hebrew. 'adamah, ground, cultivated land.

Verse 16

Ye, &c. Quoted by the Lord to Satan, and changed to sing, by adaptation. See Matthew 4:7 .

tempt = try: by questioning Jehovah's presence. This was the point in Matthew 4:7 .

as = according as.

Verse 20

in time to come. Hebrew "to-morrow". Definite date put for indefinite.

Verse 22

sore. Hebrew. r'a = inflicted evil, not moral. Compare Jeremiah 18:11 .Amos 3:6 , and see note on Isaiah 45:7 .

Verse 24

always = for all time. Hebrew all the days.

Verse 25

our righteousness. This is superseded by Romans 10:4 , Romans 10:5 .Galatians 1:3 , Galatians 1:12 . That true then: this true now. No discrepancy if the Dispensations are rightly divided according to 2 Timothy 2:15 .