Deuteronomy 6

A charge to keep Gods commandments and to love him the only true God with a promise annexed verse 1 &c. a charge to what the commandments of God upon their children & otherwise to have them always before their eyes 6 item a charge nor to forget God and his mercies 10 a charge concerning the fear of God and avoiding the idolatry 13 not to tempt God but to be subject unto him 16 diligently to mind heir children of their deliverance out of Egypt that they might learn to fear and obey God 20.

1. These then are the commandments [Heb. The commandments] the statutes and judgments [for the meaning of these words see above chapter 5on verse 31] which the LORD your God commanded to teach ye that they may do them in the land wither ye go to possess it hereditary.

2. That thou might fear the LORD thy God to keep all his statutes and commandments which I command thee thou and thy child and thy child’s child all the days of thy life and that thy days may be prolonged.

3. Hear then Israel and observe to do them that is may go well with thee and ye may greatly multiply according to the LORD God of the fathers hath spoken unto thee in the land floweth with milk and honey[see Exodus 3:8.]

4. Hear Israel the LORD our God is an only LORD [that is an only eternal almighty divine essence see of the words of the LORD or Jehovah see Genesis 2 on verse 4.]

5. Thou shalt then love thy God with all thine heart and with all thine souland with all thy might.

6. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart.

7. And thou shalt whet them upon thy children [Heb. Sharpen whet grind that is so set them before them that they may pierce through into their hearts as weapons or instruments of war are sharpen to pierce through according to the intent of him that useth] and talk of them when thou sittest in the house in thine house and when thou goest in the way and when thou liest down and when thou riseth up.

8. Also shalt bind them for a token upon thine hand and they shall be to thee as frontlets between thine eyes [that is thou shalt use all means to keep them in continual remembrance and to set them before the eyes of your children to live according to them see exodus 13.9 and off the frontlets on verse 16.]

9. And thou shalt write them upon the post of thine house and on the gates.

10. When it then shall come to pass that the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land that he swear unto the fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give thee great and good cities which thou buildest not.

11. And the house full of good things which thou filldst not and wells digged out which thou didst not dig out vine-yards and olive-yards which thou planted not and thou hast eaten and art satisfied.

12. Then beware [others that thou shalt eat and be satisfied but &c.] lest thou forget the LORD who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage [Heb. Out of the house of servants or bondmen as above chapter 5.6.]

13. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God and serve him [meaning only as the following verse sheweth and appeareth Matthew 4:10] and thou shalt swear by his name [when either public or private necessity requireth then thou shalt do this honor unto thine God as to swear only by him.]

14. Ye shall not follow other gods of the gods of the nations that are round about ye.

15. For the LORD thy God is a jealous God [see Exodus 25 and above chapter 4 on verse 24] in the midst of thee lest the anger of the LORD thy God kindle against thee and destroy thee from off the earth.

16. Thou shalt not tempt the LORD thy God [to tempt God is out of distrust in him or out off high conceit of a man’s own self to leave the divine rule the right order and ordinary means for to follow a mans own good liking and to make trial of Gods attributes and will so Exodus 17:2 Numbers 14:22 Psalms 78:18 Matthew 4:7 acts 15.10] according as ye tempted him at Massa [see Exodus 17:2 Numbers 20:5.]

17. Ye shall diligently keep [Heb. Keeping keep] the commandments of the LORD your God together with his testimonies and his statutes which he commanded thee.

18. And thou shalt see that is right and good in the eyes of he LORD that it may go well with thee and thou maist go in and inherit that land which the LORD swear unto thy fathers.

19. To drive out all the enemies before thy face according to the LORD hath spoken.

20. When thy son shall ask thee to morrow [that is hereafter in the time to come today and tomorrow as we say see Genesis 30. On verse 33] saying what mean those testimonies and those statutes and those judgments which the LORD our God hath commanded ye?

21. Then thou shalt say unto thy son we were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt but the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt by a strong hand.

22. And the LORD gave tokens and great and evil wonders in Egypt upon Pharaoh and upon his entire house [that is strange and terrible hurtful and destroying plagues whereby the Egyptians were sore vexed and tormented] before our eyes.

23. And he brought us out thence that he might bring us into the land which he had sworn unto our fathers.

24. And the LORD commanded us to do all the statutes to fear the LORD our God for our good always [Heb. All the days] to preserve us alive as it is at this day.

25. And it shall be our righteousness [according to the law on condition if we perfectly keep the whole law as the following words declare compare Leviticus 18:5 Ezekiel 20:11 Matthew 19:17 Romans 10:5 Galatians 3:12 James 2:10 but in regard all the regenerate children of God remain imperfect in this life so that they cannot perform the aforesaid condition therefore there is no other way to be justified before God then by true faith in Jesus Christ whose righteousness and satisfaction is graciously given us of father imputed and applied to us by faith see Jeremiah 33:16 Daniel 9:24 Romans 3:27 and 8.3 1Corinthians 1.30 2 Corinthians 5:2 Galatians 3:10,11 whereupon then good works follow as a fruit of faith and evidence of due thankfulness according to the rules of Gods law &c. Galatians 5:6 James 2:18 and 1Corinthians 6.20 Philippians 1:11 some understand here by righteousness and evidence and outward manifestation of righteousness which have by faith when we shall observe to do all thee commandments before the face of the LORD our God according as he hath commanded us.