Deuteronomy 6:22

6:17-25 Moses gives charge to keep God's commandments. Negligence will ruin us; but we cannot be saved without diligence. It is our interest, as well as our duty, to be religious. It will be our life. Godliness has the promise of the continuance and comfort of the life that now is, as far as it is for God's glory. It will be our righteousness. It is only through the Mediator we can be righteous before God. The knowledge of the spirituality and excellency of the holy law of God, is suited to show sinful man his need of a Saviour, and to prepare his heart to welcome a free salvation. The gospel honours the law, not only in the perfect obedience of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ; but in that it is a plan for bringing back apostate rebels and enemies, by repentance, faith, forgiveness, and renewing grace, to love God above all things, even in this world; and in the world above, to love him perfectly, even as angels love him.

And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and sore,.... Meaning the ten plagues, which were signs of the power of God, marvellous works, great, above the power of nature, and very sore or "evil" (y); very distressing to the Egyptians; for they came and lay heavy upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes; upon the king, his courtiers, and the whole land, and which were done publicly in the sight of the people of Israel, as well as the Egyptians; and there were some then living, though at that time when wrought under twenty years, who saw with their own eyes what were done to them, and could never forget them. Here also the Targum of Jonathan has it,"and the Word of the Lord sent signs, &c'' (y) "et pessima", V. L. Junius & Tremellius; "et noxia", Tigurine version; "et mala", Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator.

The command "to swear by His Name" is not inconsistent with the Lord's injunction Matthew 5:34 , "Swear not at all." Moses refers to legal swearing, our Lord to swearing in common conversation. It is not the purpose of Moses to encourage the practice of taking oaths, but to forbid that, when taken, they should be taken in any other name than that of Israel's God. The oath involves an invocation of Deity, and so a solemn recognition of Him whose Name is made use of in it. Hence, it comes especially within the scope of the commandment Moses is enforcing.

In Deuteronomy 6:20-25 , the teaching to the children, which is only briefly hinted at in Deuteronomy 6:7 , is more fully explained. The Israelites were to instruct their children and descendants as to the nature, meaning, and object of the commandments of the Lord; and in reply to the inquiries of their sons, to teach them what the Lord had done for the redemption of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, and how He had brought them into the promised land, and thus to awaken in the younger generation love to the Lord and to His commandments. The "great and sore miracles" ( Deuteronomy 6:22 ) were the Egyptian plagues, like מפתּים, in Deuteronomy 4:34 . - "To fear," etc., i.e., that we might fear the Lord.

In Deuteronomy 6:20-25 , the teaching to the children, which is only briefly hinted at in Deuteronomy 6:7 , is more fully explained. The Israelites were to instruct their children and descendants as to the nature, meaning, and object of the commandments of the Lord; and in reply to the inquiries of their sons, to teach them what the Lord had done for the redemption of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, and how He had brought them into the promised land, and thus to awaken in the younger generation love to the Lord and to His commandments. The "great and sore miracles" ( Deuteronomy 6:22 ) were the Egyptian plagues, like מפתּים, in Deuteronomy 4:34 . - "To fear," etc., i.e., that we might fear the Lord.

[Bible] 6:14. You shall not go after the strange gods of all the nations, that are round about you: 6:15. Because the Lord thy God is a jealous God in the midst of thee: lest at any time the wrath of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and take thee away from the face of the earth. 6:16. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, as thou temptedst him in the place of temptation. 6:17. Keep the precepts of the Lord thy God, and the testimonies and ceremonies which he hath commanded thee. 6:18. And do that which is pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with thee: and going in thou mayst possess the goodly land, concerning which the Lord swore to thy fathers, 6:19. That he would destroy all thy enemies before thee, as he hath spoken. 6:20. And when thy son shall ask thee to morrow, saying: What mean these testimonies, and ceremonies and judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded us? 6:21. Thou shalt say to him: We were bondmen of Pharao in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand. 6:22. And he wrought signs and wonders great and very grievous in Egypt against Pharao, and all his house, in our sight, 6:23. And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in and give us the land, concerning which he swore to our fathers. 6:24. And the Lord commanded that we should do all these ordinances, and should fear the Lord our God, that it might be well with us all the days of our life, as it is at this day. 6:25. And he will be merciful to us, if we keep and do all his precepts before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us. Deuteronomy Chapter 7 No league nor fellowship to be made with the Chanaanites: God promiseth his people his blessing and assistance, if they keep his commandments.