Deuteronomy 6:1-3 > Bearing the Decalogue

Author's Translation

(1) Now this is the commandmentְ the statues and the specification which YHWH, your [pl] God, commanded me to teach you [pl] with the purpose that you would do them in the land which you [pl] are crossing over there to possess; (2) that you [sg] would fear YHWH, your [sg] God, that you would keep all of his statutes and commandments which I command you [sg], your [sg] children and your [sg] children's children all the days of your [sg] life so that your [sg] days may be lengthened. (3) Hear, therefore, Israel and you [sg] keep them in order to do them which are good for you [sg] and which will multiply you [sg] exceedingly as YHWH, the God of your [sg] fathers, promised to you [sg]: a land flowing with milk and honey.

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia

1 וְזֹאת הַמִּצְוָה הַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם לְלַמֵּד אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ׃ 2 לְמַעַן תִּירָא אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹר אֶת־כָּל־חֻקֹּתָיו וּמִצְוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּךָ אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבֶן־בִּנְךָ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ וּלְמַעַן יַאֲרִכֻן יָמֶיךָ׃ 3 וְשָׁמַעְתָּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשָׁמַרְתָּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לְךָ וַאֲשֶׁר תִּרְבּוּן מְאֹד כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֶיךָ לָךְ אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ׃ פ

This passage follows the Decalogue (so called Ten Commandments), being a description of God’s holy and righteous nature. That description implicates all of humanity because every individual person is created in the image of the one the Decalogue describes. Therefore, it is no wonder that Deuteronomy 5 and 6 are one literary unit. In other words, chapter 5 describes to us who God is. Chapter 6 then describes for us how those created in his image will live in light of the fact that human beings are the image of God.

So the imperative of the Decalogue is that it describes for us the archetype whom we are to reflect as image, to be like. God does not steal and therefore we seek to be like him in integrity. God does not tolerate spiritual rebellion (idolatry) nor should we with a view to ourselves.

Thus we see that the heinousness of sin is not primarily seen in the fact that the Law of God is broken, but that we who were created as image, to be like God, do what is precisely and explicitly unlike Him. In fearing God we dare not view ourselves as autonomous. We seek after Him, longing that He would receive His due. He promises abundant rest that he has been faithful to provide to His people. The dirt of Palestine has always prefigured the Lord Jesus who would come and demonstrate himself to be the water and bread of life, the land flowing with milk and honey.