Deuteronomy 11 18

Deuteronomy 11:18 kjv

Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

Deuteronomy 11:18 nkjv

"Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

Deuteronomy 11:18 niv

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

Deuteronomy 11:18 esv

"You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

Deuteronomy 11:18 nlt

"So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.

Deuteronomy 11 verses

Deuteronomy 11 18 Meaning

Deuteronomy 11:18 instructs the Israelites to deeply internalize God's laws within their very being and to outwardly express these commands through their actions and thoughts. It signifies a holistic and continuous devotion to divine instruction, urging that God's word profoundly shape their inner convictions and be perpetually visible in their daily conduct and worldview. This command is foundational for covenant faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 11 18 Context

Deuteronomy 11:18 is situated within Moses' second major discourse to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. This chapter, particularly following the fundamental commands of the Shema (Deu 6:4-9), reinforces the absolute necessity of wholehearted love for God and complete obedience to His statutes. Chapter 11 serves as an exhortation to remember God's mighty acts (vv. 2-7) and to consider the blessings associated with faithfulness (vv. 8-17) versus the curses of disobedience (vv. 16-17, 26-28). Verse 18 then prescribes the means by which this deep obedience is to be achieved: the internalization and perpetual external manifestation of God's words. Historically, the Israelites were about to enter a land inhabited by polytheistic peoples whose worship involved fertility rites and idol worship. The command for total devotion to Yahweh served as a strong polemic against such contemporary beliefs, demanding singular loyalty and pervasive application of divine truth, impacting every sphere of life.

Deuteronomy 11 18 Word analysis

• Therefore (וְשַׂמְתֶּם - v’samtem): Implies a consequence or conclusion from the preceding verses, which discuss the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience. It links the command to the larger theme of covenant fidelity.

• you shall lay up / you shall fix (וְשַׂמְתֶּם - v’samtem): From the Hebrew verb שׂוּם (sum), meaning "to put," "to place," or "to set." This denotes a deliberate and permanent placement. It’s not a temporary action but a deep embedding, akin to depositing something valuable for safekeeping.

• these words of mine (דְּבָרַי אֵלֶּה - d’varay elleh): Refers to the commandments, statutes, and laws that God had revealed to Moses, constituting the covenant instructions. "My words" emphasizes divine authority and ownership.

• in your heart (עַל־לְבַבְכֶם - al levavchem): Levav (לֵבָב) signifies the inner being—the mind, will, intellect, and emotions. To "lay up" words in the heart means to comprehend them deeply, accept them wholeheartedly, internalize them as governing principles, and hold them in memory.

• and in your soul (וְעַל־נַפְשְׁכֶם - v’al nafshchem): Nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) represents the entire person, including vitality, life, and personality. It implies that God's words should penetrate every aspect of one's being, animating and guiding their whole existence.

• and bind them (וּקְשַׁרְתֶּם - u'q’shartem): From קָשַׁר (qashar), "to bind," "to tie," "to knot." This verb suggests a strong, secure, and inescapable attachment. It implies a visible, outward commitment that cannot be easily loosened or forgotten.

• as a sign (לְאוֹת - l’ot): Ot (אוֹת) means "sign," "token," or "marker." Something that serves as a constant reminder or a public declaration. It’s an observable symbol of commitment.

• on your hand (עַל־יֶדְכֶם - al yedchem): Yad (יָד) signifies the hand, which represents action, work, labor, and power. Binding the words on the hand means that one's actions and deeds should be continually guided and shaped by God's commandments. It signifies the practical outworking of the internalized word.

• and they shall be as frontlets (וּלְטֹטָפֹת - u'l'ṭoṭafot): Totafot (טֹטָפֹת) specifically refers to "phylacteries" or headbands, though its etymology is uncertain, possibly meaning "to bind" or "repetitions."

• between your eyes (בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם - bein eineychem): The area of the forehead, between the eyes. This symbolizes what is constantly before one's sight, what guides one's thoughts, perceptions, and worldview. It means that God's laws should inform one's thinking, judgment, and the way they perceive the world, directing their paths and decisions.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "in your heart and in your soul": Emphasizes comprehensive internal commitment. Not merely intellectual assent but emotional and volitional absorption, permeating the entire inner person. It’s about passionate conviction and complete alignment of one's will with God’s.
  • "bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes": This parallel phrasing uses visible markers to signify constant engagement and remembrance. It moves from internal commitment to external manifestation. The hand represents actions, the eyes/forehead represent thoughts and worldview. Together, they signify that God's word is to govern both what they do and how they think and see. While later Judaism interpreted this literally (leading to tefillin or phylacteries), the original intent is deeply metaphorical, urging consistent mindfulness and active obedience in every facet of life.

Deuteronomy 11 18 Bonus section

The concept presented in Deuteronomy 11:18, alongside its parallel in Deuteronomy 6:6-9, forms the bedrock of Jewish education and identity known as "Torah." The continuous emphasis on internalizing and externalizing the law meant that God's covenant was not merely a set of rules but a comprehensive way of life intended to permeate every moment. The symbolic binding on the hand and between the eyes was later literally observed through tefillin (phylacteries), small boxes containing Scripture worn during prayer. While such literal observance developed, the initial spirit of the command focused on profound personal commitment.

Furthermore, this verse implies a teaching aspect—that parents and leaders were not just to possess this word but also to embody it in a way that inherently transfers to the next generation, influencing their thinking and actions. It's a command for spiritual discipline that creates a culture of obedience and memory, combating the natural human tendency towards forgetfulness and drift from divine instruction. The integration of heart, soul, hand, and eyes presents a holistic theology of sanctification, where the believer is wholly dedicated to the Lord.

Deuteronomy 11 18 Commentary

Deuteronomy 11:18 succinctly encapsulates the profound and pervasive obedience God required of His people. It is a divine call to an all-encompassing life saturated with His word, far beyond mere intellectual knowledge or occasional observance. The command to "lay up these words in your heart and soul" speaks to the internal, foundational work—a complete spiritual integration of divine truth, shaping one's affections, intellect, and deepest motivations. This implies not just memory but active love for God's statutes, allowing them to govern the very essence of who one is.

Subsequently, "bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes" mandates the outward, tangible expression of this inner reality. The "hand" symbolizes all human activity and labor, urging that every deed be executed in accordance with God's commands. The "eyes" or "forehead" represents one's perception, thoughts, and guiding principles, requiring that God's law frame one's worldview and decision-making. This instruction serves as a constant, public declaration of their covenant loyalty, differentiating them from surrounding nations whose deities did not demand such moral integration. While these injunctions led to literal practices like phylacteries among Jewish people, the deeper, prophetic meaning remains universal: true faith is demonstrated by a life wholly submitted to God's word, both inwardly through heart-felt devotion and outwardly through righteous actions and godly thinking. The verse calls believers to allow the Bible to shape every fiber of their being and every step they take.

Examples for practical usage:

• Heart/Soul: Meditating on Scripture, actively pursuing biblical wisdom for personal decisions, internalizing principles of love and forgiveness.
• Hand: Practicing generosity (financially, time, skills), working diligently and ethically in one's profession, serving others in tangible ways, speaking truth in everyday conversations.
• Eyes/Frontlets: Viewing global events through a biblical lens, setting moral boundaries for media consumption, allowing God's promises to guide hopes and fears, deliberately focusing thoughts on "what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable" (Phil 4:8).