Deuteronomy 26:16 kjv
This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
Deuteronomy 26:16 nkjv
"This day the LORD your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 26:16 niv
The LORD your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 26:16 esv
"This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 26:16 nlt
"Today the LORD your God has commanded you to obey all these decrees and regulations. So be careful to obey them wholeheartedly.
Deuteronomy 26 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 6:5 | "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart... soul... might." | Great Commandment; wholeness of love & devotion. |
| Deut 10:12 | "what does the LORD your God require... but to fear... love... serve... all your heart and all your soul..." | God's expectation for internal commitment. |
| Deut 11:13 | "if you will diligently obey... to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul..." | Condition for blessing; comprehensive service. |
| Matt 22:37 | "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." | Jesus reaffirms core command of total love. |
| Mark 12:30 | "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." | Adds "strength" to the comprehensive devotion. |
| Luke 10:27 | "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind." | Jesus' summary of the greatest commandment. |
| Deut 5:1 | "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules... and you shall learn them and be careful to do them." | Calls for learning and careful obedience. |
| Deut 7:12 | "if you pay attention to these rules and keep and do them..." | Emphasizes the doing of the commands for covenant. |
| Deut 11:22 | "if you diligently keep all this commandment... loving the LORD your God... cleaving to Him..." | Link between diligent keeping and love for God. |
| Deut 28:1 | "if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments..." | Obedience leads to blessings and elevation. |
| Josh 1:7 | "Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law..." | Joshua exhorted to faithful adherence to the law. |
| Ps 1:2 | "but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night." | A person of integrity delights in God's law. |
| Ps 119:34 | "Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law and observe it with my whole heart." | Desire for divine help in wholehearted obedience. |
| Prov 3:1 | "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments..." | The importance of internalizing instruction. |
| Jer 31:33 | "I will put My law within them, and I will write it on their hearts." | Prophecy of the New Covenant's internalized law. |
| Ezek 36:26-27 | "And I will give you a new heart... and cause you to walk in My statutes..." | God enabling obedience through inner transformation. |
| John 14:15 | "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." | Jesus links love for Him directly to obedience. |
| John 14:21 | "Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me." | Active obedience is the proof of love. |
| John 15:10 | "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love..." | Obedience as a way to remain in Christ's love. |
| James 1:22 | "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." | Practical application of truth, not just hearing. |
| 1 John 5:3 | "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." | Keeping commands is a defining characteristic of love for God. |
| Rev 22:14 | "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates." | Implicit blessing on those who follow God's commands. (Older translations mentioned 'doing commands') |
Deuteronomy 26 verses
Deuteronomy 26 16 Meaning
Deuteronomy 26:16 declares a solemn charge given by God to Israel on the threshold of the Promised Land. It emphasizes the immediacy ("This day"), the divine authority ("the LORD your God commands you"), and the totality ("with all your heart and with all your soul") of the commitment required to diligently obey the established statutes and ordinances. It is a climactic summary exhorting the people to internalize and actively live out God's covenant laws as their defining identity.
Deuteronomy 26 16 Context
Deuteronomy 26:16 concludes a significant section (Deuteronomy 12-26) detailing specific laws and regulations for Israel. Following instructions on offering firstfruits (vv. 1-11) and the triennial tithe (vv. 12-15), which both emphasized remembering God's providence and caring for the vulnerable, this verse serves as a climactic charge. Moses, speaking to the new generation on the plains of Moab, brings home the weight of all the previous injunctions. It frames the entire legal section within the context of an urgent, total, and continuous commitment from Israel to their covenant God before they enter the Promised Land. This moment is not merely about reciting laws but about embracing a way of life defined by YHWH's authority and His just decrees.
Deuteronomy 26 16 Word analysis
- This day (הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - hayyom hazzeh): Emphasizes the immediacy and solemnity of the moment. It signifies a decisive, present-tense act of commitment and is a common phrase in Deuteronomy to mark crucial junctures of covenant declaration, urging contemporary application, not just historical remembrance.
- the LORD your God (יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - YHWH Eloheikha): "YHWH" is God's covenant name, signifying His personal, relational aspect as Israel's God. "Eloheikha" (your God) stresses the particular relationship He has established with Israel. This highlights that the commands issue from a God who is intimately involved and uniquely theirs.
- commands you (מְצַוְךָ - metzavka from צָוָה, tzavah): Denotes a forceful, authoritative instruction from one in a superior position. It is not merely a suggestion but a binding decree. This reflects God's sovereignty and Israel's subservient role in the covenant.
- to observe (לַעֲשׂוֹת - la'asot, lit. "to do" or "to make"): Implies active performance, not just mental agreement or theoretical knowledge. Obedience is demonstrated through action.
- these statutes (אֶת הַחֻקִּים - et hachukkim): Derived from חֹק (choq), referring to prescribed laws, decrees, or fixed ordinances, often ceremonial or cultic in nature. These are foundational laws established by divine authority, which might not always have obvious human reasoning but are to be accepted as divine mandates.
- and ordinances (וְאֶת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים - ve'et hammishpatim): Derived from מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), referring to judgments, justice, legal rulings, or applications of law in civil and social contexts. These are often case-based or deal with equitable social relations, reflecting God's righteousness and justice in society.
- so you shall be careful (וּשְׁמַרְתָּ לַעֲשׂוֹתָם - u'shmarta la'asotam): From שָׁמַר (shamar), meaning to guard, keep, preserve, or diligently observe. It signifies a watchful, meticulous attention and sustained effort to ensure the commands are done, highlighting the deliberate intention required.
- to do them (לַעֲשׂוֹתָם - la'asotam): Repetition of the emphasis on active, practical obedience.
- with all your heart (בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ - bekhol-levav'kha): The Hebrew "heart" (levav) signifies the core of a person's inner being—their intellect, will, affections, and moral choice. This calls for complete internal devotion, where motives and desires are fully aligned with God's will.
- and with all your soul (וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ - u'bekhol-nafsh'kha): The Hebrew "soul" (nefesh) represents the entire living being, including emotions, desires, and the very life force. This means a comprehensive and passionate dedication that engages one's deepest vitality and personal essence.
Words-group analysis
- "This day the LORD your God commands you": This phrase asserts God's immediate and supreme authority over Israel's present actions and future destiny. The "this day" imparts urgency and significance, indicating a covenant renewal moment where commitment is required now. It underscores that obedience is a response to the direct, personal command of their covenant God.
- "to observe these statutes and ordinances": This pairing covers the full breadth of God's revealed law—both the fixed divine decrees (chukkim) and the righteous applications of justice in daily life (mishpatim). It implies that Israel's obedience must be comprehensive, encompassing all aspects of their religious, moral, and social life as a people set apart.
- "so you shall be careful to do them": This emphasizes the diligent and deliberate nature of obedience. It’s not just a casual observance but a mindful, meticulous effort. "Careful to do" implies proactive watchfulness against transgression and a dedicated commitment to fulfilling every command.
- "with all your heart and with all your soul": This is a powerful expression demanding total devotion. It highlights that obedience must not be merely external or perfunctory, but arise from the deepest parts of one's being—one's mind, will, affections, and entire vitality. It implies wholehearted enthusiasm, purity of motive, and complete commitment of every facet of one's existence to God's ways, rather than ritual without sincerity.
Deuteronomy 26 16 Bonus section
This verse signifies the conclusion of Moses' legislative exposition and sets the stage for the formal covenant ceremony in chapters 27-30. It underscores the pedagogical intent of Deuteronomy—Moses is teaching and imploring the next generation to commit fully to the covenant before them. The commands given "this day" establish Israel as a theocratic nation, unique among the nations, with their life structured by God's perfect law. The internal disposition ("heart and soul") is key, as mere external performance without inward conviction was already being guarded against, and later explicitly critiqued by the prophets and by Jesus Himself. This ideal of wholehearted devotion serves as a timeless benchmark for genuine faith and worship for all who would be God's people.
Deuteronomy 26 16 Commentary
Deuteronomy 26:16 is a capstone verse that encapsulates the spirit of Deuteronomy and the essence of covenant living. It forcefully reiterates that the Law of the LORD is not merely a collection of rules, but a divine command that demands comprehensive and internal dedication. The repeated emphasis on "this day" conveys urgency, asserting that Israel's commitment to YHWH's commands is not a future possibility but an immediate necessity. Obedience must stem from a holistic engagement of one's entire being ("all your heart and all your soul"), implying genuine affection and devoted purpose, transcending mere external conformity. This complete and heartfelt surrender to God's righteous statutes and ordinances is the foundational requirement for Israel to prosper and be a distinct people in the land promised to them. It foreshadows the deeper, internal obedience characteristic of the New Covenant, where God writes His laws upon the heart, enabling true obedience by His Spirit.