Deuteronomy 5:13 kjv
Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work:
Deuteronomy 5:13 nkjv
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
Deuteronomy 5:13 niv
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
Deuteronomy 5:13 esv
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
Deuteronomy 5:13 nlt
You have six days each week for your ordinary work,
Deuteronomy 5 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 20:9 | "Six days you shall labor, and do all your work..." | Direct parallel to the Decalogue's work command |
| Gen 1:28 | "Be fruitful and multiply... fill the earth and subdue it..." | God's initial command for humanity to work and manage the earth |
| Gen 2:15 | "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it." | Mankind's initial call to labor even before the fall |
| Prov 6:6-8 | "Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her food in summer and gathers her provision in harvest." | Admonition to diligence and foresight through observing the ant |
| Prov 10:4 | "A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." | Contrast between idleness leading to poverty and diligence to prosperity |
| Prov 12:11 | "Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread..." | The fruitfulness derived from honest labor |
| Prov 14:23 | "In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty." | The value of productive effort over idle talk |
| Prov 22:29 | "Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings..." | Recognition and elevation for those diligent in their craft |
| Prov 24:30-34 | "I passed by the field of a sluggard... behold, it was all overgrown with thorns... a little sleep, a little slumber..." | Warning against laziness and its ruinous consequences |
| Eccl 3:22 | "So I perceived that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works..." | Finding joy and purpose in one's labor |
| Ps 128:2 | "You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you." | God's blessing and provision connected to one's honest work |
| Neh 4:6 | "So we built the wall... for the people had a mind to work." | Collective effort and willingness to work for God's purposes |
| Matt 25:26 | "You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown..." | Condemnation of the lazy servant in the Parable of the Talents |
| 1 Cor 15:58 | "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." | Encouragement for believers to be diligent in spiritual labor |
| Eph 4:28 | "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." | Labor as a means for personal provision and generosity to others |
| Col 3:23 | "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men..." | Christian work ethic: performing tasks with dedication as unto God |
| 1 Thess 4:11-12 | "And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your own hands... so that you may walk properly before outsiders..." | Labor as a testament to good conduct and Christian witness |
| 2 Thess 3:10-12 | "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat... we urge... that by working quietly they earn their own living." | The principle of productive work for self-sustenance, condemning idleness |
| Heb 4:9-10 | "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God... for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his." | Understanding Christian 'rest' in light of the Sabbath, implying completed earthly works in anticipation of spiritual rest |
| Rev 14:13 | "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord... for their deeds follow them." | A reminder that works done in the Lord are eternally remembered |
Deuteronomy 5 verses
Deuteronomy 5 13 Meaning
Deuteronomy 5:13 sets the divine expectation for human activity during the six days preceding the Sabbath. It is a positive command, instructing diligent engagement in one's responsibilities, occupations, and duties. This command establishes a principle of productive labor as a fundamental aspect of human existence, balancing it with the mandated day of rest. It signifies that work is not merely a necessity but a divinely ordained activity, foundational to maintaining order, providing sustenance, and utilizing the gifts God has given.
Deuteronomy 5 13 Context
Deuteronomy 5 re-presents the Ten Commandments to the generation poised to enter the Promised Land, approximately 40 years after their initial promulgation at Mount Sinai (Exod 20). Moses recounts God's covenant with Israel, emphasizing that these laws are not merely abstract principles but lived instructions for a people chosen and redeemed by God. The re-articulation includes minor variations that provide fresh emphasis and interpretation. For the Fourth Commandment concerning the Sabbath (Deut 5:12-15), the instruction to "six days you shall labor and do all your work" directly precedes the injunction to keep the Sabbath holy. This verse anchors the Sabbath command not just in God's creation rest (as in Exod 20:11) but also implicitly in Israel's liberation from the bondage of Egypt (Deut 5:15). In Egypt, they knew no rest; thus, the freedom to work purposefully for six days and then genuinely rest was a profound gift of their newfound liberty. The command provides a framework for ordered, productive life within the covenant, setting boundaries around time, and highlighting the dignity of labor, in contrast to the potential idleness or slave-labor found in surrounding pagan societies.
Deuteronomy 5 13 Word analysis
- Six days (Sheshet yamim - שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים):
- This specifies the period for activity, contrasting with the one day of rest.
- It echoes the pattern of God's creative work (Gen 1).
- It defines a divine and natural rhythm for life and productivity.
- you shall labor (Taʿăvod - תַּעֲבֹ֖ד from the root ʿavad (עָבַד)):
- ʿavad broadly means "to serve, work, till, be a slave." Here, it points to physical and intellectual exertion.
- The imperative form indicates a command, not an option.
- It signifies engaged effort in one's calling or daily tasks.
- This term is rich, also implying service, emphasizing that work can be a form of service to God and others.
- and do (uʿasita - וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ from the root ʿasah (עָשָׂה)):
- ʿasah means "to do, make, perform, accomplish."
- It complements "labor" by emphasizing the actual accomplishment or completion of tasks.
- This suggests effectiveness and completion in one's endeavors.
- all your work (kol-melaḵtĕḵa - כָּל־מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ׃ from melakah (מְלָאכָה)):
- Melakah refers to work, occupation, business, craftsmanship, or any activity requiring skill and effort.
- The addition of kol ("all") emphasizes comprehensiveness, indicating that one's entire spectrum of regular daily responsibilities and productive activities falls within this scope.
- It underscores that the command applies to all aspects of one's professional or household duties, whatever their nature.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Six days you shall labor": This phrase establishes the primary expectation of active engagement in productive tasks for the majority of the week. It mandates a diligent work ethic and counters tendencies towards idleness. The phrasing "you shall labor" asserts work as a duty and a natural expression of human existence, mirroring God's own pattern of work in creation before resting.
- "and do all your work": This expands on "labor," specifying the scope and completeness expected. It's not just about exerting effort, but about carrying out and finishing all the assigned or undertaken tasks within one's sphere of responsibility. "All your work" conveys that every legitimate occupation, craft, and duty is to be performed thoroughly and without reserve within the given time frame. It prevents selective idleness or negligence of certain duties.
Deuteronomy 5 13 Bonus section
The commandment to work for six days implicitly promotes healthy physical activity and engagement, as well as mental discipline. It counters the ancient world's frequent view of manual labor as demeaning, reserving it for slaves. Instead, the Bible dignifies all honest work. This command also highlights the practical wisdom of God's law for economic stability: a diligent workforce supports itself and contributes to communal prosperity, averting destitution caused by idleness. Furthermore, the imperative for comprehensive work ("all your work") implicitly addresses the temptation to leave tasks incomplete or shirk certain duties, reinforcing a commitment to thoroughness and excellence in all legitimate endeavors before observing the rest that God provides. This prepares a person to truly cease their labor, knowing their duties have been attended to.
Deuteronomy 5 13 Commentary
Deuteronomy 5:13, though seemingly a simple instruction, forms a crucial foundation for both individual flourishing and societal stability. It presents diligent work not merely as an economic necessity but as a divine expectation and a dignified human activity. This verse, within the larger Sabbath commandment, provides the essential pre-requisite for genuine rest: one must first complete their "work." The emphasis on "six days" highlights God's established rhythm for humanity, allowing for both sustained effort and a commanded cessation for spiritual reflection and renewal.
This command underscores a divinely balanced life where periods of activity are purposeful and productive. It discourages sloth and encourages competence, providing a blueprint for stewardship over time and resources. The "work" refers to all one's daily vocations, crafts, and duties, implying that all honest labor holds dignity. This principle promotes personal responsibility, contributing to self-sufficiency and the well-being of the community. In a practical sense, it motivates individuals to plan their time, apply themselves diligently to tasks, and avoid procrastination, ensuring that their daily responsibilities are met before the advent of the sacred day of rest. This balance of diligent work and dedicated rest fosters physical, mental, and spiritual health, reflecting God's own example of creation and rest.