Deuteronomy 6 15

Deuteronomy 6:15 kjv

(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 6:15 nkjv

(for the LORD your God is a jealous God among you), lest the anger of the LORD your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 6:15 niv

for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.

Deuteronomy 6:15 esv

for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God ? lest the anger of the LORD your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 6:15 nlt

for the LORD your God, who lives among you, is a jealous God. His anger will flare up against you, and he will wipe you from the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 6 verses

Deuteronomy 6 15 Meaning

Deuteronomy 6:15 declares that the Lord your God demands exclusive devotion, for He is a zealous God who will not tolerate idolatry among His people. His divine jealousy stems from His righteous nature and protective love for His covenant community. Should the Israelites engage in the worship of other gods, His severe anger will be kindled, resulting in their complete destruction and removal from the promised land. This verse serves as a powerful warning to uphold the covenant faithfully by worshiping only Him.

Deuteronomy 6 15 Context

Deuteronomy 6:15 is part of Moses' farewell address to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The preceding verses (Deut 6:4-9) contain the foundational "Shema," emphasizing the oneness of God and the command to love Him with absolute devotion. Moses urges the new generation to remember Yahweh alone, His covenant, and His mighty acts. This verse directly follows a warning against forgetting God when they become prosperous (Deut 6:10-14) and beginning to serve other gods, specifically the deities of the Canaanite nations they are about to dispossess. It provides the severe rationale and consequence for such disobedience, serving as a powerful deterrent and reinforcing the central demand for monotheistic worship and singular allegiance to the covenant.

Deuteronomy 6 15 Word analysis

• for the Lord: "כִּי יְהוָה" (ki Yahweh) - "Ki" introduces the reason or explanation for the preceding commands (to fear, serve, and swear by Yahweh alone, and not go after other gods). "Yahweh" is the personal, covenant name of God, highlighting His unique relationship with Israel.
• your God: "אֱלֹהֶיךָ" (Eloheikha) - "Elohim" is the general term for God, but with the possessive suffix "your," it underscores the specific, personal, and exclusive covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel. He is their God, demanding their exclusive allegiance.
• is a jealous God: "אֵל קַנָּא" (El Qanna) - "El" means God, strong one. "Qanna" (קַנָּא) describes a consuming zeal, fervent intolerance of rivals, and a demand for exclusive allegiance. This is not human envy driven by insecurity, but divine jealousy rooted in His holy character and love for His people. He zealously guards His covenant honor and the well-being of His people from the ruinous consequences of idolatry, which He knows will defile and destroy them. This contrasts sharply with the permissive polytheism of the surrounding cultures.
• among you: "בְּקִרְבֶּךָ" (beqirbekha) - Signifies God's active, watchful presence within the Israelite community. This presence makes idolatry a direct affront to His face, deepening the offense and the immediacy of consequences. His very dwelling "among them" underscores their accountability and the severity of violating the covenant within His holy presence.
• lest: "פֶּן" (pen) - A strong cautionary conjunction, indicating a real danger or feared negative outcome if the preceding warning is not heeded. It conveys the immediacy and certainty of the consequences.
• the anger of the Lord: "יֶחֱרֶה אַף יְהוָה" (yekhereh af Yahweh) - "Yekhereh af" literally means "burns the nose," a vivid Hebrew idiom for intense anger or fury. This indicates God's fierce, consuming indignation against disloyalty and covenant breaking. It is a righteous wrath, not a capricious outburst.
• your God: "אֱלֹהֶיךָ" (Eloheikha) - Repeats the emphasis on the covenant relationship. It is their own God, whom they chose and who chose them, who will be angered by their apostasy.
• be aroused against you: "בָּךְ" (bakh) - "Against you." The anger is directly aimed at the disobedient nation.
• and destroy you: "וְהִשְׁמִידְךָ" (vehishmidekha) - "Vehishmid" (הִשְׁמִיד) is a verb signifying complete and utter extermination or annihilation. This is a severe consequence, indicating the national destruction and expulsion from the land.
• from the face of the earth: "מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה" (me'al penei ha'adamah) - This phrase denotes a complete removal, utterly wiping them out or banishing them from their place, echoing the language of primeval judgments like the Flood. It means loss of national identity, territory, and potentially life.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "for the Lord your God is a jealous God among you": This phrase establishes the divine premise for Israel's exclusive devotion. God's nature ("jealous God") and His proximity ("among you") mean He demands singular worship and active presence, intolerance for any spiritual competition.
• "lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you": This outlines the immediate and personal danger of disobedience. The intimate covenant relationship ("your God") heightens the offense and guarantees His direct punitive response if His commands are violated.
• "and destroy you from the face of the earth": This specifies the ultimate, devastating consequence of breaking faith: national obliteration and expulsion from the promised land, signaling a complete reversal of covenant blessings and perhaps even existential ruin.

Deuteronomy 6 15 Bonus section

• The concept of God being "Qanna" (jealous) in Deuteronomy is deeply connected to His role as covenant-maker and covenant-keeper. His jealousy ensures the purity and integrity of the relationship, protecting His people from spiritual adultery that would inevitably lead to their destruction, as seen throughout the prophetic literature (e.g., Ezekiel and Hosea, where Israel's idolatry is depicted as whoredom).
• The progression from jealousy to anger to destruction demonstrates God's consistent nature: His holy love, when spurned by disloyalty, turns to righteous wrath, culminating in judicial consequences.
• Deuteronomy, as a whole, functions as a covenant renewal document, reminding Israel of the terms and consequences of their agreement with God before entering the land. This verse is a powerful summary of the dangers of covenant violation.
• The intensity of the warning to be destroyed "from the face of the earth" echoes God's judgments against primeval rebellion (like the Flood in Gen 6:7) and signifies a complete severance of God's presence and blessings, and thus, loss of identity and existence for the nation as a people set apart by God.

Deuteronomy 6 15 Commentary

Deuteronomy 6:15 is a foundational statement affirming Yahweh's uniqueness and His exclusive right to Israel's worship. His "jealousy" is not a human flaw, but a holy attribute born of His perfect love and zeal for the purity and well-being of His covenant people. Idolatry, whether worshipping other deities or allowing anything else to usurp God's place in their hearts, directly affronts His nature and His exclusive claim on them. Because God dwells "among" His people, His holiness requires immediate and decisive judgment against any challenge to His sovereignty. The consequence of provoking His "anger"—utter destruction from the land—underscores the gravity of apostasy. This serves as a stark warning, compelling Israel to uphold their covenant fidelity and maintain singular devotion, ensuring their flourishing in the land He promised.