Deuteronomy 6 5

Deuteronomy 6:5 kjv

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deuteronomy 6:5 nkjv

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6:5 niv

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6:5 esv

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Deuteronomy 6:5 nlt

And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6 verses

Deuteronomy 6 5 Meaning

Deuteronomy 6:5 calls for a total, exclusive, and unwavering devotion to the Lord, Israel's God. This command requires loving God not merely as an emotion but as a complete commitment of one's entire being—intellect, will, emotions, life force, and all physical and material capacities. It serves as the foundational principle for all other commandments and defines the essence of Israel's relationship with Yahweh.

Deuteronomy 6 5 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 6 forms the core of what is known as the "Shema Israel," derived from the opening Hebrew word "Hear" (Shema) in verse 4. This passage is delivered by Moses to the Israelites just before they enter the Promised Land, serving as a powerful exhortation to remember and obey God's laws. It follows chapters that review the history of Israel and re-emphasize the unique nature of their God, Yahweh. Verse 5 is the primary commandment flowing from the declaration in verse 4: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." If God is unique and singular, then the response to Him must be singular and wholehearted. This verse provides the internal disposition necessary for fulfilling all the statutes, decrees, and commandments outlined throughout Deuteronomy. Historically, it contrasts sharply with the polytheistic and syncretistic religious practices of surrounding nations, demanding exclusive loyalty to Yahweh alone.

Deuteronomy 6 5 Word analysis

• You: The immediate and personal second person singular address. It directs the command to each individual Israelite, making the call for love personal and non-transferable.
• shall love (וְאָהַבְתָּ, v’ahavta, from אָהַב, ahav): This is not merely an emotional feeling but a volitional commitment and covenantal allegiance. In Hebrew, ahav often denotes loyalty and a choosing of the will, leading to actions. It implies deep devotion and a faithfulness expressed through obedience and worship, as seen in covenant treaties where love equates to loyalty to the sovereign. It stands in contrast to the perfunctory, ritualistic worship of pagan deities.
• the Lord (יְהוָה, Yahweh): The sacred covenant name of God, revealed to Moses (Ex 3:15). It signifies God's personal, unchanging, and active presence in redemptive history. This command specifies love for this unique God, not just any god. It follows directly from the monotheistic declaration of Deut 6:4, "The Lord is one."
• your God (אֱלֹהֶיךָ, Eloheikha): This possessive emphasizes the exclusive relationship between Israel and Yahweh. He is their particular God, and they are His particular people, established by covenant.
• with all (בְּכָל, b'khol): A critical, intensifying preposition. It signifies absolute comprehensiveness and wholeness, leaving no room for reservation or division. The following three elements (heart, soul, might) together signify "the whole of you."
• your heart (לְבָבְךָ, levavkha, from לֵבָב, levav): In biblical thought, the levav is not just the seat of emotion, but primarily the center of intellect, will, reason, thought, memory, and moral decision-making. To love God with all the heart means to dedicate one's mind, understanding, and deepest intentions wholly to Him.
• and with all your soul (וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ, uv'khol-nafsh'kha, from נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh): The nephesh represents the entire self, the animating principle of life, one's very being, vitality, and personality. Loving God with all your nephesh means dedicating your life force, individual will, passion, and indeed your very existence to Him, even to the point of giving your life.
• and with all your might (וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶךָ, uv'khol-m'od'kha, from מְאֹד, me'od): Me'od literally means "very much," "exceedingly," or "greatly." Here, as a noun, it conveys the fullest measure of one's capacity, resources, or possessions. This refers to outward action, strength, energy, labor, and even material wealth. It means deploying all your external abilities and material means in service and devotion to God.

Words-group analysis:

• "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." This tripartite command for "heart, soul, and might" emphasizes the totality of this demanded love. It's a holistic, undivided, and comprehensive love that engages every aspect of human existence: internal disposition (heart), vital life and self (soul), and external action and capacity (might). It is an integrated call for devotion that leaves no part of the self untouched or withheld. This complete devotion is a polemic against the partial or syncretistic worship common in the ancient world and against mere outward compliance without inward allegiance.

Deuteronomy 6 5 Bonus section

• The progression from heart to soul to might can be seen as a movement from inner commitment to vital energy to outward expression, showing the integrated nature of true devotion.
• This command is often seen as the positive articulation of the First Commandment, "You shall have no other gods before me" (Ex 20:3), emphasizing not just what not to do, but what to do: give oneself wholly to God.
• The Rabbinic tradition heavily emphasizes this verse as the "Great Rule" by which all commandments are evaluated, especially when it comes to Kiddush Hashem (sanctifying God's name, even through martyrdom).
• While Moses gives the law externally, the prophet Jeremiah later points to God's desire to write this very law upon the hearts of His people in a new covenant, making the internal disposition central (Jer 31:33), echoed in Hebrews 8:10.

Deuteronomy 6 5 Commentary

Deuteronomy 6:5 encapsulates the essence of covenant faithfulness for Israel. Following the declaration of God's absolute uniqueness (Deut 6:4), this verse commands an exclusive and comprehensive love for Yahweh. It is a foundational principle, shaping all subsequent instructions. This love is not a passive sentiment but an active, decisive commitment encompassing the entire person: one's intellect, will, emotions (heart); one's very life force and individual being (soul); and all of one's energy, possessions, and abilities (might). It permeates every facet of life, ensuring that allegiance to God is not compartmentalized but is the overarching priority. Jesus Christ Himself identified this as the first and greatest commandment (Matt 22:37-38), emphasizing its enduring relevance for all believers. It underscores that true worship involves the whole self and that obedience flows naturally from such a holistic love for God.