Deuteronomy

Moses gives speeches about laws and the importance of following God before the Israelites enter the Promised Land.

Chapter 6

1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:

*These are the rules your God wants you to follow and teach so you can do them in the land you're going to live in.

2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

*So that you can fear the Lord your God and follow all his rules and commands that I tell you, as well as your son and your grandson, for your entire life, and to have a longer life.

3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

*Listen carefully, Israel, and follow these instructions for your own good and to grow stronger, just like the Lord God of your ancestors promised you, in a land full of milk and honey.

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

*Listen, Israel: Our God, the LORD, is only one LORD.

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

*Love God with all your heart, soul, and strength.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

*And these commands I give you now, should be in your heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

*Teach your children well and talk about these things whenever you are at home, walking, lying down or getting up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

*And you shall fasten them as a symbol on your hand, and they will be like headbands before your eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

*And you should write them on your house's posts and on your gates.

10 And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,

*And when the Lord your God brings you to the land He promised your ancestors - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - you will have large and beautiful cities that you did not build.

11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;

*And homes filled with great things you didn't fill, and wells you didn't dig, along with vineyards and olive trees you didn't plant; when you've eaten and are full.

12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

*Be careful not to forget the Lord who saved you from slavery in Egypt and took you out of captivity.

13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

*You should respect and obey God, and promise things in His name.

14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;

*Do not follow other gods, avoid the gods of the nearby people.

15 (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.

*Because your God is very protective, don't make Him angry or He will punish you and remove you from the world.

16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.

*Do not test God like you did at Massah.

17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.

*Obey the commands, rules, and promises of your God carefully.

18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,

*Do what is right and good in God's eyes. This will bring goodness to you and allow you to take possession of the good land that God promised to your ancestors.

19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken.

*To get rid of all your opponents in front of you, just like the Lord said.

20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you?

*When your child asks you later, "What do the witnesses, rules, and decisions that the Lord our God told us mean?"

21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:

*Then you will tell your child, "We were slaves in Egypt, but the Lord saved us with great power."

22 And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:

*And God displayed big and painful miracles in Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on everyone in his family, for us to see.

23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.

*He took us away from there so he could take us to a new place, fulfilling his promise to give our ancestors the land.

24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.

*And God told us to follow these rules, to respect God, for our own good, so he can keep us safe and alive, just like today.

25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

*If we follow all of God's commands, as He told us to, then it will show that we are right with Him.

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