Matthew Poole's Commentary 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: The end of the commandment, obedience, Deu 6:1,2. He exhorts them thereto, Deu 6:3. The unity of the Divine essence asserted, Deu 6:4. The duty required of the Israelites, Deu 6:5; to love God, Deu 6:5,6; and teach their children, Deu 6:7; to use signs, as memorials of it, Deu 6:8,9. Not to forget God in prosperity, Deu 6:10-12. Not to worship other gods, Deu 6:13-15. Not to tempt God, Deu 6:16; but keep his commandments, Deu 6:17; and to transmit the knowledge of God’s works to their posterity, Deu 6:20-25. No text from Poole on this verse. 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. That thou mightest fear the Lord, which he hereby implies to be the first principle of true obedience. 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. No text from Poole on this verse. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: One in essence, and the only object of our worship. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Now he shows another spring or principle of sincere obedience to God, even hearty love to God, which will make his work and service easy; and that the fear he mentioned before, Deu 6:2, was such as would consist with love to God, and not that slavish fear and honour which produceth hatred. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: i.e. In thy mind to remember them, and meditate upon them, and in thy affection to love and pursue them. 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 them diligently, Heb. whet, or sharpen them, so as they may pierce deep into their hearts. This metaphor signifies the manner of instructing them, that it is to be done diligently, earnestly, frequently, discreetly, and dexterously. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. Thou shalt give all diligence, and use all means, to keep them in thy remembrance, as men ofttimes bind something upon their hands, or put it before their eyes, to prevent forgetfulness of a thing which they much desire to remember: compare Proverbs 3:3 6:21 7:3. See Poole "Exodus 13:16". And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. No text from Poole on this verse. 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, No text from Poole on this verse. 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; No text from Poole on this verse. Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. No text from Poole on this verse. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. When thou hast a call and just cause to swear. By his name, understand only, as Deu 5:2, not by idols, or any creatures. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; No text from Poole on this verse. (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. Among you, Heb. in the midst of you, to see and observe all your ways and your turnings aside to other gods. Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. i.e. Not provoke him, as the following instance explains. Sinners, especially presumptuous sinners, are oft said to tempt God, i.e. to make a trial of God, whether he be what he pretends to be, so wise as to see their sins, so just and true and powerful as to take vengeance on them for their sins, concerning which they are very apt to doubt because of the present impunity and prosperity of many such persons. See Numbers 14:22 Psalm 78:18 Matthew 4:7 Acts 5:9. Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. No text from Poole on this verse. 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, Not that which is right in thine own eyes, as many superstitious and sinful practices seem right and good to evil-minded men. Let God’s will and word, and not thine own fancy or invention, be thy rule in God’s service. Good actions are oft said to be right in God’s sight, as Jeremiah 34:15 Acts 4:19; and evil actions are oft said to be right in our own eyes, as Deu 12:8 Judges 17:6. To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken. No text from Poole on this verse. 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? No text from Poole on this verse. 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: No text from Poole on this verse. And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: No text from Poole on this verse. And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. No text from Poole on this verse. 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. The benefit of obedience is ours, not God’s Job 35:7 and therefore our obedience is highly reasonable, and absolutely necessary. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us. Heb. righteousness shall be to us. and pronounced by God to be truly righteous and holy persons, if we sincerely obey him, otherwise we shall be declared to be unrighteous and ungodly persons, and all our profession of religion will appear to be in hypocrisy. Or, mercy shall be to us, or with us. For as the Hebrew word rendered righteousness is very oft put for mercy, as Psalm 24:5 36:10 51:14 Proverbs 10:2 11:4 Daniel 9:16, &c.; so this sense seems best to agree both with the Scripture use of this phrase, in which righteousness, seldom or never, to my remembrance, but grace or mercy frequently, is said to be to us or with us, as 2 Samuel 15:20 Psalm 89:24 Proverbs 14:22 Galatians 6:16 2Jo 1:3; and with the foregoing verse and argument, God, saith he, Deu 6:24, commanded these things for our good, that he might preserve us alive, as it is this day. And, saith he in this verse, this is not all; for as he hath done us good, so he will go on to do us more and more good, and God’s mercy shall be to us, or with us, in the remainder of our lives, and for ever, if we observe, & c. |
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