DEUTERONOMY 5-11. MOSES'SECOND ADDRESS. This contains laws (Deuteronomy 5:6) and (mainly) exhortation based on the fundamental conception of Yahweh's uniqueness. This discourse had probably an independent origin, but it is exceedingly homogeneous, and conforms throughout with the type of composition... [ Continue Reading ]
Exhortation to obey Yahweh's commands, referring to the Decalogue (Deuteronomy 5:6) or to Deuteronomy 12 ff. to which it would make an excellent introduction, as it may have been originally. Deuteronomy 6:1. commandment: better, commandments; Heb. uses the singular where in other languages the plur... [ Continue Reading ]
DEUTERONOMY 6:4 TO DEUTERONOMY 11:32. General precepts resting upon the doctrine that Yahweh is the only true God. Deuteronomy 6:4. Called by Jews the _Shema_ from the first wordHear. The Shema, with other words from Scripture, is written on the parchment in the two phylacteries and in the door mezu... [ Continue Reading ]
In the land promised them they will be tempted to substitute Canaanite deities for Yahweh and to swear by them. Oaths formed part of the social and commercial fabric of the time, and they are not forbidden here. Contrast Christ's teaching (Matthew 6:34 f.). In trading with Caananites it would requir... [ Continue Reading ]
DEUTERONOMY 6:16. See Exodus 17:7 *, _cf._ Matthew 4:7. TEMPT: better test; _cf._ the cognate noun (temptation = testing) in Deuteronomy 4:34 *. MASSAH (= testing) is another cognate noun (Exodus 17:7 *). The word-play is lost in the translation. Deuteronomy 6:20. See Deuteronomy 4:10.... [ Continue Reading ]