Deuteronomy 6:20-25
English Standard Version
20 (A)“When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, (B)‘We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 And (C)the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. 23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. 24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, (D)to fear the Lord our God, (E)for our good always, that (F)he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. 25 And (G)it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.’
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Deuteronomy 6:20-25
New English Translation
Exhortation to Remember the Past
20 When your children[a] ask you later on, “What are the stipulations, statutes, and ordinances that the Lord our God commanded you?” 21 you must say to them,[b] “We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt in a powerful way.[c] 22 And he[d] brought signs and great, devastating wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on his whole family[e] before our very eyes. 23 He delivered us from there so that he could give us the land he had promised our ancestors. 24 The Lord commanded us to obey all these statutes and to revere him[f] so that it may always go well for us and he may preserve us, as he has to this day. 25 We will be innocent if we carefully keep all these commandments[g] before the Lord our God, just as he demands.”[h]
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- Deuteronomy 6:20 tn Heb “your son.”
- Deuteronomy 6:21 tn Heb “to your son.”
- Deuteronomy 6:21 tn Heb “by a strong hand.” The image is that of a warrior who, with weapon in hand, overcomes his enemies. The Lord is commonly depicted as a divine warrior in the Book of Deuteronomy (cf. 5:15; 7:8; 9:26; 26:8).
- Deuteronomy 6:22 tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on the word “his” in v. 17.
- Deuteronomy 6:22 tn Heb “house,” referring to the entire household.
- Deuteronomy 6:24 tn Heb “the Lord our God.” See note on the word “his” in v. 17.
- Deuteronomy 6:25 tn The term “commandment” (מִצְוָה, mitsvah), here in the singular, refers to the entire body of covenant stipulations.
- Deuteronomy 6:25 tn Heb “as he has commanded us” (so NIV, NRSV).
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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