Deuteronomy 6:8 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 6:4-16

Here is, I. A brief summary of religion, containing the first principles of faith and obedience, Deut. 6:4, 5. These two verses the Jews reckon one of the choicest portions of scripture: they write it in their phylacteries, and think themselves not only obliged to say it at least twice every day, but very happy in being so obliged, having this saying among them, Blessed are we, who every morning and evening say, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. But more blessed are we if we duly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 6:8

And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand ,.... As a man ties anything to his hand for a token, that he may remember somewhat he is desirous of; though the Jews understand this literally, of binding a scroll of parchment, with this section and others written in it, upon their left hand, as the Targum of Jonathan here interprets the hand: and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes ; and which the same Targum interprets of the Tephilim, or phylacteries, which the Jews wear... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 6:8

Thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thins hand - Is not this an allusion to an ancient and general custom observed in almost every part of the world? When a person wishes to remember a thing of importance, and is afraid to trust to the common operations of memory, he ties a knot on some part of his clothes, or a cord on his hand or finger, or places something out of its usual order, and in view, that his memory may be whetted to recollection, and his eye affect his heart. God, who knows how... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Deuteronomy 6:8-9

By adopting and regulating customary usages (e. g. Egyptian) Moses provides at once a check on superstition and a means of keeping the Divine Law in memory. On the “frontlets,” the “phylacteries” of the New Test. Matthew 23:5, see Exodus 13:16. On Deuteronomy 6:9; Deuteronomy 11:20 is based the Jewish usage of the mezuzah. This word denotes properly a door-post, as it is rendered here and in Exodus 12:7, Exodus 12:22; Exodus 21:6 etc. Among the Jews however, it is the name given to the square... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Deuteronomy 6:8

Deuteronomy 6:8. Thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand As at that time there were few written copies of the whole law, and the people had it read to them only at the feast of tabernacles, God seems to have appointed, at least for the present, that some select sentences of the law, that were most weighty and comprehensive, should literally be written upon their gates and walls, or on slips of parchment, to be worn about their wrists, or bound upon their foreheads. The spirit of the... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 6:1-25

The power of love (6:1-25)No matter how strong their determination to do right, the people would be unable to keep God’s law unless they first had a strong and genuine love for God himself. Love for him would give them the inner power to walk in his ways (6:1-5). As well as keeping God’s commandments themselves, they had to teach their children to do likewise. Their family life was to be guided by the knowledge of God’s law. Their house was to be known as a place where people loved God’s law... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Deuteronomy 6:8

bind. Still practiced by orthodox Jews. hand. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, read plural "hands". as = for. frontlets. Greek. phylacteries = guards or watch-posts. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Deuteronomy 6:8

Ver. 8. Thou shalt bind then, for a sign— The Lord is pleased to take every method most likely to preserve in the minds of the Israelites a conscientious regard to the precepts which he enjoined. He not only commands, that their children be early and diligently instructed in them, but that they should bind them for a sign upon their hands, &c. that is, that they should make them as familiar to them as if they were written upon their arms or foreheads, or upon the posts of their houses, or... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Exhortation to teach the principles 6:6-9This section contains instructions for remembering and teaching these great truths to the following generations."In the psychology of the Old Testament the heart is not the center of emotional life and response but the seat of the intellect or rational side of humankind. To ’be upon the heart’ is to be in one’s constant, conscious reflection." [Note: Merrill, Deuteronomy, p. 167.] "The reason for this emphasis on the children is clear. Deuteronomy is... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 6:1-25

Practical ExhortationsTo the repetition of the Decalogue Moses adds in the following chapters a practical exhortation to obedience founded on the special relation of Jehovah to Israel as their Redeemer (6-11). Deuteronomy 6 particularly insists upon the remembrance of God’s statutes and the training of the children in them.4, 5. Our Lord calls these words ’the first and great commandment.’ They express the highest truth and duty revealed to the Hebrew nation: the truth of God’s unity and... read more