Deuteronomy 5:16
“‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This commandment isn't just about obedience; it's tied directly to a promise of God's blessing and flourishing in the land He's giving you. The addition of "that it may go well with you" here, which isn't in the original Ten Commandments in Exodus, emphasizes that honoring your parents is fundamental to societal well-being and experiencing God's favor in your life.
This commandment, "Honor your father and your mother," appears in the context of God reiterating the Ten Commandments to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. It's presented as a direct instruction from God, building upon their recent, miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt, and it's linked to the promise of a long and prosperous life specifically in the land God is giving them.
This isn't just about saying 'please' and 'thank you.' The command to honor parents has deep roots and far-reaching implications.
When God says "honor your father and your mother," it's a foundational principle for a stable society. It's about recognizing the God-ordained authority within the family structure. This honor isn't just about respecting their wishes, but valuing their role and position in your life, as they are the ones God used to bring you into existence and care for you.
This principle lays the groundwork for all other social order. If the primary unit of society, the family, is built on respect and honor for parents, then other structures of authority are more likely to be respected as well. It's a ripple effect that starts at home.
This commandment comes with a remarkable promise. What does it mean for your days to be 'long' and to 'go well'?
The promise attached to honoring parents – 'that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you' – is more than just a guarantee of a long life. It's a statement about overall well-being and flourishing.
Long Days: This points to a life lived fully, perhaps with fewer self-inflicted premature ends, and a sense of continuity and legacy. It's about living out the days God has purposed for you in a healthy way.
Go Well: This phrase speaks to prosperity, success, and peace. It suggests that living in obedience to God's commands, starting with honoring your parents, aligns you with God's intended blessings for your life. It's about experiencing a life that is good and right in God's eyes, especially within the context of the community He is establishing.
Understand the original words
kabad · Hebrew Verb
To hold in high regard, value, or treat with weightiness; in the context of parents, it implies obedience, care, and respectful conduct.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
A human being in relationship to the Creator, referring to the covenantal God of Israel, YHWH, who is self-existent and personal.
This is the original giving of the commandment, providing the foundational context for honoring parents within God's law.
Ephesians 6:1-3The Apostle Paul directly quotes and applies this command to the New Testament church, showing its enduring relevance and reiterating the promise.
Proverbs 1:8-9This passage highlights the wisdom of listening to parental instruction, echoing the sentiment that honoring parents leads to a good and long life.
Colossians 3:20Paul specifically instructs children to obey their parents in everything, framing it as something that is 'well-pleasing in the Lord,' connecting obedience with divine approval.
gillDeuteronomy 5:16: "Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."
Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee,.... And is the first commandment with promise, as the apostle observes, Ephesians 6:2 with a promise of long life and happiness in the land of Canaan, as follows: that thy days may be prolonged; see Exodus 20:12 he…
pooleDeuteronomy 5:16: "Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."
No text from Poole on this verse.
This commandment isn't just about obedience; it's tied directly to a promise of God's blessing and flourishing in the land He's giving you. The addition of "that it may go well with you" here, which isn't in the original Ten Commandments in Exodus, emphasizes that honoring your parents is fundamental to societal well-being and experiencing God's favor in your life.
This commandment, "Honor your father and your mother," appears in the context of God reiterating the Ten Commandments to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. It's presented as a direct instruction from God, building upon their recent, miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt, and it's linked to the promise of a long and prosperous life specifically in the land God is giving them.
This commandment, "Honor your father and your mother," appears in the context of God reiterating the Ten Commandments to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. It's presented as a direct instruction from God, building upon their recent, miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt, and it's linked to the promise of a long and prosperous life specifically the land God is giving them.
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"“‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you." — This commandment isn't just about obedience; it's tied directly to a promise of God's blessing and flourishing in the land He's giving you. The addition of "that it may go well with you" here, which…
