Deuteronomy 5:16
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This command connects honoring parents directly to flourishing in the land God is giving you. It's not just about personal longevity, but about societal well-being and God's covenant promise to Israel finding its footing in their family structures.
“‘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)
Moses is recounting the Ten Commandments to the new generation of Israelites preparing to enter the Promised Land, emphasizing God's commands as the foundation for their life and future. This specific commandment, to honor parents, is presented not just as a rule, but as a vital principle for a stable society and for experiencing God's blessing in the land He is giving them. It’s presented as a direct continuation of God’s covenant instructions, directly linked to their success and longevity in the land.
Why is honoring parents so crucial that it's one of the Ten Commandments? It’s more than just politeness; it's about the very structure of our world.
This command isn't just about individual respect; it's the bedrock of a stable society.
The Family Unit
The family is the first and most fundamental social unit. When children honor their parents, it upholds the authority and structure within the home. This respect for parental leadership naturally extends outwards, fostering respect for other authorities and social structures.
A Stable Society
When this foundational respect is absent, it creates a 'flaw at the basis,' as one commentator put it. A society where parents aren't honored often struggles with broader issues of order and respect. This commandment, therefore, guards the very stability of the social fabric.
This commandment comes with a promise: 'that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you.' What does this mean for us today?
The promise attached to honoring parents is twofold: long life and general well-being.
A Long Life
This isn't a guaranteed immortality, but a promise of a life lived in accordance with God's order, which generally leads to a more stable and safer existence. It’s about enduring and thriving, not just existing.
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Things Going Well
Beyond just length, the promise is for things to 'go well.' This speaks to a life characterized by prosperity, peace, and favor – a holistic sense of flourishing. It’s the natural outcome of living in right relationship with God and His established order, which includes respecting family.
A Deeper Promise
While originally given in the context of the land of Canaan, the principle extends. As the New Testament applies it, it speaks to a deeper spiritual well-being and a life lived fully in God's favor, whether in this life or the life to come.
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 foundational statement of the commandment, setting the stage for its repetition here in Deuteronomy with added emphasis on the blessings of obedience.
Ephesians 6:1-3The New Testament Apostle Paul directly quotes this commandment, underscoring its enduring relevance and extending its promise to believers in Christ.
Proverbs 1:8-9This passage highlights the wisdom of heeding parental instruction, framing it as a source of honor and protection, aligning with the spirit of the command in Deuteronomy.
Colossians 3:20Paul reiterates the command to honor parents, linking it directly to pleasing God, showing how this relationship is central to a life of faith.
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 command connects honoring parents directly to flourishing in the land God is giving you. It's not just about personal longevity, but about societal well-being and God's covenant promise to Israel finding its footing in their family structures.
Moses is recounting the Ten Commandments to the new generation of Israelites preparing to enter the Promised Land, emphasizing God's commands as the foundation for their life and future. This specific commandment, to honor parents, is presented not just as a rule, but as a vital principle for a stable society and for experiencing God's blessing in the land He is giving them. It’s presented as a direct continuation of God’s covenant instructions, directly linked to their success and longevity in the land.
Moses is recounting the Ten Commandments to the new generation of Israelites preparing to enter the Promised Land, emphasizing God's commands as the foundation for their life and future. This specific commandment, to honor parents, is presented not just as a rule, but as a vital principle for a stable society and for experiencing God's blessing in the land He is giving them. It’s presented as a direct continuation of God’s covenant instructions, directly linked to their success and longevity in the land.
"“‘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 command connects honoring parents directly to flourishing in the land God is giving you. It's not just about personal longevity, but about societal well-being and God's covenant promise to Isr…
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Last reviewed October 2026
