Deuteronomy 6:4-5
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse isn't just about God's oneness; it’s a profound declaration of His exclusive relationship with Israel. The emphasis isn't on the absence of other gods, but on the singular truth that Yahweh is our God, and He alone is this one, indivisible divine Being for them.
Moses is delivering his final instructions to the Israelites before they enter the promised land, reminding them of the covenant God made with them. This verse, known as the "Shema," is the foundational declaration of Israel's faith, immediately preceding commands about how they are to love and serve their one God. The emphasis on God's unique oneness sets the stage for everything that follows in the laws and teachings given to the people.
This verse isn't just a statement; it's the bedrock of everything for Israel. It's the 'Shema,' their daily confession, and it packs a massive punch.
The Shema: More Than a Mantra
Moses calls out, "Hear, O Israel!" This isn't a casual request; it's a call to listen with your whole being to the most important truth.
God's oneness isn't just a theological fact; it has profound implications for how we live and relate to Him.
The Divine Exclusive Claim
The declaration that 'the LORD our God is one' implies an exclusive claim on Israel's loyalty.
Understand the original words
echad · Hebrew Adjective/Number
A statement asserting the absolute uniqueness and singularity of God; He is the only true God, and He is unified in His nature and purpose.
ahav · Hebrew Verb
A deep, covenantal commitment and active devotion that encompasses the entirety of a person's being, will, and emotional life.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
The inner person, including the mind, will, intellect, and moral decisions; it is the center of human agency and devotion.
nephesh · Hebrew Noun
The inner life, breath, or essence of a person; it represents the seat of life and the deepest aspects of the human personality.
Jesus himself quotes this verse as the 'first and great commandment,' highlighting its supreme importance in establishing the core belief of Judaism and Christianity.
1 Corinthians 8:4Paul echoes the Shema's monotheistic principle, stating 'no idol in the world is anything' and 'there is no God but one,' reinforcing the singular nature of God against pagan polytheism.
John 1:1This passage, with its profound statement 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,' offers a New Testament perspective on the divine unity, hinting at a plurality within the Godhead that is consistent with God being 'one.'
1 John 5:7This verse speaks of the 'three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one,' providing a New Testament understanding of the unity of God in Trinity, which many theologians see foreshadowed even in this foundational declaration.
Isaiah 44:6This prophetic declaration from Isaiah, 'I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god,' powerfully reiterates God's unique and eternal nature, underscoring the singularity of the LORD presented in Deuteronomy.
gillDeuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:"
Hear, O Israel,.... These are the words of Moses, stirring up the people to an attention to what he was about to say of this great and momentous article, the unity of God, to prevent their going into polytheism and idolatry. From one of the words here used, the Jews call this section Kiriathshema, which they oblige themselves to read twice a day, morning and evening (n); the last letter of the first word in this verse, "Shema", me…
clarkeDeuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:"
Hear, O Israel - שמע ישראל יהוה אלהינו יהוה אחד shema Yisrael, Yehovah Eloheinu, Yehovah achad. These words may be variously rendered into English; but almost all possible verbal varieties in the translation (and there can be none other) amount to the same sense: "Israel, hear! Jehovah, our God, is one Jehovah;" or, "Jehovah is our God, Jehovah is one;" or, "Jehovah is our God, Jehovah alone;" or, "Jehovah is our God, Jehovah who…
This verse isn't just about God's oneness; it’s a profound declaration of His exclusive relationship with Israel. The emphasis isn't on the absence of other gods, but on the singular truth that Yahweh is our God, and He alone is this one, indivisible divine Being for them.
Moses is delivering his final instructions to the Israelites before they enter the promised land, reminding them of the covenant God made with them. This verse, known as the "Shema," is the foundational declaration of Israel's faith, immediately preceding commands about how they are to love and serve their one God. The emphasis on God's unique oneness sets the stage for everything that follows in the laws and teachings given to the people.
Moses is delivering his final instructions to the Israelites before they enter the promised land, reminding them of the covenant God made with them. This verse, known as the "Shema," is the foundational declaration of Israel's faith, immediately preceding commands about how they are to love and serve their one God. The emphasis on God's unique oneness sets the stage for everything that follows in the laws and teachings given to the people.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Deuteronomy 6:4-5 is available in the Sola app.
me'od · Hebrew Noun/Adverb
The strength, intensity, or abundance of one's resources, emphasizing that devotion to God must be total and exhaustive.
"“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." — This verse isn't just about God's oneness; it’s a profound declaration of His exclusive relationship with Israel. The emphasis isn't on the absence of other gods, but on the singular truth that *Yahw…
