Deuteronomy 6:4-6
“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. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse, a cornerstone of Jewish faith, isn't just a statement of God's oneness against polytheism; it's also a declaration that the LORD is their God, setting Israel apart as uniquely His chosen people. The emphasis on "our God" highlights a personal, covenantal relationship, not just an abstract theological point.
Moses is delivering his final instructions to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, urging them to remain faithful to God. This declaration of God's unique oneness serves as the foundation for the entire covenant relationship and the subsequent commands that follow, emphasizing that their worship and obedience must be directed solely to Him.
This verse is more than just a declaration; it's a foundation for Israel's identity and relationship with God. What does it truly mean that the Lord is our God?
The declaration 'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one' (Deuteronomy 6:4) is known as the Shema, and it's central to Jewish faith, recited daily.
A Singular God
At its core, this verse powerfully asserts the absolute oneness of God. It stands as a bulwark against the surrounding polytheistic cultures that worshipped many gods. The repetition of 'LORD' (Yahweh) emphasizes that this one God is the true, self-existent Being, the source of all reality.
'Our God' - A Covenant Relationship
But the verse doesn't stop at abstract oneness. The phrase 'our God' is crucial. It signifies a unique, chosen relationship between the LORD and Israel. He is not just a god, but their God, the one who delivered them from slavery in Egypt and entered into a covenant with them. This personal connection means God's oneness isn't just a theological fact, but a relational one – He is their God, and they are His people. This calls for exclusive devotion.
This foundational verse isn't just about who God is, but how Israel is meant to respond. What kind of devotion does this one God deserve?
The Shema, beginning with 'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one,' is intrinsically linked to the commandment to love God with one's whole being.
A Wholehearted Response
Jesus himself identified this verse as the 'first and great commandment' (Matthew 22:38). The immediate application of the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:5 is that Israel must love the LORD their God with all their heart, soul, and might.
The 'One' God Demands the 'All' of Us
Because God is uniquely one and uniquely God, Israel's response must also be unified and complete. Loving God with 'all your heart' means undivided affection. Loving Him with 'all your soul' speaks to your very life and being. Loving Him with 'all your might' signifies using all your strength and resources in devotion.
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 when asked about the greatest commandment, highlighting its central importance to understanding God and His expectations for us.
John 1:1This verse, speaking of the Word being with God and being God, offers a New Testament perspective on the divine unity that encompasses plurality, deepening our understanding of 'one LORD'.
1 Corinthians 8:6Paul echoes this declaration by affirming there is 'one God, the Father,' contrasting this with the many 'gods' and 'lords' of paganism, reinforcing the unique sovereignty of the Lord over all.
1 John 5:7This passage speaks of the three witnesses in heaven – the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit – who are one, providing a Trinitarian lens through which to understand the profound nature of God's oneness.
Malachi 2:10This verse poses a rhetorical question, 'Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?' It connects the singularity of God as Creator with His fatherly relationship to His people, a theme resonating with Deuteronomy 6:4.
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, a cornerstone of Jewish faith, isn't just a statement of God's oneness against polytheism; it's also a declaration that the LORD is their God, setting Israel apart as uniquely His chosen people. The emphasis on "our God" highlights a personal, covenantal relationship, not just an abstract theological point.
Moses is delivering his final instructions to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, urging them to remain faithful to God. This declaration of God's unique oneness serves as the foundation for the entire covenant relationship and the subsequent commands that follow, emphasizing that their worship and obedience must be directed solely to Him.
Moses is delivering his final instructions to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, urging them to remain faithful to God. This declaration of God's unique oneness serves as the foundation for the entire covenant relationship and the subsequent commands that follow, emphasizing that their worship and obedience must be directed solely to Him.
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This isn't about performing rituals; it's about a total, integrated commitment of one's entire existence to this one, exclusive God.
me'od · Hebrew Noun/Adverb
The strength, intensity, or abundance of one's resources, emphasizing that devotion to God must be total and exhaustive.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
The core of a person's being, including the intellect, will, emotions, and moral character; the seat of decision-making and spiritual allegiance.
"“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. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart." — This verse, a cornerstone of Jewish faith, isn't just a statement of God's oneness against polytheism; it's also a declaration that the LORD is their God, setting Israel apart as uniquely His chose…
