Numbers 6
Deuteronomy 6 presents one of the central summaries of Israel’s covenant life: to hear the LORD, love Him wholeheartedly, and keep His commandments in the land they are about to enter. Verses 4–5, often called the Shema from the Hebrew word for “hear,” form a central confession in Jewish tradition and are also important across many later biblical interpretations. The chapter connects worship, obedience, family teaching, and daily remembrance of God.
1verseThe LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2verse“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: ‘When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the LORD,
3versehe shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of fermented drink, neither shall he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried.
4verseAll the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skins.
5verse“‘All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall come on his head, until the days are fulfilled in which he separates himself to the LORD. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
6verse“‘All the days that he separates himself to the LORD he shall not go near a dead body.
7verseHe shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head.
8verseAll the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.
9verse“‘If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation, then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he shall shave it.
10verseOn the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting.
11verseThe priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make his head holy that same day.
12verseHe shall separate to the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering; but the former days shall be void, because his separation was defiled.
13verse“‘This is the law of the Nazirite: when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting,
14verseand he shall offer his offering to the LORD: one male lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering, one ewe lamb a year old without defect for a sin offering, one ram without defect for peace offerings,
15versea basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil with their meal offering and their drink offerings.
16verseThe priest shall present them before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering and his burnt offering.
17verseHe shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its meal offering and its drink offering.
18verseThe Nazirite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the Tent of Meeting, take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings.
19verseThe priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved the head of his separation;
20verseand the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. They are holy for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.
21verse“‘This is the law of the Nazirite who vows and of his offering to the LORD for his separation, in addition to that which he is able to afford. According to his vow which he vows, so he must do after the law of his separation.’”
22verseThe LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
23verse“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.’ You shall tell them,
24verse‘The LORD bless you, and keep you.
25verseThe LORD make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you.
26verseThe LORD lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.’
27verse“So they shall put my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them.”
Structure and Flow
- Verses 1–3: Moses teaches that the commandments are to shape Israel’s life in the land, leading to reverence, obedience, and covenant blessing.
- Verses 4–9: Israel is called to acknowledge the LORD as one and to love Him with all the heart, soul, and strength. These words are to be kept in the heart, taught to children, spoken of in daily life, and visibly remembered.
- Verses 10–19: When Israel receives houses, wells, vineyards, and olive trees they did not build or plant, they must not forget the LORD or turn to other gods.
- Verses 20–25: Future generations are to be taught the meaning of the commandments by remembering the exodus and God’s saving acts.
Main Meaning
The chapter emphasizes that obedience is not presented as empty rule-keeping, but as a response of love and covenant loyalty. Faith is also shown as something practiced in ordinary life: in the home, while traveling, when lying down, and when rising. The text therefore joins personal devotion, family instruction, and communal identity.
Points to Reflect On
- What does it mean for God’s word to be “on the heart,” rather than merely known as information?
- How can remembrance of God’s past grace guard against pride and forgetfulness in times of abundance?
- In what ways can faith be taught naturally and responsibly to the next generation?
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Review whether the love of God is becoming the center of your decisions, speech, and daily rhythm.
- Choose one concrete way to remember Scripture during ordinary routines, such as morning, evening, meals, or family conversation.
- Think about how to explain the meaning of faith to someone younger or newer in a way connected to lived experience, not only to rules.
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