Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 6:3
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do [it]; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
3. observe to do ] See on Deu 5:1.
that ye may increase mightily ] A partial return to the Pl., and, with such a verb, logical and natural. The phrase is not found elsewhere. This therefore may not be a mere editorial echo. But the idea of the multiplication of the people as a Divine blessing is constant in Deut. as in other O.T. writings. In their world of war all Semitic tribes naturally prayed for large numbers. Cf. Doughty on the Arabs: ‘the soul of them is greedy first of their proper subsistence and then of their proper increase.’
the God of thy fathers ] Deu 1:21, Deu 12:1, Deu 27:3; of your f., Deu 1:11, Deu 4:1, cp. Deu 29:25. So E, Exo 3:15 and J, Exo 3:16.
unto thee a land, etc.] The construction is defective: in supplied by R.V. is not in the Heb. LXX adds to give thee, which affords a good connection and is probably original; as the eye of a Heb. scribe may easily have confused the first and second thee ’s.
a land flowing with milk and honey ] found in J and E and in both the Sg. and Pl. passages of Deut. For a list of the instances, and the meaning of the phrase, see on Exo 3:8. ‘Only where rich wells or running water produce sufficient pasture for the whole year, is it possible always to get fresh milk; and therefore the desert-dweller dreams of such regions in which water and in consequence milk always flows.’ ‘On long marches mothers comfort their weeping children thus: I will give you milk and honey’ (Musil, Ethn. Ber. 154, 158).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In the land – Better: According as the Lord the God of thy fathers promised thee a land flowing with milk and honey.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it] Literally, Ye shall hear, O Israel, and thou shalt keep to do them.
1. God is to be heard; no obligation without law to found it on, and no law in religion but from God.
2. The commandment must be understood in order to be obeyed.
3. It must be observed – attentively considered, in order to be understood. And,
4. It must be performed, that the end for which it was given may be accomplished, viz., that GOD may be glorified, and that it may be well with the people.
What is here spoken applies powerfully to every part of the moral law; God has given IT as a rule of life, therefore obedience to it is indispensably necessary, not to the purchase of salvation, for no human merit can ever extend to that, but it is the way by which both the justice and mercy of God choose to conduct men to heaven. But let it be fully understood that no man can walk in the way of obedience but by and under the influence of the grace of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it,…. Or them, the commandments given them:
that it may be well with thee; in body and estate:
and that ye may increase mightily; not only in wealth and riches, but chiefly in numbers:
as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee; a promise of increase of numbers was frequently made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; as that their seed should be as the stars of heaven, and as the dust of the earth, and the sand on the sea shore, innumerable; see
Ge 15:5 and this especially
in the land that floweth with milk and honey; a very common periphrasis of the land of Canaan, because of the plenty of good things in it; see Ex 3:8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) That ye may increase mightily . . . in the land.The position of Israel in the land, and their continuance therein, depended entirely on their fulfilment of the purpose for which they were brought therethe observance of the Law of Jehovah, as it applied to their peculiar situation.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Promised thee, in the land As there is no preposition before the word translated land the passage is better read: “For Jehovah, God of thy fathers, promised thee a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ver. 3. Hear, therefore, O Israel, &c. The Jews have a very particular regard for these, and the following words, to the 10th verse exclusively: they write them upon vellum, made of the skin of a pure animal; they carry them about them, and recite them every day; and they are one of the four passages whereof they make their phylacteries.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Deu 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do [it]; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
Ver. 3. That it may be well with thee. ] Respect may be had to the recompense of reward. We may make it our scope, our aim, , 2Co 4:18 though not our highest aim; Moses cast an eye when he was on his journey, , Heb 11:26 he stole a look from glory, and got fresh encouragement.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Hear . . . observe. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia (App-6), used for emphasis: May be Englished “Hear . . . Heed”.
as = according as.
the land, &c. Compare Gen 17:8. Exo 3:8, Exo 3:17; Exo 13:5; Exo 33:3. Num 13:27; Num 13:14, Num 13:8; Num 16:13, Num 16:14. Jos 5:6. Jer 11:5; Jer 32:22. Eze 20:6, Eze 20:15.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
and observe: Deu 4:6, Deu 5:32, Ecc 8:12, Isa 3:10
that ye may: Gen 12:2, Gen 13:16, Gen 15:5, Gen 22:17, Gen 26:4, Gen 28:14, Exo 1:7, Act 7:17
in the land: Exo 3:8
Reciprocal: Exo 34:11 – Observe Num 13:27 – General Deu 4:40 – it may go Deu 5:29 – that it might Psa 86:10 – God Jer 7:23 – Obey Jer 11:5 – a land Jer 42:6 – that it Eze 20:6 – flowing Rom 2:13 – For not Eph 6:3 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do [it]; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, {b} in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
(b) Which has an abundance of all things needed for man’s life.