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Deuteronomy Capitolo 6
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Originale inglese
Moses, in this chapter, goes on with his charge to Israel, to be sure to keep up their religion in Canaan. It is much the same with De 4:1-40 I. His preface is a persuasive to obedience, De 6:1-3. II. He lays down the great principles of obedience. The first truth to be believed, That God is one, De 6:4. The first duty to be done, To love him with all our heart, De 6:5. III. He prescribes the means for keeping up religion, De 6:6-9. IV. He cautions them against those things which would be the ruin of religion—abuse of plenty (De 6:10-24), inclination to idolatry (De 6:14,15), and gives them some general precepts, De 6:13,16-18. V. He directs them what instructions to give their children, De 6:20-25, etc.
1-3
Summary of Religion (1451 BC)
简体中文
宗教的总纲（主前 1451 年）
¹ 这是耶和华你们神所吩咐教训你们的诫命、律例、典章，使你们在所要过去得为业的地上遵行， ² 好叫你和你子子孙孙一生敬畏耶和华你的神，谨守他的一切律例诫命，就是我所吩咐你的，使你的日子得以长久。 ³ 以色列啊，你要听，要谨守遵行，使你可以在那流奶与蜜之地得以享福，人数极其增多，正如耶和华你列祖的神所应许你的。
此处请留意：1\. 摩西教训百姓的，全部且唯独是神所吩咐他教训他们的（申 6:1）。照样，基督的仆人当教训他的教会他所吩咐的一切，不多也不少（太 28:20）。2\. 他们受教的目的是要他们照所受的教训去行（申 6:1），谨守神的律例（申 6:2），并谨守遵行（申 6:3）。父母和牧者所给的良善教训，我们若不按之而活，便只是加重我们的定罪。3\. 摩西竭力在他们正要进入迦南地之时，使他们确立于属神和敬虔之中，好叫他们预备好享受那地的安慰，又能抵御其中的网罗，并在他们正要入世起步之时，得以善始。4\. 心中敬畏神，乃是最有力的顺服原则：好叫你……敬畏耶和华你的神，谨守他的一切律例（申 6:2）。5\. 宗教在一个家族或国家中的传承，是最好的传承：不仅我们自己，连我们的儿女、我们儿女的儿女，都敬畏耶和华，这是极其可羡慕的。6\. 宗教和公义能促进并保障任何百姓的兴盛。敬畏神，就必善待你。那些受良好教训的人，若照所受的而行，也必吃得肥甘，正如以色列在那流奶与蜜之地（申 6:3）。
Originale inglese
Summary of Religion (1451 BC)
¹ Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
² That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
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.
Observe here, 1. That Moses taught the people all that, and that only, which God commanded him to teach them, De 6:1. Thus Christ's ministers are to teach his churches all that he has commanded, and neither more nor less, Mt 28:20. 2. That the end of their being taught was that they might do as they were taught (De 6:1), might keep God's statutes (De 6:2), and observe to do them, De 6:3. Good instructions from parents and ministers will but aggravate our condemnation if we do not live up to them. 3. That Moses carefully endeavoured to fix them for God and godliness, now that they were entering upon the land of Canaan, that they might be prepared for the comforts of that land, and fortified against the snares of it, and now that they were setting out in the world might set out well. 4. That the fear of God in the heart will be the most powerful principle of obedience: That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes, De 6:2. 5. The entail of religion in a family, or country, is the best entail: it is highly desirable that not we only, but our children, and our children's children, may fear the Lord. 6. Religion and righteousness advance and secure the prosperity of any people. Fear God, and it shall be well with thee. Those that are well taught, if they do what they are taught, shall be well fed too, as Israel in the land flowing with milk and honey, De 6:3.
4-16
Cautions and Precepts (1451 BC)
简体中文
警戒与训诲（公元前1451年）
⁴ 以色列啊，你要听：耶和华我们的神，是独一的耶和华。 ⁵ 你要尽心、尽性、尽力爱耶和华你的神。 ⁶ 我今日所吩咐你的这些话，都要记在你心上， ⁷ 也要殷勤教训你的儿女；无论你坐在家里、行在路上、躺下、起来，都要谈论； ⁸ 也要系在手上为记号，戴在额上为经文； ⁹ 又要写在你房屋的门框上和你的城门上。 ¹⁰ 耶和华你的神领你进他向你列祖起誓应许之地的时候，就是向亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各起誓之地，要将那又大又美的城邑赐给你，不是你所建造的； ¹¹ 有房屋装满各样美物，不是你装满的；有凿成的水池，不是你凿成的；有葡萄园、橄榄园，不是你栽种的；你吃了而且得饱， ¹² 那时你要谨慎，免得你忘记将你从埃及地、从为奴之家领出来的耶和华。 ¹³ 你要敬畏耶和华你的神，事奉他，指着他的名起誓。 ¹⁴ 不可随从别神，就是你们四围国民的神， ¹⁵ （因为在你们中间的耶和华你的神是忌邪的神），免得耶和华你神向你发怒，就把你从地上除灭。 ¹⁶ 你们不可试探耶和华你们的神，像你们在玛撒那样试探他。
此处包含：
I. 信仰的简要纲要，载明信心与顺服的首要原则（申6:4-5）。犹太人视这两节为经文中最精要的片段之一：他们将其写于佩经匣中，不仅认为自己有义务每日至少诵读两次，更以此为有福；他们中有句谚语说，我们是有福的，因为每日早晚都诵念："以色列啊，你要听，耶和华我们的神是独一的主。" 但我们若能郑重思量并善加应用，就更为有福了。
1. 此处所教训我们当信关于神的道理：耶和华我们的神是独一的耶和华。 (1.) 我们所事奉的神就是耶和华，是无限而永恒完全、自有永有、自足自存的本体。 (2.) 祂是唯一又真又活的神；惟有祂是神，且祂只有一位。对这一自明之理的坚信，能有效地保守他们脱离一切偶像崇拜；偶像崇拜之所以盛行，正是由于"神有许多"这一根本谬误。无可辩驳地，只有一位神，此外再没有别的（可12:32）。所以我们不可有别的神，也不可妄想有别的神。有人认为此处清楚地暗示了神本体中三位格的合一；因为此处神之名三次出现，却仍宣告为一。以这一位主为神的人是有福的；因为他们只有一位主当讨其喜悦，只有一位恩主当寻求。一口泉总胜过千口池，一位全足的神胜过千位不足之神。
2. 此处所教训我们关于神向人所要求的本分。这一切都归纳在这一条原则中：你要尽心爱耶和华你的神。 摩西既已应许（申6:2）要教训他们敬畏神，为履行这应许，他在此教训他们爱神；因为我们向祂的爱情越热切，对祂的敬畏也必越深重；孝敬父母的孩子无疑也爱父母。曾有何君王立法命臣民爱他？然而神圣恩典竟如此降卑，以此为律法之首且最大的诫命——即我们当爱神，并从爱的原则出发，尽我们向祂当尽的一切本分。我儿，要将你的心归我。 我们当高度敬重祂，因有此一位至善者而满心欢喜，因祂一切的属性和祂与我们的关系而满足：我们的心愿当向祂而发，我们的喜乐在祂里面，我们的依赖在于祂，我们当全然奉献于祂。想到祂、从祂领受、向祂祈求、事奉祂，都当成为我们常常的喜乐。我们当爱祂： (1.) 因祂是主，是至善的本体，本身至为卓越可爱。 (2.) 因祂是我们的神，与我们立约的神，我们的父，是最仁厚慷慨的朋友与恩主。 我们又受命要尽心、尽性、尽力爱神；这就是说，我们当爱祂： [1.] 以真诚的爱；不可只在言语舌头上，口说爱祂心却不在祂那里，乃要内心诚实地以祂为乐。 [2.] 以强烈的爱；我们的心当大发热切地向祂发出。有人因此认为我们应当避免（如我们惯常所说的）"尽心"去做这做那；因为除了爱神之外，我们不当尽心去做任何事；这短语既用于这圣洁的火焰，就不应被亵渎为俗用。那作我们一切的主，当得着我们的一切，除祂之外无人配得。 [3.] 以无上的爱；我们当爱神胜过任何受造之物，除了为祂的缘故并在顺服祂的前提下所爱的以外，别无所爱。 [4.] 以明达的爱；正如（可12:33）所解释的：尽心、尽意爱祂——我们必须认识祂，因此作为看见充分理由的人来爱祂。 [5.] 以专一的爱；祂是一位，所以我们的心在此次当合而为一，我们一切情感的整个潮流都当向祂而流。惟愿神的爱浇灌在我们心里！
II. 此处又规定了保持和维护我们心中与家中信仰不致枯萎衰残的方法。这些方法是：
1. 默想：我所吩咐你的这些话都要记在你心上（申6:6）。虽然只有话语而无其实质于我们无益，但我们若忽视话语，就有失去其实质的危险；因为神的光与能力通常藉话语传达到心中。神的话语当储存在我们心中，使我们的思想日日与它相交、在其中运行，由此使全人在其感化与印象之下安居行事。这紧随在"尽心爱神"的诫命之后；因为如此行的人必将其话语存在心里，既作为那爱的明证与果子，也作为保守和增加那爱的途径。爱神的人必爱慕祂的圣经。
2. 儿女的敬虔教育（申6:7）：你要殷勤教训你的儿女； 并藉着传递你的知识来增加你的知识。自己爱主神的人，当尽所能引领儿女的心归向祂，从而使信仰在家族中的传承不致断绝。有人读作：你要在儿女身上磨砺这话； 当常常向他们重述这些事，试用各种方法将之灌输于他们心中，使之刺透他们的心肠；正如磨刀时，刀先在这一面、后又在那一面转动。"当谨慎而精确地教导你的儿女；并要如磨砺一般，使他们锋利，给他们加上锋芒。要教导你的儿女"——犹太人说——"不仅是亲生的，也包括一切在你照管与训诲之下的。"帕特里克主教在此精当地指出：摩西认为他的律法十分明白易晓，以致每个父亲都能以此教导儿子，每个母亲都能以此教导女儿。这样，所交托我们的善事，我们当谨慎地传给后人，使之得以延续。
3. 敬虔的谈论。你无论坐在家中、行在路上、躺下、起来，都要谈论这些事， 当存正当的敬畏与郑重，不仅为儿女的益处，也为其他家人、朋友和同伴的益处——你坐在家中做工、用饭、歇息或接待访客时，你行在路上为消遣或交谈或旅行时，夜间从家中退下安歇时，早晨起来回到家人中间时。当抓住一切机会与周围的人谈论属神的事；不是论未启示的奥秘或可疑争辩之事，而是论神清楚的真理和律法，以及关乎我们平安的事。"这样行，决不减损圣事的尊严；正因这些事当为我们日常谈话题材，所以受命于我们；因为我们越与这些事相交往，就越发赞赏、越受感动，也可能因此成为传达属神光与热的器皿。
4. 勤读主道：这些话要系在手上为记号，戴在额上为经文，又要写在房屋的门框上（申6:8-9）。那时大概全书写的律法抄本不多，百姓只在住棚节时听人诵读；所以神命他们（至少在那时）当将律法中最要紧、最概括的几句话写在墙上，或写在羊皮卷上戴在手腕上；有人认为犹太人大量使用的佩经匣即源于此。基督责备法利赛人，不是因他们佩戴它，而是因他们好张扬，要把佩经匣做宽超过别人（太23:5）。但圣经普及之后，此举的需要就减少了。英国教会最初的改革者虔诚而审慎地规定：在圣经稀少之时，当选录几段经文写在教堂的墙壁和柱子上，使百姓熟悉之，以遵行此吩咐。这似乎按字句约束犹太人，也按精意约束我们；精意就是要我们竭尽一切方法使神的话成为我们所熟悉的，好在一切场合随时可用，以约束我们远罪、指引并激励我们尽本分。这话当如刻在掌心一般，常在我们眼前（参箴7:1-3）。此处又暗示：我们决不可耻于认我们的信仰，也不可耻于承认自己受信仰的约束与管治。当把它写在我们的城门上，使每一个从我们门前经过的人都能读到——我们信耶和华是独一的神，并认自己有义务尽心爱祂。
III. 此处又警戒在富足丰盈之日不可忘记神（申6:10-12）。
1. 摩西激发他们对神的良善的期望，认为理所当然神必带他们进入所应许的美地（申6:6:10），使他们不再像牧人和贫穷的客旅那样住在帐棚里，而要安居在又大又美的城中；不再在荒芜的旷野漂泊，而要享受陈设齐备的房屋和栽种完好的园子（申6:11）；而这一切都无需他们自己的操心花费——他在此特别强调这点——不是你所建造的城邑，不是你装满的房屋等等；因为所得之物来得如此轻易，使怜悯实在更有价值；然而他们若不实际思量这一点，这怜悯也必被轻看，因为我们对自己付出代价所得的才最感其价值。当他们如此轻易地领受恩赐时，就易于变得松懈，忘记那赐恩者。
2. 摩西敦促他们防备自己心中的败坏：那时你要谨慎， 当你安然躺卧之时，免得你忘记耶和华（申6:12）。请留意： (1.) 在顺利的日子，我们大有忘记神的危险——忘记我们对祂的依赖、对祂的需要，以及对祂的亏欠。当世界向我们微笑时，我们易于向世界献媚，指望在其中得福分，于是忘记了那作我们惟一分与安息的神。亚古珥为此试探祷告（箴30:9）：恐怕我饱足就不认你。 (2.) 因此在这样的时候，需要极大的谨慎和严格的防备，并严严地看守我们的心。那时你要谨慎； 既已受警戒知道危险，就当防备。当将神的话系在手上为记号， 正为防止你忘记神。你安居在迦南时，不可忘记祂将你从埃及领出来；当仰望你被凿而出的磐石。 当你后来大大加增时，当记念你起初的微小。
IV. 此处又赐下几条极重要的特别诫命与禁令。
1. 他们当在一切场合将荣耀归于神（申6:13）：要敬畏祂、事奉祂（祂若为主人，我们就当敬畏祂，并做祂的工）；并指着祂的名起誓， 即他们在任何场合都不可向别的（当作辨明真情、伸冤报复的主）上诉。只可指着祂起誓，不可指着偶像或别的受造之物。在与邻国立约结盟时，当指着祂的名起誓，不可因迁就他们而指着他们的神起誓。"指着祂的名起誓"有时指公开承认祂的名。赛45:23，万膝必向我跪拜，万口必凭我起誓， 被解释为（罗14:11）万口必认神。
2. 他们不可在任何场合将这荣耀归于别神（申6:14）：你们不可随从别神， 即"你们不可事奉敬拜它们"；因为他们在此事上偏离正路，就是偏离真神而行淫乱；真神在这一点上比在任何别的事上更甚地是忌邪的神（申6:15）。博学的帕特里克主教在此援引迈摩尼底的话指出：无论在律法书或先知书中，我们从未见怒气、烈怒、嫉妒或愤恨归于神，除非是因偶像崇拜的缘故。
3. 他们当谨慎，不可因试探祂而羞辱神（申6:16）：你们不可试探耶和华你们的神， 即"你们不可在任何急难中怀疑神的大能、同在与护理，也不可与祂争辩。"他们若放纵不信的恶心，在迦南也会如在旷野一样找机会如此行。处境的改变不能治好那发怨言、好烦躁的性情。我们的主曾以此警戒作为对撒但一个试探的回答，并应用于自己身上（太4:7）：不可试探主你的神——既不可在守着本分的道路上因绝望祂的大能和良善而试探祂，也不可偏离那条道路时因妄自指望而试探祂。
Originale inglese
Cautions and Precepts (1451 BC)
⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
⁵ And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
⁶ And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
⁷ And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
⁸ And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
⁹ And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
¹⁰ And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,
¹¹ And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
¹² Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
¹³ Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
¹⁴ Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;
¹⁵ (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
¹⁶ Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.
Here is, I. A brief summary of religion, containing the first principles of faith and obedience, De 6:4,5. These two verses the Jews reckon one of the choicest portions of scripture: they write it in their phylacteries, and think themselves not only obliged to say it at least twice every day, but very happy in being so obliged, having this saying among them, Blessed are we, who every morning and evening say, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. But more blessed are we if we duly consider and improve,
1. What we are here taught to believe concerning God: that Jehovah our God is one Jehovah. (1.) That the God whom we serve is Jehovah, a Being infinitely and eternally perfect, self-existent, and self-sufficient. (2.) That he is the one only living and true God; he only is God, and he is but one. The firm belief of this self-evident truth would effectually arm them against all idolatry, which was introduced by that fundamental error, that there are gods many. It is past dispute that there is one God, and there is no other but he, Mk 12:32. Let us therefore have no other, nor desire to have any other. Some have thought there is here a plain intimation of the trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead; for here is the name of God three times, and yet all declared to be one. Happy they that have this one Lord for their God; for they have but one master to please, but one benefactor to seek to. It is better to have one fountain that a thousand cisterns, one all-sufficient God than a thousand insufficient ones.
2. What we are here taught concerning the duty which God requires of man. It is all summed up in this as its principle, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. He had undertaken (De 6:2) to teach them to fear God; and, in pursuance of his undertaking, he here teaches them to love him, for the warmer our affection to him the greater will be our veneration for him; the child that honours his parents no doubt loves them. Did ever any prince make a law that his subjects should love him? Yet such is the condescension of the divine grace that this is made the first and great commandment of God's law, that we love him, and that we perform all other parts of our duty to him from a principle of love. My son, give me thy heart. We must highly esteem him, be well pleased that there is such a Being, well pleased in all his attributes, and relations to us: our desire must be towards him, our delight in him, our dependence upon him, and to him we must be entirely devoted. It must be a constant pleasure to us to think of him, hear from him, speak to him, and serve him. We must love him, (1.) As the Lord, the best of beings, most excellent and amiable in himself. (2.) As our God, a God in covenant with us, our Father, and the most kind and bountiful of friends and benefactors. We are also commanded to love God with all our heart, and soul, and might; that is, we must love him, [1.] With a sincere love; not in word and tongue only, saying we love him when our hearts are not with him, but inwardly, and in truth, solacing ourselves in him. [2.] With a strong love; the heart must be carried out towards him with great ardour and fervency of affection. Some have hence though that we should avoid saying (as we commonly express ourselves) that we will do this or that with all our heart, for we must not do any thing with all our heart but love God; and that this phrase, being here used concerning that sacred fire, should not be unhallowed. He that is our all must have our all, and none but he. [3.] With a superlative love; we must love God above any creature whatsoever, and love nothing besides him but what we love for him and in subordination to him. [4.] With an intelligent love; for so it is explained, Mk 12:33. To love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, we must know him, and therefore love him as those that see good cause to love him. [5.] With an entire love; he is one, and therefore our hearts must be united in this love, and the whole stream of our affections must run towards him. O that this love of God may be shed abroad in our hearts!
II. Means are here prescribed for the maintaining and keeping up of religion in our hearts and houses, that it might not wither and go to decay. And they are these:—1. Meditation: These words which I command thee shall be in thy heart, De 6:6. Though the words alone without the things will do us no good, yet we are in danger of losing the things if we neglect the words, by which ordinarily divine light and power are conveyed to the heart. God's words must be laid up on our heart, that our thoughts may be daily conversant with them and employed about them, and thereby the whole soul may be brought to abide and act under the influence and impression of them. This immediately follows upon the law of loving God with all your heart; for those that do so will lay up his word in their hearts both as an evidence and effect of that love and as a means to preserve and increase it. He that loves God loves his Bible. 2. The religious education of children (De 6:7): "Thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children; and by communicating thy knowledge thou wilt increase it." Those that love the Lord God themselves should do what they can to engage the affections of their children to him, and so to preserve the entail of religion in their families from being cut off. Thou shalt whet them diligently upon thy children, so some read it; frequently repeat these things to them, try all ways of instilling them into their minds, and making them pierce into their hearts; as, in whetting a knife, it is turned first on this side, then on that. "Be careful and exact in teaching thy children; and aim, as by whetting, to sharpen them, and put an edge upon them. Teach them to thy children, not only those of thy own body" (say the Jews) "but all those that are anyway under thy care and tuition." Bishop Patrick well observes here that Moses thought his law so very plain and easy that every father might be able to instruct his sons in it and every mother her daughters. Thus that good thing which is committed to us we must carefully transmit to those that come after us, that it may be perpetuated. 3. Pious discourse. "Thou shalt talk of these things, with due reverence and seriousness, for the benefit not only of thy children, but of thy other domestics, thy friends and companions, as thou sittest in thy house at work, or at meat, or at rest, or to receive visits, and when thou walkest by the way for diversion, or for conversation, of in journeys, when at night thou art retiring from thy family to lie down for sleep, and when in the morning thou hast risen up and returnest to thy family again. Take all occasions to discourse with those about thee of divine things; not of unrevealed mysteries, or matters of doubtful disputation, but of the plain truths and laws of God, and the things that belong to our peace." So far is it from being reckoned a diminution to the honour of sacred things to make them subject of our familiar discourse that they are recommended to us to be talked of; for the more conversant we are with them the more we shall admire them and be affected with them, and may thereby be instrumental to communicate divine light and heat. 4. Frequent reading of the word: They shall be as frontlets between thy eyes, and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, De 6:8,9. It is probable that at that time there were few written copies of the whole law, only at the feasts of tabernacles the people had it read to them; and therefore God appointed them, at least for the present, to write some select sentences of the law, that were most weighty and comprehensive, upon their walls, or in scrolls of parchment to be worn about their wrists; and some think that hence the phylacteries so much used among the Jews took rise. Christ blames the Pharisees, not for wearing them, but for affecting to have them broader than other people's, Mt 23:5. But when Bibles came to be common among them there was less occasion for this expedient. It was prudently and piously provided by the first reformers of the English church that then, when Bibles were scarce, some select portions of scripture should be written on the walls and pillars of the churches, which the people might make familiar to them, in conformity to this direction, which seems to have been binding in the letter of it to the Jews as it is to us in the intent of it, which is that we should endeavour by all means possible to make the word of God familiar to us, that we may have it ready to us upon all occasions, for our restraint from sin and our direction and excitement to our duty. It must be as that which is graven on the palms of our hands, always before our eyes. See Pr 7:1-3. It is also intimated that we must never be ashamed to own our religion, nor to own ourselves under the check and government of it. Let it be written on our gates, and let every one that goes by our door read it, that we believe Jehovah to be God alone, and believe ourselves bound to love him with all our hearts.
III. A caution is here given not to forget God in a day of prosperity and plenty, De 6:10-12. Here, 1. He raises their expectations of the goodness of their God, taking it for granted that he would bring them into the good land that he had promised (De 6:10), that they should no longer dwell in tents as shepherds and poor travellers, but should settle in great and goodly cities, should no longer wander in a barren wilderness, but should enjoy houses well furnished and gardens well planted (De 6:11), and all this without any care and expense of their own, which he here lays a great stress upon—Cities which thou buildest not, houses which thou filledst not, etc., both because it made the mercy really much more valuable that what they had come to them so cheaply, and yet, if they did not actually consider it, the mercy would be the less esteemed, for we are most sensible of the value of that which has cost us dear. When they came so easily by the gift they would be apt to grow secure, and unmindful of the giver. 2. He engages their watchfulness against the badness of their own hearts: Then beware, when thou liest safe and soft, lest thou forget the Lord, De 6:12. Note, (1.) In a day of prosperity we are in great danger of forgetting God, our dependence upon him, our need of him, and our obligations to him. When the world smiles we are apt to make our court to it, and expect our happiness in it, and so we forget him that his our only portion and rest. Agur prays against this temptation (Pr 30:9): Lest I be full and deny thee. (2.) There is therefore need of great care and caution at such a time, and a strict watch over our own hearts. "Then beware; being warned of your danger, stand upon your guard against it. Bind the words of God for a sign upon thy hand, for this end to prevent thy forgetting God. When thou art settled in Canaan forget not thy deliverance out of Egypt; but look to the rock out of which thou wast hewn. When thy latter end has greatly increased, remember the smallness of thy beginnings."
IV. Some special precepts and prohibitions are here given, which are of great consequence. 1. They must upon all occasions give honour to God De 6:13): Fear him and serve him (for, if he be a Master, we must both reverence him and do his work); and swear by his name, that is, they must not upon any occasion appeal to any other, as the discerner of truth and avenger of wrong. Swear by him only, and not by an idol, or any other creature. Swear by his name in all treaties and covenants with the neighbouring nations, and do not compliment them so far as to swear by their gods. Swearing by his name is sometimes put for an open profession of his name. Isa 45:23, Every tongue shall swear, is expounded (Ro 14:11), Every tongue shall confess to God. 2. They must not upon any occasion give that honour to other gods (De 6:14): You shall not go after other gods, that is, "You shall not serve nor worship them;" for therein they went astray, they went a whoring from the true God, who in this, more than in any thing, is jealous god (De 6:15): and the learned bishop Patrick observes here, out of Maimonides, that we never find, either in the law or the prophets, anger, or fury, or jealousy, or indignation, attributed to God but upon occasion of idolatry. 3. They must take heed of dishonouring God by tempting him (De 6:16): You shall not tempt the Lord your God, that is, "You shall not in any exigence distrust the power, presence, and providence of God, nor quarrel with him," which, if they indulged an evil heart of unbelief, they would take occasion to do in Canaan as well as in the wilderness. No change of condition will cure a disposition of murmur and fret. Our Saviour uses this caution as an answer to one of Satan's temptations, with application to himself, Mt 4:7, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, either by despairing of his power and goodness while we keep in the way of our duty, or by presuming upon it when we turn aside out of that way.
17-25
A Charge to Israel (1451 BC)
简体中文
对以色列的告诫（主前1451年）
¹⁷ 你们要殷勤遵守耶和华你们神的诫命、和他法度、律例，就是他所吩咐你的。 ¹⁸ 耶和华眼中看为正为善的事，你都要照着行：使你可以享福，并可以进去得耶和华向你列祖起誓应许的那美地， ¹⁹ 照耶和华所说的，从你面前撵出你的一切仇敌。 ²⁰ 日後你的儿子问你说：耶和华我们神所吩咐你们的这些法度、律例、典章，是什么意思呢？ ²¹ 你就告诉你的儿子说：我们在埃及作过法老的奴仆；耶和华用大能的手将我们从埃及领出来； ²² 在我们眼前，将重大可怕的神迹奇事降在埃及地和法老并他全家身上； ²³ 将我们从那里领出来，为要领我们进入他向我们列祖起誓应许之地，把这地赐给我们。 ²⁴ 耶和华又吩咐我们遵行这一切律例，敬畏耶和华我们的神，使我们常得好处，蒙他保全我们的性命，像今日一样。 ²⁵ 我们若照耶和华我们神所吩咐的一切诫命，谨守遵行，这就是我们的义了。
这里，I. 摩西告诫他们自己要遵守神的诫命：你们要殷勤遵守神的诫命（申6:17-19）。请注意：要在心中和生活中保持信仰的大能，需要极大的用心和劳苦。疏忽必毁灭我们；我们却不能不殷勤而得救。为要促使他们如此行，他在此向他们指出：1. 这在神眼中极蒙悦纳：这是耶和华眼中看为正看为善的事；而那在神眼中看为正为善的，才是真正的正与善。我们若顾念造物主的恩宠作为我们的福分，又以受造的法则作为我们的准则，就必是敬虔的。2. 这对你们自己大有益处、有利可图。这将保证他们拥有迦南地，在那里亨通，并不断胜过一切拦路的人。简而言之："行得好，就必享福。"
II. 他告诫他们要在神的诫命上教导儿女，不仅使他们幼年就能明智、亲切地参与敬拜，更使他们将来在自己的世代能维持信仰，并将其传给後人。如今：
1. 这里有一个合宜的问题，是假设儿女会问的（申6:20）："这些法度和律例是什么意思？我们守的节期、献的祭物，以及我们所持守的许多特别习俗，意义何在？"请留意：（1）一切属神的制度都有确定的意义，其中设计了伟大之事。（2）我们当知道并明白其意义，好叫我们献上合理的敬拜，而不是献瞎眼的为祭。（3）儿女早早查问他们所受训练之宗教仪文的真意，是好的。若有人在属神之事上如此好问，便是他们关心这些事的好兆头，也是他们得以大大认识这些事的好途径。我们若是如此竭力追求认识，就必知道。
2. 这里把一个完整的回答放在父母口中，作为对这好问题的回答。父母和教师当将教导给予受他们照管的人，即便他们不问，甚至他们厌恶；他们更当乐意回答问题，并在人渴望受教时给予教导；因为可以盼望那些发问的人也愿意领受。儿女问神律法的意义吗？当告诉他们遵守这些律法是为了：（1）为记念神从前向他们所施的恩惠，尤其是领他们出埃及的拯救（申6:21-23）。当常常告诉儿女，他们祖宗作奴仆时在埃及所处的悲惨光景，神将他们从那里领出来所行的伟大拯救，以及神在赐给他们这些特别律例时，定意要借以使那形成他们为独特子民的奇工永垂纪念。（2）作为他进一步施恩的条件（申6:24）：耶和华吩咐我们这一切律例，是为我们的好处。请注意：神所吩咐我们的，没有一样不是真正为我们好的。敬虔既是我们的本分，也是我们的利益。[1] 它将成为我们的生命：使他可以保全我们存活——这是大恩，超过我们所配得的，因为我们多次失丧了性命。敬虔有着今世生命延续和安慰的应许，只要这是为神的荣耀。[2] 它将成为我们的义。我们若能完全遵行那一条爱神——尽心、尽性、尽力爱神——的诫命，并能说："我们从来没有别的行事"，这便是我们的义，足以使我们有权得无罪之约的益处；我们若继续遵行律法书上所写的一切，律法就必称我们为义。但这我们无法自诩，所以我们的真诚顺服要借着中保蒙悦纳，使我们如挪亚那样被称为在神面前的义人（创7:1；路1:6；约一3:7）。亚兰文意译本读作：我们若谨守遵行这些诫命，就必有赏赐；因为毫无疑问，遵守神的诫命，大赏赐在其中。
Originale inglese
A Charge to Israel (1451 BC)
¹⁷ Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.
¹⁸ And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,
¹⁹ To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken.
²⁰ And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you?
²¹ Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
²² And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:
²³ And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.
²⁴ And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
²⁵ And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
Here, I. Moses charges them to keep God's commandments themselves: You shall diligently keep God's commandments, De 6:17-19. Note, It requires a great deal of care and pains to keep up religion in the power of it in our hearts and lives. Negligence will ruin us; but we cannot be saved without diligence. To induce them to this, he here shows them, 1. That this would be very acceptable to God: it is right and good in the sight of the Lord; and that is right and good indeed that is, so in God's sight. If we have any regard to the favour of our Creator as our felicity, and the law of our creation as our rule, we shall be religious. 2. That it would be very advantageous and profitable to themselves. It would secure to them the possession of the land of Canaan, prosperity there, and constant victory over those that stood in their way. In short, "Do well, and it shall be well with thee."
II. He charges them to instruct their children in the commands of God, not only that they might in their tender years intelligently and affectionately join in religious services, but that afterwards they might in their day keep up religion, and convey it to those that should come after them. Now,
1. Here is a proper question which it is supposed the children would ask (De 6:20): "What mean the testimonies and the statutes? What is the meaning of the feasts we observe, the sacrifices we offer, and the many peculiar customs we keep up?" Observe, (1.) All divine institutions have a certain meaning, and there is something great designed in them. (2.) It concerns us to know and understand the meaning of them, that we may perform a reasonable service and may not offer the blind for sacrifice. (3.) It is good for children betimes to enquire into the true intent and meaning of the religious observances they are trained up in. If any are thus inquisitive in divine things it is a good sign that they are concerned about them, and a good means of their attaining to a great acquaintance with them. Then shall we know if thus we follow on to know.
2. Here is a full answer put into the parents' mouths to be given to this good question. Parents and teachers must give instruction to those under their charge, though they do not ask it, nay, though they have an aversion to it; much more must they be ready to answer questions, and to give instruction when it is desired; for it may be hoped that those who ask it will be willing to receive it. Did the children ask the meaning of God's laws? Let them be told that they were to be observed, (1.) In a grateful remembrance of God's former favours to them, especially their deliverance out of Egypt, De 6:21-23. The children must be often told of the deplorable state their ancestors were in when they were bondmen in Egypt, the great salvation God wrought for them in fetching them out thence, and that God, in giving them these peculiar statutes, meant to perpetuate the memorial of that work of wonder, by which they were formed into a peculiar people. (2.) As the prescribed condition of his further favours (De 6:24): The Lord commanded us all these statutes for our good. Note, God commands us nothing but what is really for our good. It is our interest as well as our duty to be religious. [1.] It will be our life: That he might preserve us alive, which is a great favour, and more than we could expect, considering how often we have forfeited life itself. Godliness has the promise of the continuance and comfort of the life that now is as far as it is for God's glory. [2.] It will be our righteousness. Could we perfectly fulfil but that one command of loving God with all our heart, soul, and might, and could we say, "We have never done otherwise," this would be so our righteousness as to entitle us to the benefits of the covenant of innocency; had we continued in every thing that is written in the book of the law to do it, the law would have justified us. But this we cannot pretend to, therefore our sincere obedience shall be accepted through a Mediator to denominate us, as Noah was, righteous before God, Ge 7:1, Lu 1:6, 1Jo 3:7. The Chaldee reads it, There shall be a reward to us if we observe to do these commandments; for, without doubt, in keeping God's commandments there is great reward.
摩西在本章继续告诫以色列人，务要在迦南持守他们的信仰。本章内容与申4:1-40 大体相同。I. 其开篇是一段劝勉顺服的话（申6:1-3）。II. 他提出顺服的根本原则：当信的第一要理——神是独一的神（申6:4）；当尽的第一要务——要尽心爱他（申6:5）。III. 他指明持守信仰的方法（申6:6-9）。IV. 他警告他们当防备那些足以毁坏信仰的事——对丰盛的妄用（申6:10-24）、倾向偶像敬拜之心（申6:14-15），并向他们颁赐若干普遍性的训诫（申6:13,16-18）。V. 他指示他们当怎样教训自己的儿女（申6:20-25等）。