The Meaning of Deuteronomy 6:12 Explained

Deuteronomy 6:12

KJV: Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

YLT: 'Take heed to thyself lest thou forget Jehovah who hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of a house of servants;

Darby: then beware lest thou forget Jehovah who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

ASV: then beware lest thou forget Jehovah, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Then] beware  lest thou forget  the LORD,  which brought thee forth  out of the land  of Egypt,  from the house  of bondage. 

What does Deuteronomy 6:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 6:1-19 - How To Treat God's Words
Obedience is still the one condition of true prosperity and success. Lands still flow with milk and honey; and they live long who live well. Lives are measured by heart-throbs, and not by figures on the dial.
Deuteronomy 6:4 is reckoned by pious Jews as one of the choicest portions of Scripture. They write it on their phylacteries and repeat it, with other verses, at least twice a day. Note the various methods for maintaining the religious atmosphere: (1) by meditation; (2) by the religious training of children; (3) by pious discourse and conversation; (4) by the persistent study of Scripture. When books are scarce, use wall-texts; but never substitute stray snippets, however sweet, for the whole meal of Scripture.
Let us not forget how many of our present privileges and spiritual advantages must be credited to the prayers and the tears, the labors and the sufferings, of those who have left these precious inheritances to us, their children and heirs! We drink of cisterns we never hewed! [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 6

1  The end of the law is obedience
3  An exhortation thereto
20  What they are to teach their children

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 6:12 mean?

[then] beware to lest you forget - Yahweh who brought you out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage
הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֔ פֶּן־ תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֶת־ יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר הוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֛ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים

הִשָּׁ֣מֶר  [then]  beware 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח  you  forget 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּשַׁח 
Sense: to forget, ignore, wither.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֛  brought  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מֵאֶ֥רֶץ  out  of  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרַ֖יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
מִבֵּ֥ית  from  the  house 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
עֲבָדִֽים  of  bondage 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.

What are the major concepts related to Deuteronomy 6:12?

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