The Meaning of Deuteronomy 6:1 Explained

Deuteronomy 6:1

KJV: 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:

YLT: And this is the command, the statutes and the judgments which Jehovah your God hath commanded to teach you, to do in the land which ye are passing over thither to possess it,

Darby: And these are the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you, that ye may do them in the land whereunto ye pass over to possess it,

ASV: Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Deuteronomy 6:1 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 6:1 mean?

And this [is] the commandment [and these are] the statutes and judgments which has commanded Yahweh your God to teach you that you may observe [them] in the land you are crossing over there to possess
וְזֹ֣את הַמִּצְוָ֗ה הַֽחֻקִּים֙ וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֛ה יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם לְלַמֵּ֣ד אֶתְכֶ֑ם לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת בָּאָ֔רֶץ אַתֶּ֛ם עֹבְרִ֥ים שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ

וְזֹ֣את  And  this  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
הַמִּצְוָ֗ה  the  commandment 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
הַֽחֻקִּים֙  [and  these  are]  the  statutes 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֹק  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due.
וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים  and  judgments 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
צִוָּ֛ה  has  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לְלַמֵּ֣ד  to  teach 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: לָמַד  
Sense: to learn. teach, exercise in.
לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת  that  you  may  observe  [them] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
בָּאָ֔רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
עֹבְרִ֥ים  are  crossing  over 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ  to  possess 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.