Deuteronomy 6:12
in Deuteronomy 6be careful not to forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
then beware lest thou forget Jehovah, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
KJV
Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 6
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThen beware lest thou forget the Lord,.... To love, fear, and worship him, and keep his commands; creature enjoyments being apt to get possession of the heart, and the affections of it; Pro 30:9. which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; into a land abounding with all the above good things, and therefore under the highest obligations to remember the Lord and his kindnesses, and to serve and glorify him: Exo 20:2.
This site's exposition
when the LORD your God brings you into the land
on Deuteronomy 6:10-12
The danger this chapter names is prosperity. Cities "that you did not build," wells "that you did not dig," and vineyards "that you did not plant" are all handed over. The warning comes "when you eat and are satisfied," to "be careful not to forget the LORD."
This site's exposition
be careful not to forget the LORD
The remedy for plenty is memory, and what Israel must hold in mind is the one who brought them out of slavery. John Gill sets the verse beside Proverbs 30:9, the prayer against a fullness that would deny the LORD.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony · Written before 523.
proposed
Observe then these defects, O thou that lovest spiritual excellence, and excuse thyself from this wickedness, that thou mayest not forget God and thine own self thereby, and thy discernment be darkened against all that is seemly; and with these remember also that which was …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Beware lest thou forget the Lord - In earthly prosperity men are apt to forget heavenly things. While the animal senses have every thing they can wish, it is difficult for the soul to urge its way to heaven; the animal man is happy, and the desires of the soul are absorbed in those of the flesh. God knows this well; and therefore, in his love to man, makes comparative poverty and frequent affliction his general lot.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
חצובים [CISTERNS] HEWN OUT — Because it (Palestine) was a country of stony ground and rocks, the term "hewn" is applicable here.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
The purport thereof is that after he commanded concerning the love of G-d, he mentioned that [one is] to fear Him so that he not sin and be punished.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הִשָּׁ֣מֶר | hishamer | take heed | H8104 → | 468 times |
| לְךָ֔ | lekha | to yourself | ||
| פֶּן־ | pen- | lest | H6435 → | 133 times |
| תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח | tishkach | you should forget | H7911 → | 102 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֧ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֛ | hotziakha | he brought out you | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מֵאֶ֥רֶץ | meeretz | from [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| מִצְרַ֖יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| מִבֵּ֥ית | mibeit | from a house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| עֲבָדִֽים׃ | ʾavadim | slaves | H5650 → | 799 times |
הִשָּׁ֣מֶרtake heed
hishamerH8104 →468 times
לְךָ֔to yourself
lekha
פֶּן־lest
pen-H6435 →133 times
תִּשְׁכַּ֖חyou should forget
tishkachH7911 →102 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֲשֶׁ֧רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֛he brought out you
hotziakhaH3318 →1067 times
מֵאֶ֥רֶץfrom [the] land of
meeretzH776 →2504 times
מִצְרַ֖יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
מִבֵּ֥יתfrom a house of
mibeitH1004 →2046 times
עֲבָדִֽים׃slaves
ʾavadimH5650 →799 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
About Deuteronomy
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony.