Deuteronomy 6:25
in Deuteronomy 6And if we are careful to observe every one of these commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us, then that will be our righteousness.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it shall be righteousness unto us, if we observe to do all this commandment before Jehovah our God, as he hath commanded us.
KJV
And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 6
Commentary
6 notes on this verseIt shall be our righteousness - The evidence that we are under the influence of the fear and love of God. Moses does not say that this righteousness could be wrought without the influence of God’s mercy, nor does he say that they should purchase heaven by it: but, God required them to be conformed to his will in all things, that they might be holy in heart, and righteous in every part of their moral conduct. 1. On a very important subject in this chapter, it may be necessary to make some farther observations.
This site's exposition
And the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes
on Deuteronomy 6:24-25
The statutes are given "that we may always be prosperous and preserved," so the law is a gift before it is a demand. Verse 25 says careful obedience "will be our righteousness," and Paul takes up that claim at Romans 10:5 from Leviticus 18:5.
This site's exposition
that will be our righteousness
The catechism ends on the word righteousness. John Wesley takes it as God owning as righteous those who sincerely obey him. Matthew Henry holds that such obedience is accepted through a Mediator, and notes the Chaldee reading, a reward to us.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It shall be our righteousness - Hebrew. Righteousness shall be to us. We shall be owned and pronounced by God to be righteous and holy persons, if we sincerely obey him, otherwise we shall be declared to be unrighteous and ungodly.
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, Gen. vii. 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.
And it shall be our righteousness,....
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּצְדָקָ֖ה | utzedakah | and righteousness | H6666 → | 157 times |
| תִּֽהְיֶה־ | tihyeh- | it will belong | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לָּ֑נוּ | lanu | to us | ||
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נִשְׁמֹ֨ר | nishmor | we will take care | H8104 → | 468 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֜וֹת | laasot | to observe | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַמִּצְוָ֣ה | hamitzvah | the commandment | H4687 → | 181 times |
| הַזֹּ֗את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| לִפְנֵ֛י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ | ʾeloheinu | God our | H430 → | 2601 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּֽנוּ׃ ס | tzivanu | he commanded us | H6680 → | 494 times |
וּצְדָקָ֖הand righteousness
utzedakahH6666 →157 times
תִּֽהְיֶה־it will belong
tihyeh-H1961 →3559 times
לָּ֑נוּto us
lanu
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
נִשְׁמֹ֨רwe will take care
nishmorH8104 →468 times
לַעֲשׂ֜וֹתto observe
laasotH6213 →2628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַמִּצְוָ֣הthe commandment
hamitzvahH4687 →181 times
הַזֹּ֗את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
לִפְנֵ֛י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּGod our
ʾeloheinuH430 →2601 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
צִוָּֽנוּ׃ סhe commanded us
tzivanuH6680 →494 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 2:10Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
it leads to
- Galatians 3:10
All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
- Matthew 5:18–19
For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
- Deuteronomy 27:26
‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
- Galatians 3:10
Through
Romans 10:3Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
it leads to
- Luke 16:15
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
- Philippians 3:9
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
- Luke 16:15
Through
Psalms 119:6Then I would not be ashamed when I consider all Your commandments.
it leads to
- 1 John 2:28
And now, little children, remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.
- 1 John 2:28
Through
Leviticus 18:5Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.
it leads to
- Galatians 3:12
The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”
- Galatians 3:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
About Deuteronomy

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
