Deuteronomy 6:7

Deu 6:7 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.

Ver. 7. And thou shalt teach them diligently.] Heb., Thou shalt whet or sharpen them, as one would sharpen a stake when he drives it into the ground: or as one would set an edge upon a knife, by oft going over the whetstone. A learned Hebrician observes a near affinity between the word here used and another word that signifies to repeat, and inculcate the same thing. {a} Innuit studium et diligentiam, qua pueris praecepta Dei ineuleari debent, saith Vatablus. Children should be taught the principles that they understand not: (1.) That they might have occasion much to think of the things that are so much and commonly urged; (2.) That if any extremity should come, they might have certain seeds of comfort and direction to guide and support them; (3.) That their condemnation might be more just, if having these so much in their mouths, they should not get something of them into their hearts.

{a} Shanan, acuere, et Shanah, repetere, affines sunt.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deu 6:7. Thou shall teach them diligently — Hebrew, whet, or sharpen them, so as that they may pierce deeply into their hearts, This metaphor signifies the manner of instructing them, that it is to be done diligently, earnestly, frequently, discreetly. To thy children — They that love the Lord God themselves will do what they can to engage the affections of their children to him, and so preserve the entail of religion in their families from being cut off. 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. That good thing which is committed to us, we must carefully transmit to those that come after us, that it may be perpetuated. Thou shalt talk of them — With due reverence and seriousness, for the benefit, not only of thy children, but of thy other domestics, thy friends, and companions. When thou sittest in thy house — At work, or at meat, or at rest. When thou walkest by the way — For air and exercise, for conversation, or on journeys. When thou liest down —

Art about to retire from thy family for sleep. And when thou risest up — Returnest again to thy family in the morning. 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 belonging to their peace.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6:7 Repeat them: The Hebrew verb (shanan) might suggest “engraving” a text into a medium that cannot be obliterated, or it might simply mean “repeat.” Either way, the teaching of the Shema was to be indelibly imparted to children by constant repetition so that it would never be forgotten.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Some read, thou shalt whet them upon thy children: to wit, that they may print them more deeply in memory.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 7. Thou shalt teach them diligently] שננתם shinnantam, from שנן shanan, to repeat, iterate, or do a thing again and again; hence to whet or sharpen any instrument, which is done by reiterated friction or grinding. We see here the spirit of this Divine injunction. God's testimonies must be taught to our children, and the utmost diligence must be used to make them understand them. This is a most difficult task; and it requires much patience, much prudence, much judgment, and much piety in the parents, to enable them to do this good, this most important work, in the best and most effectual manner. See at the end of this chapter.

And shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house] Thou shalt have religion at home, as well as in the temple and tabernacle.

And when thou walkest by the way] Thou shalt be religious abroad as well as at home, and not be ashamed to own God wheresoever thou art.

When thou liest down, and when thou risest up.] Thou shalt begin and end the day with God, and thus religion will be the great business of thy life. O how good are these sayings, but how little regarded!

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(7) And thou shalt teach them diligently.—The same Jewish commentator remarks that there should be no hesitation in answering anything that a man might ask. Had this system of education been carried on from the first, the history of Israel would hare been very different from what it is.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. teach them diligently] lit. whet or sharpen, Deu_32:41; make incisive and impress them on thy children; rub them in, Germ. einschärfen. The Eng. metaphorical use of ‘sharpen’ or ‘whet’ (‘whet on,’ ‘whet forward’) has usually for object the mind, not the material employed on it. Yet cp. Shakespeare’s

‘Thou hid’st a thousand daggers in thy thoughts,

Which thou hast whetted on thy stony heart

To stab at half-an-hour of my frail life.’

unto thy children] So not only in D, Deu_6:20, Deu_4:9, Deu_11:19, but also J, Exo_13:8,etc.

talk of them, etc.] Deu_11:19. With LXX and Sam. read the for thine before house.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And thou shall teach them diligently unto thy children,.... Care and diligence are to be used, and pains taken, to instruct children, as soon as they are capable, in the knowledge of God, and of his commandments; that they are to love him, fear him, serve, and worship him; this is to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Eph 6:4, it may be rendered "thou shalt whet or sharpen them" (s), the words or commandments; it is expressive of diligence and industry in teaching, by frequent repetition of things, by inculcating them continually into their minds, endeavouring to imprint them there, that they may be sharp, ready, and expert in them:

and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house; at the time of meals, or at leisure hours, or even when employed in any business in the house which will admit of it; every opportunity should be taken to instil the knowledge of divine things into their tender minds:

and when thou walkest by the way; in a journey, and any of his children with him; or for diversion, in the garden, field, or vineyard; occasion may be taken on sight of any of the works of creation to lead into a discourse concerning God, his nature, perfections, and works, and the obligations his creatures lie under to love, fear, and serve him: and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up; at the time of going to bed, and rising from it; which, as they are seasons of prayer to God, may be improved in instruction of children.

(s) "et acues ea", Vatablus, Piscator.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Tell. Hebrew, "thou shalt chew them" as nurses do bread for their little ones; or thou shalt "sharpen," like a razor, "explain clearly and often," these precepts, which are of the utmost importance. --- Meditate; speak of them to others, (Calmet) and entertain thyself with them in thy own heart. The mouth of the just man shall meditate wisdom, and (that is) his tongue shall speak judgment, Psalm xxxvi. 30., and Exodus xiii. 9. --- Sleeping. The spouse, in the canticle, (Canticle of Canticles v. 2,) says, I sleep, and my heart watcheth. If we carefully direct our intention, we may merit even when we are incapable of thinking. God will reward our good desires. Our last and first thoughts ought, in a particular manner, to be consecrated to God, (Haydock) when we go to rest and when we arise, (Menochius) as he is our first beginning, the source of all graces, and our last end, to whom we ought to refer every thing, even our ordinary actions of sleeping, labour, and diversion. If we make his divine perfections and his law the subject of our daily meditations, our soul will naturally be affected with the same sentiments during the night. Quicquid luce fuit tenebris agit. "The occurrences of the day have an influence upon our dreams;" (Petronius) and as we are accountable for many things by placing the cause, which in the hours of sleep or of drunkenness we are not able to prevent, so it cannot be doubted but that we shall increase in virtue, if we regulate our thoughts and actions in a proper manner, even when our soul is incapable of exerting her faculties. Hence we may perceive, of what vast importance it is to have a pure intention. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Teach them diligently, Heb. whet, or sharpen them, so as they may pierce deep into their hearts. This metaphor signifies the manner of instructing them, that it is to be done diligently, earnestly, frequently, discreetly, and dexterously.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

7. Teach them, etc. — These precepts were to be constantly impressed upon their households at all times.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Teach them diligently - Hebrew. whet, or sharpen them, so as they may pierce deep into their hearts. This metaphor signifies the manner of instructing them, that it is to be done diligently, earnestly, frequently, discreetly.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

ושננתם AND THOU SHALT TEACH THEM DILIGENTLY — This word expresses the idea of being sharply impressed, the meaning being, that they should be impressed (familiar) in thy mouth, so that if a person asks you anything concerning them, you will not need to stammer (hesitate) about it, but tell him forthwith (Sifrei Devarim 34:1; Kiddushin 30a)

לבניך [AND THOU SHALT TEACH THEM DILIGENTLY] UNTO THY CHILDREN — These are the disciples. Everywhere do we find that disciples are termed בנים, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 14:1) “Ye are children (בנים) of the Lord your God”; and it says, (2 Kings 2:3), “The sons of (בני) the prophets who were in Bethel”. So. too, do we find in the case of Hezekiah that he taught Torah to all Israel and termed them בנים, as it is said, (II Chronicles 29:11), “My sons (בני) be not now negligent". And even as disciples are termed בנים, “children", so the teacher is termed אב, "father", as it is said, (2 Kings 2:12) that Elisha referred to his teacher Elijah by the words, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, etc." (Sifrei Devarim 34:4).

ודברת בם AND THOU SHALT SPEAK OF THEM — i.e. that your principal topic of conversation should be only about them: make them the principal, and do not make them of secondary importance (Sifrei Devarim 34:6).

ובשכבך AND WHEN THOU LIEST DOWN — One might think that this means: even if one lies down (retires to bed) in the middle of the day, and that ובקומך AND WHEN THOU RISEST UP means: even if you rise up in the middle of the night! It, however, states בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך WHEN THOU SITTEST IN THY HOUSE AND WHEN THOU WALKEST BY THE WAY: The Torah is thus speaking of the usual way of living, and this therefore means, the usual time of lying down and the usual time of rising up (cf. Sifrei Devarim 36:9).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AND THOU SHALT TEACH THEM DILIGENTLY UNTO THY CHILDREN etc. These clarified commandments have also been alluded to previously, for, since He enjoined in certain commandments, It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations;. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee — we are thus [obviously] commanded [to see to it] that our children know the commandments, and how shall they know [the precepts] unless we teach them. Similarly, the commandment And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes has already been stated and here he [further] explained and thou shalt bind them meaning that they be placed [upon the arm and head and secured tightly] through tying. It also alludes to the knot [in the strap] of the phylacteries that, according to the tradition received by our Rabbis, is a law declared to Moses on Sinai. He added here the commandment of the Mezuzah — And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates — which is not mentioned there. Perhaps this, too, is [merely] explained [here rather than being an entirely new commandment] since it has been suggested in the commandment, and it be a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of the Eternal may be in thy mouth. is fastened to the upper third of the right-hand door-post, approximately at eye-level, it thus serves as a memorial of the law of G-d, for two portions of the Torah are written on its scroll of parchment. The meaning of the expression and upon thy gates is “and upon the door-posts of the rest of your gates,” such as the gates of cities and countries, similar to within any of ‘thy gates’ [which means “any of ‘your cities’ “].

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

Teach them through repetition and through sharp, intellectual evidence.

And you are to discuss them. For through this you will constantly remember them.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.