Deuteronomy 6:3

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey, so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר֙ יִיטַ֣ב לְךָ֔ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְבּ֖וּן מְאֹ֑ד כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹתֶיךָ֙ לָ֔ךְ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ

Transliteration

And wĕšāmaʿtā Yiśrāʾēl and wĕšāmartā to laʿăśôt which yîṭab to you, and which tirbûn mĕʾōd, as which dibber YHWH ʾĕlōhê ʾăbōtêka to you, ʾereṣ zābat ḥālāb and dĕbāš

Grammar Details

• *wĕ-šāmaʿtā*: conjunction + Qal perfect, 2nd person masculine singular - and you shall hear/listen
• *Yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - Israel
• *wĕ-šāmartā*: conjunction + Qal perfect, 2nd person masculine singular - and you shall keep/observe
• *laʿăśôt*: Qal infinitive construct + preposition - to do/perform
• *ʾăšer*: relative pronoun - which
• *yîṭab*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - it will be good
• *lĕkā*: preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - to you
• *wa-ʾăšer*: conjunction + relative pronoun - and which
• *tirbûn*: Qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural - you will increase/multiply
• *mĕʾōd*: adverb - very/exceedingly
• *ka-ʾăšer*: preposition + relative pronoun - just as
• *dibber*: Piel perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - spoke/promised
• *YHWH*: proper noun - LORD/Yahweh
• *ʾĕlōhê*: masculine plural noun, construct - God of
• *ʾăbōtêka*: masculine plural noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your fathers
• *lāk*: preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - to you
• *ʾereṣ*: feminine singular noun, construct - land of
• *zābat*: Qal participle, feminine singular construct - flowing with
• *ḥālāb*: masculine singular noun - milk
• *û-dĕbāš*: conjunction + masculine singular noun - and honey

Word Meanings

• *šāmaʿtā*: hear/listen/obey
• *šāmartā*: keep/observe/guard
• *laʿăśôt*: to do/perform/accomplish/fulfill
• *yîṭab*: be good/go well/be pleasing
• *tirbûn*: increase/multiply/become numerous
• *dibber*: spoke/said/promised
• *zābat*: flowing with/exuding
• *ḥālāb*: milk/dairy
• *dĕbāš*: honey/syrup

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Therefore, hear, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you, in the land flowing with milk and honey.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Hear{H8085} therefore, O Israel,{H3478} and observe{H8104} to do{H6213} it; that it may be well{H3190} with thee, and that ye may increase{H7235} mightily,{H3966} as Jehovah,{H3068} the God{H430} of thy fathers,{H1} hath promised{H1696} unto thee, in a land{H776} flowing{H2100} with milk{H2461} and honey.{H1706}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Hear{H8085}{(H8804)} therefore, O Israel{H3478}, and observe{H8104}{(H8804)} to do{H6213}{(H8800)} it; that it may be well{H3190}{(H8799)} with thee, and that ye may increase{H7235}{(H8799)} mightily{H3966}, as the LORD{H3068} God{H430} of thy fathers{H1} hath promised{H1696}{(H8765)} thee, in the land{H776} that floweth{H2100}{(H8802)} with milk{H2461} and honey{H1706}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Heare therfore Israel and take hede that thou doo thereafter, that it maye goo well with the and that ye maye encrease myghtely: eue as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promysed the, a lode that floweth with mylk ad hony

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Thou shalt heare (O Israel) & take hede, yt thou do therafter, yt it maye go well with ye, & that thou mayest multiplye greatly, as ye LORDE God of yi fathers hath promysed the a londe yt floweth wt mylke & hony.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Heare therefore, O Israel, and take heede to doe it, that it may go well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily in the land that floweth with milke and hony, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Heare therfore O Israel, and take heede that thou do it, that it may go well with thee, & that ye may encrease mightily, euen as the Lorde God of thy fathers hath promised thee, a lande that floweth with mylke and honie.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do [it]; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Hear therefore, Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with you, and that you may increase mightily, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised to you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `And thou hast heard, O Israel, and observed to do, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest multiply exceedingly, as Jehovah, God of thy fathers, hath spoken to thee, `in' the land flowing with milk and honey.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as Jehovah, the God of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as Jehovah, the God of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  So give ear, O Israel, and take care to do this; so that it may be well for you, and you may be greatly increased, as the Lord the God of your fathers has given you his word, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Hear therefore, Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with you, and that you may increase mightily, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised to you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Pay attention, Israel, and be careful to do this so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in number– as the LORD, God of your ancestors, said to you, you will have a land flowing with milk and honey.

Referenced Verses

• Exod 3:8 : 8 'So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the place of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.'
• Gen 15:5 : 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then He added, "So will your descendants be."
• Gen 22:17 : 17 I will surely bless you and will greatly multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore, and your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies.
• Gen 26:4 : 4 I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and give them all these lands, and through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
• Gen 28:14 : 14 Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, to the east, to the north, and to the south. Through you and your descendants, all the families of the earth will be blessed.
• Exod 1:7 : 7 But the Israelites were fruitful, multiplied greatly, increased in number, and became exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
• Deut 4:6 : 6 You must keep and do them, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations, who will hear about all these statutes and say, 'Indeed, this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'
• Deut 5:32-33 : 32 So be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or the left. 33 Walk in all the ways that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land you will possess.
• Eccl 8:12 : 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and lives a long time, I know that it will be well with those who fear God, who honor Him.
• Isa 3:10 : 10 Tell the righteous that it will go well for them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.
• Acts 7:17 : 17 As the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise He had made to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt.
• Gen 12:2 : 2 And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
• Gen 13:16 : 16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants could also be counted.