Deuteronomy 6:5
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
King James Version (KJV)
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These words immediately follow the Shema and form the positive heart of the covenant. Moses calls Israel to respond to the one LORD with complete love.
What Does Deuteronomy 6:5 Mean?
This is the command Jesus would later call the greatest of all: to love God with the entirety of your being. Following directly on the confession that the LORD is one, this verse draws the natural conclusion -- the one God deserves undivided love. The three terms "heart," "soul," and "might" are not separate compartments but together stress totality. No part of a person is to be held back. Love here is covenant loyalty expressed in affection, allegiance, and action.
"Heart" in Hebrew thought is the center of will and thought, "soul" is the living self with all its desires, and "might" points to strength, capacity, and resources -- all that one is and has. The command is striking because love cannot be coerced; it must be given. Yet the very fact that God commands it shows He desires not mere obedience but devotion. To love God this fully reorders everything else, making Him the supreme love from which all other faithfulness flows.
In the Original Language
The verb "ahav" (to love) describes covenant loyalty rooted in genuine affection. The escalating triad "levav" (heart), "nephesh" (soul), and "meod" (might, very-ness) sweeps in the whole person and all their capacity.
Cross References
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
- Matthew 22:37
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
- Mark 12:30
“But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways.”
- Joshua 22:5
Application
Examine where your love for God is divided, and offer Him not just a corner of your life but your whole heart, your inner self, and your full strength.