Deuteronomy 6:20 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 6:20 Commentary: Why the Answer Is Deliverance
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
When your child asks why we keep God's laws, Deuteronomy 6:20 shows the answer: the Exodus story of redemption.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The meaning of the Law is found in God’s redemption, not in the rules themselves.
- Key words: “What” (mah) implies significance; “testimonies” (edot), “statutes” (chuqqim), “judgments” (mishpatim) cover all aspects of the law.
- Main debate: Whether the son’s question is about the laws’ purpose or their content, but the answer in either case is the Exodus.
- Theological theme: Law as response to grace; obedience flows from belonging to God.
- Best use: Catechesis, parenting, apologetics, small group teaching.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
In the future, when your son asks, “What is the meaning of the decrees and statutes and ordinances that the LORD our God has commanded you?”
WEB World English Bible 2000
When your son asks you in time to come, saying, “What do the testimonies, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Yahweh our God has commanded you mean?”
KJV King James Version 1769
And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
When thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which Jehovah our God hath commanded you?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`When thy son asketh thee hereafter, saying, What are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Jehovah our God hath commanded you?
Darby Darby Bible 1890
When thy son shall ask thee in time to come, saying, What are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which Jehovah our God hath commanded you?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And when thy son shall ask thee to morrow, saying: What mean these testimonies, and ceremonies and judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded us?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Cuando mañana te preguntare tu hijo, diciendo: ¿ Qué significan los testimonios, y estatutos, y derechos, que Jehová nuestro Dios os mandó?
Quando amanhã te perguntar teu filho, dizendo: Que significam os testemunhos, e estatutos, e regulamentos, que o SENHOR nosso Deus vos mandou?
Lorsque ton fils te demandera un jour: Que signifient ces préceptes, ces lois et ces ordonnances, que l’ Éternel, notre Dieu, vous a prescrits?
Wenn dich aber dein Sohn heute oder morgen fragen wird und sagen: Was sind das für Zeugnisse, Gebote und Rechte, die euch der HERR, unser Gott, geboten hat?
Wanneer uw zoon u morgen zal vragen, zeggende: Wat zijn dat voor getuigenissen, en inzettingen, en rechten, die de HEERE, onze God, ulieden geboden heeft?
Quando, in avvenire, il tuo figliuolo ti domanderà: “Che significano queste istruzioni, queste leggi e queste prescrizioni che l’Eterno, l’Iddio nostro, vi ha date?”
A gdyby cię napotem spytał syn twój, mówiąc: Cóż to za świadectwa, i ustawy, i sądy, które wam przykazał Pan, Bóg nasz?
Если спросит у тебя сын твой в последующее время, говоря: "что значат сии уставы, постановления и законы, которые заповедал вам Господь, Бог ваш?"
「 日後，你的兒子 問你 說：『耶和華─我們 神 吩咐 你們 的這些 法度、律例、典章 是甚麼意思呢？』
And when your son says to you in time to come, What is the reason for these rules and laws and decisions which the Lord our God has given you?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 6:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The answer to the son’s question is the Exodus story, not a legal explanation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The nature of the son’s question | The son is asking about the meaning and purpose of the laws, not just their content. | Some see a formal catechism question (Clarke), while others view it as a spontaneous question from a child observing family life. |
| The role of historical narrative in the answer | The parent’s answer is essentially the story of the Exodus, not a legal exposition. | Calvin emphasizes the legal obligation created by redemption; Keil and Delitzsch focus on awakening love; Matthew Henry ties it to the need for diligence in teaching. |
| The meaning of ‘righteousness’ in verse 25 | Obedience is described as “righteousness before the Lord our God.” | Lange notes that this righteousness is not opposed to faith; some traditions see it as earned righteousness, others as covenant faithfulness. |
| The identity of the child | The child is part of the covenant community, being raised in the faith. | Is the child a specific individual or representative of the next generation? Both readings are present in commentaries. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Question of Meaning, The son asks because he sees obedience lived out. He doesn’t ask “what are the rules?” but “what do they mean?” This moves from behavior to purpose.
- The Answer of Redemption, The parent responds with the Exodus story, not a lecture. The laws are meaningful only because they belong to a story of deliverance.
- The Goal of Life, The chapter ends with “it shall be our righteousness,” showing that the purpose of the law is life, not just obedience.
Five-point outline
- Observation leads to curiosity, The child notices the parents’ actions.
- The child asks about meaning, not mechanics.
- The parent tells a story, the whole Exodus narrative.
- The story identifies the family with God’s saving work, “we were slaves.”
- The result is reverence and obedience, “for our good always.”
Illustration hooks
- A child asking why the family prays before meals: the answer is not about theology but about gratitude.
- A student asking why a teacher has classroom rules: the answer is about creating a safe space for learning, not about control.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I explain my faith to my children without making it a list of rules?
- Why does the Old Testament law still matter if we are under grace?
- How can I make the story of God’s work feel personal to my family?
Leading a Discussion
This passage is a gift for small groups because it connects doctrine to daily life. The son’s question is the same one many of us have asked: why all these rules? And the answer points us back to God’s character and actions.
Discussion questions
- What specific question does the son ask in verse 20? Why do you think the verse specifies “testimonies, statutes, and judgments”?
- The parent does not explain the laws but tells the story of the Exodus. What does that tell you about how God wants us to understand his commands?
- How does the answer in verses 21, 25 reframe the purpose of the law? What is the goal of obedience according to verse 24?
- In what ways do you see this pattern, story before rules, in your own life or in the way you talk about faith with others?
- Verse 25 says obedience will be “our righteousness.” How does this relate to the New Testament teaching about righteousness through faith? (Romans 10:5, 6)
- What is one way your family or community could create more space for children to ask questions about faith?
- What makes this approach more effective than simply giving commands? How can you apply it this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 12:26 | It will happen, when your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ |
| Exodus 13:14 | It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage. |
| Deuteronomy 6:7 | and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. |
| Joshua 4:6 | that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’ |
| Joshua 4:7 | then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of Yahweh’s covenant. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.’” |
| Joshua 4:21 | He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean?’ |
| Joshua 4:24 | that all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh’s hand is mighty, and that you may fear Yahweh your God forever.’” |
| Proverbs 22:6 | Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights a Hebrew idiom: the language has no word for "to mean" or "signify," so it uses the verb "to be" instead. He illustrates this with the phrase "the seven thin ears are seven years of famine," where "are" carries the sense of "represent." This linguistic detail grounds the passage's catechetical character.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that God's Law rests on His prior act of redemption, making obedience a grateful response to grace. He highlights a two-fold bond: God redeemed them from Egypt and then gave them the land, so they are doubly bound to honor Him by keeping the Law and teaching it to their children.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that when future generations ask why the laws exist, the answer should point directly to God's deliverance from Egypt. The laws are not arbitrary rules but the means by which God preserves as a nation the people He rescued and led to the promised land.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
When thy sonne shall aske thee in time to come, saying, What meane these testimonies, and ordinances, and Lawes, which the Lord our God hath commanded you?
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the child's question about God's laws refers to a future time after Israel enters Canaan. The child asks for the reason behind specific ceremonies like Passover and sacrifices, not merely their content. This anticipates the practical observance of all the statutes once the people are settled in the land.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees the directions for teaching children as flowing directly from the earlier commands, not as a separate addition. The instruction to answer future questions is simply an extension of the same covenantal guidance already given.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that the command to teach children is not merely about repeating rules. Parents are to answer their children's questions by recounting God's specific, mighty acts in Egypt and the exodus, using these historical events to awaken love for the Lord and His commandments.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that "Jehovah is one" means far more than numerical unity; it declares His absolute, exclusive deity. Because He alone is God, the demand for total love follows naturally—polytheism never compels such wholehearted devotion. This oneness is the foundation for every command that follows.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that keeping God's commandments requires constant care and effort -- negligence leads to ruin, but diligence is necessary for salvation. He points out that obedience is both right and good in God's sight, and it also brings real advantage to the one who follows.