The Meaning of Deuteronomy 11:1 Explained

Deuteronomy 11:1

KJV: Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

YLT: 'And thou hast loved Jehovah thy God, and kept His charge, and His statutes, and His judgments, and His commands, all the days;

Darby: Thou shalt love then Jehovah thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his ordinances, and his commandments continually.

ASV: Therefore thou shalt love Jehovah thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his ordinances, and his commandments, alway.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore thou shalt love  the LORD  thy God,  and keep  his charge,  and his statutes,  and his judgments,  and his commandments,  alway. 

What does Deuteronomy 11:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 11:1-17 - The Rewards Of Obedience
In this chapter the introductory portion of this book closes, and two final arguments are brought to bear on the chosen people, to induce them to love God and keep His charge. The one has already been referred to, consisting of those awful judgments with which God had punished the stiff-neckedness of Pharaoh and the rebellions of the Wilderness. We may as well learn sooner than later, that God will have us holy, and if we will not yield to His loving solicitations we must suffer His stern chastisements.
The other argument is derived from the blessings which they would inherit by obedience. In Egypt the irrigation of the land was laboriously effected by the tread-wheels, that raised the water from the Nile-level, but in Canaan there were two annual rainy seasons-the former, September-October; the latter, March-April. The regularity of these seasons depended on Israel's loyal obedience. We are reminded of John 4:14. May we not ask ourselves, which of these typifies our religious life? See Hebrews 4:1. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 11

1  Another exhortation to obedience
2  by their own experience of God's great works
8  by promise of God's great blessings
16  and by threatenings
18  A careful study is required in God's words
26  The blessing and curse set before them

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 11:1 mean?

Therefore you shall love - Yahweh your God and keep His charge and His statutes and His judgments and His commandments all the time
וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ וְחֻקֹּתָ֧יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֛יו וּמִצְוֺתָ֖יו כָּל־ הַיָּמִֽים

וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔  Therefore  you  shall  love 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣  and  keep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ  His  charge 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁמֶרֶת  
Sense: guard, charge, function, obligation, service, watch.
וְחֻקֹּתָ֧יו  and  His  statutes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֻקָּה  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.
וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֛יו  and  His  judgments 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וּמִצְוֺתָ֖יו  and  His  commandments 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
הַיָּמִֽים  the  time 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.