The Meaning of Deuteronomy 6:15 Explained

Deuteronomy 6:15

KJV: (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

YLT: for a zealous God is Jehovah thy God in thy midst -- lest the anger of Jehovah thy God burn against thee, and He hath destroyed thee from off the face of the ground.

Darby: for Jehovah thy God is a jealous God in thy midst; lest the anger of Jehovah thy God be kindled against thee, and he destroy thee from the face of the earth.

ASV: for Jehovah thy God in the midst of thee is a jealous God; lest the anger of Jehovah thy God be kindled against thee, and he destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

(For the LORD  thy God  [is] a jealous  God  among  you) lest the anger  of the LORD  thy God  be kindled  against thee, and destroy  thee from off the face  of the earth. 

What does Deuteronomy 6:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 6:1-19 - How To Treat God's Words
Obedience is still the one condition of true prosperity and success. Lands still flow with milk and honey; and they live long who live well. Lives are measured by heart-throbs, and not by figures on the dial.
Deuteronomy 6:4 is reckoned by pious Jews as one of the choicest portions of Scripture. They write it on their phylacteries and repeat it, with other verses, at least twice a day. Note the various methods for maintaining the religious atmosphere: (1) by meditation; (2) by the religious training of children; (3) by pious discourse and conversation; (4) by the persistent study of Scripture. When books are scarce, use wall-texts; but never substitute stray snippets, however sweet, for the whole meal of Scripture.
Let us not forget how many of our present privileges and spiritual advantages must be credited to the prayers and the tears, the labors and the sufferings, of those who have left these precious inheritances to us, their children and heirs! We drink of cisterns we never hewed! [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 6

1  The end of the law is obedience
3  An exhortation thereto
20  What they are to teach their children

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 6:15 mean?

For [is] a God jealous Yahweh your God among you lest be aroused the anger of Yahweh your God against you and destroy you from the face of the earth -
כִּ֣י אֵ֥ל קַנָּ֛א יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ פֶּן־ יֶ֠חֱרֶה אַף־ יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ בָּ֔ךְ וְהִשְׁמִ֣ידְךָ֔ מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה ס

אֵ֥ל  [is]  a  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
קַנָּ֛א  jealous 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קַנָּא  
Sense: jealous (only of God).
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ  among  you 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
יֶ֠חֱרֶה  be  aroused 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרָה  
Sense: to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled.
אַף־  the  anger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
יְהוָ֤ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בָּ֔ךְ  against  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
וְהִשְׁמִ֣ידְךָ֔  and  destroy  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַד  
Sense: to destroy, exterminate, be destroyed, be exterminated.
פְּנֵ֥י  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָאֲדָמָֽה  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation