The Meaning of Deuteronomy 6:16 Explained

Deuteronomy 6:16

KJV: Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.

YLT: 'Ye do not try Jehovah your God as ye tried in Massah;

Darby: Ye shall not tempt Jehovah your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.

ASV: Ye shall not tempt Jehovah your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Ye shall not tempt  the LORD  your God,  as ye tempted  [him] in Massah. 

What does Deuteronomy 6:16 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 6:16 mean?

Not You shall tempt - Yahweh your God as you tempted [Him] in Massah
לֹ֣א תְנַסּ֔וּ אֶת־ יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נִסִּיתֶ֖ם בַּמַּסָּֽה

תְנַסּ֔וּ  You  shall  tempt 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָסָה  
Sense: to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
נִסִּיתֶ֖ם  you  tempted  [Him] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָסָה  
Sense: to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test.
בַּמַּסָּֽה  in  Massah 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַסָּה  
Sense: the place in the wilderness where the Israelites tested Jehovah.