The Meaning of Deuteronomy 6:18 Explained

Deuteronomy 6:18

KJV: And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,

YLT: and thou hast done that which is right and good in the eyes of Jehovah, so that it is well with thee, and thou hast gone in and possessed the good land which Jehovah hath sworn to thy fathers,

Darby: And thou shalt do what is right and good in the sight of Jehovah, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest enter in and possess the good land which Jehovah swore unto thy fathers,

ASV: And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of Jehovah; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which Jehovah sware unto thy fathers,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thou shalt do  [that which is] right  and good  in the sight  of the LORD:  that it may be well  with thee, and that thou mayest go in  and possess  the good  land  which the LORD  sware  unto thy fathers, 

What does Deuteronomy 6:18 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 6:18 mean?

And you shall do [what is] right and good in the sight of Yahweh that it may be well with you that you may go in and possess - the land of good which swore Yahweh to your fathers
וְעָשִׂ֛יתָ הַיָּשָׁ֥ר וְהַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה לְמַ֙עַן֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וּבָ֗אתָ וְיָֽרַשְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־ נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ

וְעָשִׂ֛יתָ  And  you  shall  do  [what  is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הַיָּשָׁ֥ר  right 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
וְהַטּ֖וֹב  and  good 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
בְּעֵינֵ֣י  in  the  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְמַ֙עַן֙  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יִ֣יטַב  it  may  be  well 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
לָ֔ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
וּבָ֗אתָ  that  you  may  go  in 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וְיָֽרַשְׁתָּ֙  and  possess 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
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.
הָאָ֣רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הַטֹּבָ֔ה  of  good 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
נִשְׁבַּ֥ע  swore 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ  to  your  fathers 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.