Deuteronomy 10:20

20 Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name.

Deuteronomy 10:20 in Other Translations

KJV
20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
ESV
20 You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear.
NLT
20 You must fear the LORD your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone.
MSG
20 Reverently respect God, your God, serve him, hold tight to him, back up your promises with the authority of his name.
CSB
20 You are to fear the Lord your God and worship Him. Remain faithful to Him and take oaths in His name.

Deuteronomy 10:20 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 10:20

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God
Which includes the whole worship of him, external and internal:

him shalt thou serve;
heartily and sincerely, according to his revealed will, and him only:

and to him shall thou cleave;
and not turn aside to follow other gods, and worship them:

and swear by his name;
and his only, whenever it is necessary to take an oath, which should not be done rashly or on trivial accounts; and never by any creature, but by the living God; see ( Deuteronomy 6:13 ) .

Deuteronomy 10:20 In-Context

18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.
19 And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.
20 Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name.
21 He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.
22 Your ancestors who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Cross References 3

  • 1. Matthew 4:10
  • 2. Deuteronomy 11:22; Deuteronomy 13:4; Deuteronomy 30:20; Joshua 23:8; Ruth 1:14; 2 Kings 18:6; Psalms 119:31; Isaiah 38:3
  • 3. S Exodus 20:7; Psalms 63:11
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.