Deuteronomy 10:20

You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites on the plains of Moab, issuing a covenant command immediately after the directive to love the foreigner and before the affirmation of God’s past wonders.

The words — The text commands תִדְבָּ֔ק (tid.Bak), literally “you will cleave,” and תִּירָ֖א (ti.Ra'), “you will fear,” establishing Yahweh as the sole object of Israel’s reverence and loyalty.

The thread — This exact sequence of commands appears in Deuteronomy 6:13, Deuteronomy 13:4, and is cited by Jesus in Luke 4:8 to define exclusive worship.

Why it lands — The verse requires concrete obedience: maintaining reverent fear, refusing to sever covenant ties, and swearing only by God’s name.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אֶת־'et-<obj.>יְהוָ֧הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your תִּירָ֖אti.Ra'you will fear אֹת֣וֹ'o.T/o<obj.>/ him תַעֲבֹ֑דta.'a.Vodyou will serveוּב֣וֹu./V/oand/ to/ himתִדְבָּ֔קtid.Bakyou will cleave וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹu./vi/sh.M/oand/ in/ name/ his תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ׃ti.sha.Ve.a'you will swear oaths

King James Version

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 6:13 Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.
Deuteronomy 13:4 You are to follow the LORD your God and fear Him. Keep His commandments and listen to His voice; serve Him and hold fast to Him.
Luke 4:8 But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
Deuteronomy 11:22 For if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you to follow—to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him—
Psalms 63:11 But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by Him will exult, for the mouths of liars will be shut.
Matthew 4:10 “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
Isaiah 45:23 By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
Deuteronomy 4:4 But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive to this day, every one of you.
Joshua 23:8 Instead, you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.
Acts 11:23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.