Deuteronomy 5:12

Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses Israel while enumerating the commandments, positioning this directive between the prohibition against misusing God’s name and the instruction to labor six days.

The words — The Hebrew verb שָמ֣֛וֹר (sha.Mor) means "keep" or "observe," paired with לְ/קַדְּשׁ֑֜/וֹ (le./ka.de.Sh/o), literally "to set apart as holy."

The thread — The text runs parallel to Exodus 20:8, which commands remembering the Sabbath by keeping it holy, and reappears in Isaiah 58:13 and Isaiah 56:6 regarding Sabbath observance.

Why it lands — The passage commands the reader to actively observe the Sabbath and set it apart as holy, exactly as Yahweh instructed.

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

שָׁמ֣֛וֹרsha.Morkeep אֶת־'et-<obj.>י֥וֹם֩yom[the] day of הַשַּׁבָּ֖֨תha./sha.Batthe/ sabbath לְקַדְּשׁ֑֜וֹle./ka.de.Sh/oto/ set apart as holy/ it כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka./'a.Sherjust/ as צִוְּךָ֖֣׀tzi.ve./Khahe commanded/ you יְהוָ֥֣הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֶֽ֗יךָ׃'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your

King James Version

Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.

Cross-references

Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Isaiah 58:13 If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words,
Isaiah 56:6 And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants—all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant—