BIBLE QUESTION
What is the core teaching of 'Hear, O Israel'?
The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4) proclaims that Jehovah, Israel's God, is one — a foundational confession of monotheism and undivided devotion.
Answer
The core teaching of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4) is the absolute oneness of God: "Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah." This confession sets Israel's faith apart from the polytheism of surrounding nations. God's oneness is not merely numerical — it means He alone is God, and no other being shares His nature, power, or rightful claim to worship.
Because God is one, the response of His people must be wholehearted. Verse 5 immediately follows: "and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Divided loyalty contradicts the nature of the one God. Love for Him is to engage the entire person — heart (will), soul (life), and might (strength).
The Shema also establishes a pattern for transmitting faith. Verses 6–9 command that the words be on the heart, taught to children, spoken throughout daily life, bound as signs, and written on doorposts. The confession of God's oneness is meant to shape both private devotion and the shared life of the community.
Context
Deuteronomy 6 opens with Moses commanding Israel to keep God's statutes in the land they are about to possess (vv. 1–3). The purpose is that they may fear the Lord, prolong their days, and prosper in the land flowing with milk and honey. Within this framework, the Shema functions as the theological center: before listing the commandments, Israel must affirm who the Lawgiver is — one Lord.
Verses 4–9 form a single unit: confession of God's oneness (v. 4), the command to love Him wholly (v. 5), and the command to internalize and transmit these words (vv. 6–9). The chapter then warns against forgetting the Lord when prosperity comes (vv. 10–12) and against following other gods (vv. 13–15), grounding the Shema's confession in Israel's lived experience of redemption from Egypt.
Related scriptures
- Deuteronomy 6:4 The Shema itself: "Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah." This verse is the confession referenced throughout the passage, identifying the one God to whom total love and exclusive worship are due.
Common questions
What does 'one Jehovah' mean?
It affirms that Jehovah alone is God — there is no other divine being alongside Him. Israel's confession is exclusive monotheism: the Lord is unique in being, and all worship belongs to Him alone.
Why is the Shema central in Judaism?
Verses 4–5 are recited twice daily by observant Jews, and verse 4 is traditionally the last words spoken before death. Its central place comes from its clear confession of God's oneness and its call to wholehearted love, shaping daily prayer and identity.
How does the Shema relate to verses 6–9?
The confession of one God (v. 4) and the command to love Him wholly (v. 5) lead directly to verses 6–9, which require these words to be on the heart, taught to children, spoken daily, bound as signs, and written on doorposts. Belief in the one God is to be internalized and passed on.