Deuteronomy 5:13
Deuteronomy 5:13 in Multiple Translations
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;
On six days do all your work:
You have six days to work and earn your living,
Sixe dayes thou shalt labour, and shalt doe all thy worke:
six days thou dost labour, and hast done all thy work,
You shall labor six days, and do all your work;
Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work:
Six days shalt thou labour, and shalt do all thy works.
There are six days each week for you to do all your work,
Berean Amplified Bible — Deuteronomy 5:13
BAB
Word Study
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Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Deuteronomy 5:13 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
שֵׁ֤שֶׁת
יָמִים֙
תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד
וְ/עָשִׂ֖יתָ
כָּל
מְלַאכְתֶּֽ/ךָ
שֵׁ֤שֶׁת
shêsh
H8337
six
Adj
יָמִים֙
yôwm
H3117
day
N-mp
תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד
ʻâbad
H5647
to serve
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
וְ/עָשִׂ֖יתָ
ʻâsâh
H6213
to make
Conj | V-Qal-2ms
כָּל
kôl
H3605
all
N-ms
מְלַאכְתֶּֽ/ךָ
mᵉlâʼkâh
H4399
work
N-fs | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Deuteronomy 5:13
שֵׁ֤שֶׁת
shêsh
H8337
"six"
Adj
This Hebrew word means the number six, and is often used in the Bible to describe measurements, like the six days of creation in Genesis 1.
Definition: 1) six 1a) six (cardinal number) 1b) sixth (ordinal number) 1c) in combination with other numbers Aramaic equivalent: shet (שֵׁת "six" H8353)
Usage: Occurs in 202 OT verses. KJV: six(-teen, -teenth), sixth. See also: Genesis 7:6; 1 Kings 6:6; Proverbs 6:16.
יָמִים֙
yôwm
H3117
"day"
N-mp
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow
Usage: Occurs in 1930 OT verses. KJV: age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. See also: Genesis 1:5; Genesis 33:13; Exodus 23:15.
תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד
ʻâbad
H5647
"to serve"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
To serve or work is the meaning of this verb, which can also imply slavery or bondage, as seen in the story of the Israelites in Egypt. It is used to describe various types of work or service, including serving God or other people. The word has different forms and meanings in different contexts.
Definition: : serve[someone] 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve
Usage: Occurs in 262 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er), transgress (from margin), (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper, See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 28:14; Psalms 2:11.
וְ/עָשִׂ֖יתָ
ʻâsâh
H6213
"to make"
Conj | V-Qal-2ms
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made
Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.
כָּל
kôl
H3605
"all"
N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
מְלַאכְתֶּֽ/ךָ
mᵉlâʼkâh
H4399
"work"
N-fs | Suff
Means work or employment, like a job or business, and is used to describe someone's occupation or the result of their labor, as seen in the Bible's description of various professions and industries.
Definition: 1) occupation, work, business 1a) occupation, business 1b) property 1c) work (something done or made) 1d) workmanship 1e) service, use 1f) public business 1f1) political 1f2) religious
Usage: Occurs in 149 OT verses. KJV: business, [phrase] cattle, [phrase] industrious, occupation, ([phrase] -pied), [phrase] officer, thing (made), use, (manner of) work((-man), -manship). See also: Genesis 2:2; 1 Chronicles 9:13; Psalms 73:28.
Study Notes — Deuteronomy 5:13
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Deuteronomy 5:13 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Deuteronomy 5:13
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 5:13
- Ellicott's Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:13
- Cambridge Bible on Deuteronomy 5:13
- Whedon's Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:13
- Sermons on Deuteronomy 5:13
Context — The Ten Commandments
11You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
12Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you.
13Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
14but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. 15Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. That is why the LORD your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 20:12 | I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. |
| 2 | Luke 13:14–16 | But the synagogue leader was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.” “You hypocrites!” the Lord replied. “Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it to water? Then should not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be released from her bondage on the Sabbath day?” |
| 3 | Exodus 23:12 | For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the son of your maidservant may be refreshed, as well as the foreign resident. |
| 4 | Exodus 35:2–3 | For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death. Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.” |
| 5 | Luke 23:56 | Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment. |
Deuteronomy 5:13 Summary
Deuteronomy 5:13 tells us that we should work for six days and do all our tasks and jobs during this time. This allows us to take care of our needs and those of our families, similar to what is encouraged in Proverbs 10:4-5. By working hard for six days, we can then rest on the seventh day, the Sabbath, as a day dedicated to God and rejuvenation, as seen in Exodus 20:8-11. This balance between work and rest helps us remember that God is our provider and that we should trust in Him, as mentioned in Matthew 6:33.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of working six days a week?
According to Deuteronomy 5:13, we are to labor and do all our work in six days, which allows us to provide for our needs and the needs of our families, as seen in Proverbs 10:4-5, where diligence and hard work are encouraged.
Is the concept of a six-day workweek only for the Israelites?
While Deuteronomy 5:13 was given to the Israelites, the principle of working and then resting is seen throughout the Bible, such as in Exodus 20:9 and Genesis 2:2-3, indicating it is a universal concept.
How does this verse relate to our rest on the Sabbath?
Deuteronomy 5:13 sets the stage for the Sabbath rest by establishing that we are to work for six days, which then makes the seventh day, the Sabbath, a day of rest and worship as commanded in Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:14-15.
What is the significance of 'all your work' in this verse?
The phrase 'all your work' in Deuteronomy 5:13 implies that we are to be diligent and thorough in our responsibilities during the six working days, trusting in God's provision, as mentioned in Matthew 6:33, to seek first His kingdom and righteousness.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can prioritize my work and responsibilities during the six days to ensure I am prepared for the Sabbath rest?
- How can I balance the command to work diligently with the command to rest on the Sabbath, and what does this balance look like in my life?
- In what ways can I use my six days of work to serve and honor God, and how does this impact my perspective on my daily tasks?
- How does understanding the purpose of the six-day workweek affect my attitude towards my job and daily responsibilities?
Gill's Exposition on Deuteronomy 5:13
[See comments on Deuteronomy 5:12].
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 5:13
Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: No JFB commentary on this verse.
Ellicott's Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:13
(12-15) The language of this commandment is identical with the form it takes in Exodus only so far as the 13th and 14th verses are concerned; and even here the special mention of the ox and the ass is confined to Deuteronomy. The introduction and the close of the command, which gives the reason for it, are different here. The reason drawn from the creation is not mentioned; the reason drawn from the exodus is. This fact illustrates the observation that in Deuteronomy we find “the Gospel of the Pentateuch.” If for the exodus of Israel we substitute here “the exodus of Christ, which He accomplished at Jerusalem,” not so much by His death as by His resurrection, we have a reason for keeping not the Sabbath, but the Lord’s Day.It is worth while to observe that the Israelites had express authority given them to enforce the observance of the Sabbath upon Gentiles, when these could be regarded as “strangers within their gates.” The words Isaiah 56:6 seem to show that “strangers” who “took hold of the covenant” of Jehovah were expected to “keep His sabbath from polluting it.” For an example of its enforcement, see Nehemiah 13:16; Nehemiah 13:20-21. If any difficulty is felt at the variation of the form of the commandment from that which we have in Exodus, it should be observed, first, that the command itself is not altered, as appears by Deuteronomy 5:13-14, compared with Exodus 20:9-10; and secondly, that in this exhortation Moses calls Israel to hear the statutes and judgments which he, as their mediator, commands them, and that he is free to enforce them by such reasons as may seem to him best.
Cambridge Bible on Deuteronomy 5:13
12–15. The Fourth Commandment as in Exodus 20:8-11 with the following differences:
Whedon's Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:13
OF THE TEN , Deuteronomy 5:6-21.Here, on the plains of Moab, in sight of the Land of Promise, thirty-eight years after the first announcement of the law on Sinai, Moses repeats the code which Jehovah
Sermons on Deuteronomy 5:13
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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K-069 the Wilderness Call by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of delivering a message on Elijah in Jerusalem. Despite misinterpreting a note and speaking for longer than intended, the s |
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Then… the Nations Shall Know That He Is Lord. by Andrew Murray | Andrew Murray emphasizes that God's judgment is essential for His people to experience salvation and for the nations to recognize Him as Lord. The book of Ezekiel illustrates that |
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Matthew 12 by John Nelson Darby | John Nelson Darby discusses the rejection of the nation of Israel and the transition to a new system under Christ, emphasizing that Jesus, as the Son of God, stands alone in a worl |
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Jesus Interprets the Law by Paul Bramsen | Paul Bramsen preaches about the wisdom of interpreting daily experiences, making personal rules for living, considering others' experiences, and ultimately obeying the words of God |
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Our Lord Teaching Regarding the Sabbath Mark 2:23 to 3:6 by R.A. Torrey | R.A. Torrey emphasizes that the Sabbath was created for the benefit of humanity, not as a burden, and that the needs of people take precedence over rigid ceremonial laws. He illust |