Deuteronomy 10:12
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
Deuteronomy 10:12
Deuteronomy 10:12 asks Israel what the Lord requires: fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, and serve Him with all heart and soul. This verse distills the covenant into core relational commitments: reverence, obedience, love, and wholehearted service. It reflects a transition from external ritual to inner devotion; the law’s moral and relational demands require wholehearted devotion rather than mere external compliance. The verse invites communal self-examination: Are they truly oriented toward God in every area of life?
The heart-and-will focus is central to biblical ethics. True righteousness is measured not by what one does superficially but by the allegiance of the heart. The verse sets the stage for the Shema-like to love God with all one’s heart (Deuteronomy 6) and is a foundational principle echoed in the New Testament’s call to love God and neighbor with all one’s being.
- Examine your daily life: do your choices reflect fear, love, and wholehearted service to God?
- Prioritize spiritual disciplines that cultivate heart devotion: prayer, Scripture meditation, worship, and community.
- Align your priorities with God’s purposes in your family, work, and community.
Cross-References: Deuteronomy 6:5; Joshua 22:5; Psalm 42:1-2; Matthew 22:37-38