Deuteronomy 6:21
Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
Deuteronomy 6:21
This verse answers the question posed by the preceding verse: the generation’s response to the “testimony, statutes, judgments.” The speaker says, “Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.” It is a succinct summary of Israel’s identity-formation through salvation history: bondage, deliverance, and a covenant-paving rescue. The phrase “mighty hand” evokes God’s decisive acts (plagues, crossing the Red Sea) that demonstrate his power and faithfulness. The answer ties present-day obedience to the memory of God’s saving acts. It’s a pedagogy of testimony—parents teach children not just by rules but by recounting what God did in history, so faith becomes a recognizable pattern in daily life.
Theologically, this verse anchors the memory-tell as the soil of faith. It asserts that knowledge of God’s redemptive acts becomes the bedrock of identity and obedience. Remembering is not nostalgia but a living framework for present conduct. The deliverance from Egypt functions as the paradigm of rescue and covenant faithfulness that continues to shape how the people understand God’s character and demands. It also anticipates the Christian gospel’s emphasis on salvation history—God’s acts in Christ as the ultimate deliverance, calling believers to live in light of that redemptive work.
In practice, families and communities can cultivate regular retellings of God’s saving deeds. Children learn not only what to do but why—because God acted with a “mighty hand.” Personalize this: recall times when you felt trapped and saw God provide, or moments when you were tested and God proved faithful. Share these stories in meals, devotions, and testimonies. Let memory become motivation to live generously, to resist oppression, and to trust God in uncertainty. It also invites new generations to own their place in the larger biblical narrative—your life is part of God’s ongoing salvation story.
Cross-References: Exodus 6:6-8; Psalm 136; Joshua 4:21-24; 1 Corinthians 10:1-11; Hebrews 11