And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,

DEUTERONOMY 6:18KJV
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Deuteronomy 6:18 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 6:18 mean?

Deuteronomy 6:18 tells the Israelites to do what is right and good in the eyes of the LORD so that things will go well for them and they will be able to enter and take possession of the good land God promised to their ancestors. The verse connects doing what pleases God with receiving His blessings and fulfilling His promises.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter the land of Canaan. He reminds them that their actions—specifically doing what is both right and good—are seen by the LORD and have real consequences for their future. The promise of the land is tied to their faithfulness in living according to God’s standards.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 6:18

  • "Right" (יָשָׁר, yashar): This word means straight, upright, or just. It emphasizes not just following rules, but living in a way that is honest and morally straight in God’s eyes.
  • "Good" (טוֹב, tov): This word often means pleasant, beneficial, or morally good. Here, it highlights that God cares not only about justice but also about kindness and what brings about well-being.
  • "Sight" (עַיִן, ayin): Literally “eye,” this word means doing what is right from God’s perspective, not just what seems right to people.
  • "Well" (יָטַב, yatav): This verb means to be well, to go well, or to be pleasing. The verse links the people’s well-being directly to their obedience.

Why Deuteronomy 6:18 matters

  • Deuteronomy 6:18 clarifies that God’s commands are not arbitrary; they are for the people’s good and tied to real outcomes, like well-being and receiving the promised land.
  • The verse shows that God’s standards involve both justice ("right") and kindness ("good"), not just strict rule-keeping.
  • This verse fits into a larger section where Moses urges Israel to love and obey God wholeheartedly, connecting their faithfulness to the fulfillment of God’s promises to their ancestors.

Where else these words appear

“well” Hebrew H3190 · used in 102 verses

  • Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
  • Joshua 22:30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them.
  • Psalms 49:18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

“right” Hebrew H3477 · used in 119 verses

  • Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
  • 2 Chronicles 29:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.
  • Proverbs 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.