“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,”
My Notes
What Does Deuteronomy 6:18 Mean?
"Do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD." Moses adds a general principle beyond specific commandments: do what's right and good. Not just what's commanded — what's right. Not just what's legal — what's good. The instruction goes beyond the letter of the law to the spirit behind it.
The rabbinical tradition interpreted this verse as requiring behavior that exceeds what the law specifically mandates: lifnim mi-shurat ha-din — going beyond the strict line of the law. The law commands specific things. This verse says: do more than the law commands. Be right AND good, not just technically compliant.
The phrase "in the sight of the LORD" (be-einei YHWH) means the standard isn't human perception but divine observation. What's right and good is defined by God's eyes, not by human consensus. The standard for behavior isn't what people consider acceptable. It's what God considers right.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Where are you doing the minimum when 'right and good' requires more?
- 2.What's the difference between legal compliance and genuine goodness?
- 3.How do you determine what's 'right and good in God's sight' in situations where no specific commandment applies?
- 4.What does going beyond the strict requirement look like in your daily interactions?
Devotional
Do what's right AND good. In God's eyes. Not just what's technically legal. Not just what satisfies the minimum requirement. What's right — and what's good. Both. Together. Under God's observation.
Moses goes beyond specific commandments to a general principle: beyond the letter of the law lies the spirit of the law. The commandments tell you what to do. This verse tells you how to live: rightly and well, even in situations where no specific commandment applies.
The rabbis built an entire ethical tradition on this verse: going beyond what the law strictly requires. The law says return a lost object. This verse says: be the kind of person who's always looking for ways to do right and good, whether the specific case is covered by law or not. The commandments are the floor. 'Right and good' is the ceiling.
The 'in the sight of the LORD' prevents you from defining 'right and good' by your own standards: what matters isn't what you think is right. It's what God sees as right. Human consensus can be wrong. Cultural norms can be distorted. But God's sight — His evaluation of what's right and good — doesn't shift with the culture.
What would it look like to live beyond the minimum requirement? Not just checking the boxes of what's commanded but actively pursuing what's right and good in every situation? The commandments are necessary. 'Right and good in God's sight' is the life beyond the commandments that the commandments were always pointing toward.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
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Resumption of the Sg. address; in spite of this the originality of these verses also has been doubted. It is at least…
Cross References
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