Deuteronomy 5:13
New International Version
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

New Living Translation
You have six days each week for your ordinary work,

English Standard Version
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

Berean Standard Bible
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

King James Bible
Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

New King James Version
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

New American Standard Bible
For six days you shall labor and do all your work,

NASB 1995
‘Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

NASB 1977
‘Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

Legacy Standard Bible
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

Amplified Bible
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

Christian Standard Bible
You are to labor six days and do all your work,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You are to labor six days and do all your work,

American Standard Version
Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;

Contemporary English Version
You have six days when you can do your work,

English Revised Version
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You have six days to do all your work.

Good News Translation
You have six days in which to do your work,

International Standard Version
Six days you are to labor and do all your work,

Majority Standard Bible
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

NET Bible
You are to work and do all your tasks in six days,

New Heart English Bible
Six days you may labor, and do all your work;

Webster's Bible Translation
Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work:

World English Bible
You shall labor six days, and do all your work;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
six days you labor and have done all your work,

Young's Literal Translation
six days thou dost labour, and hast done all thy work,

Smith's Literal Translation
Six days thou shalt work and do all thy work,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Six days shalt thou labour, and shalt do all thy works.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For six days, you shall labor and do all your work.

New American Bible
Six days you may labor and do all your work,

New Revised Standard Version
Six days you shall labor and do all your work.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Six days you shall labor, and do all your work;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Six days you shall labor and you shall do all your work.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Six days thou shalt work, and thou shalt do all thy works;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Ten Commandments
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.…

Cross References
Exodus 20:9
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

Genesis 2:2-3
And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work. / Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.

Exodus 31:15
For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.

Exodus 35:2
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.

Leviticus 23:3
For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a day of sacred assembly. You must not do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.

Nehemiah 13:15-22
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day. / Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem. / Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? ...

Isaiah 58:13-14
If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, / then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Jeremiah 17:21-27
This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. / You must not carry a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day, but you must keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers. / Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline. ...

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.

Ezekiel 20:20
Keep My Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’

Matthew 12:8
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Mark 2:27-28
Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. / Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Luke 6:5
Then Jesus declared, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Hebrews 4:4
For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in this manner: “And on the seventh day God rested from all His works.”

Hebrews 4:9-10
There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. / For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.


Treasury of Scripture

Six days you shall labor, and do all your work:

Exodus 23:12
Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

Exodus 35:2,3
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death…

Ezekiel 20:12
Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.

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Deuteronomy 5
1. The covenant in Horeb
6. The ten commandments
23. At the people's request Moses receives the law from God














Six days you shall labor
This phrase establishes a pattern of work that reflects the creation account in Genesis 1, where God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. It underscores the importance of work as a divine ordinance, suggesting that labor is not merely a human necessity but a part of God's design for humanity. The six-day workweek was a common practice in ancient Near Eastern cultures, but here it is given a theological foundation. This commandment is part of the larger context of the Ten Commandments, which were given to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. The emphasis on six days of labor also points to the value of diligence and responsibility in one's vocation, aligning with Proverbs 6:6-11, which praises the industriousness of the ant.

and do all your work
This phrase implies a sense of completeness and fulfillment in one's labor. It suggests that during these six days, one should accomplish all necessary tasks, leaving no work undone. This reflects a principle of stewardship, where individuals are called to manage their time and resources effectively. The idea of completing one's work can also be seen in the New Testament, where Jesus speaks of finishing the work given to Him by the Father (John 17:4). The call to do "all your work" also highlights personal responsibility and accountability, as each person is expected to manage their own duties. This principle is echoed in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), where servants are rewarded based on their diligence and productivity.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The prophet and leader of the Israelites who delivered God's commandments to the people. He is the central figure in the book of Deuteronomy, which is a series of speeches given to the Israelites before entering the Promised Land.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God who were delivered from slavery in Egypt and were on the brink of entering the Promised Land. They are the recipients of the laws and commandments given by God through Moses.

3. Mount Sinai
The place where God originally gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. Deuteronomy 5 is a reiteration of these commandments as the Israelites prepare to enter Canaan.

4. Sabbath Commandment
The context of Deuteronomy 5:13 is part of the larger commandment regarding the Sabbath, which is a day of rest on the seventh day, following six days of labor.

5. Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Israelites are preparing to enter this land as they receive these commandments.
Teaching Points
The Dignity of Work
Work is ordained by God and is a part of His creation order. It is not a result of the fall but a means to fulfill God's purposes on earth.

Balance of Work and Rest
The command to work for six days and rest on the seventh teaches us the importance of balance in our lives. We are called to be diligent in our work but also to honor the need for rest.

Work as Worship
Our labor is an act of worship when done unto the Lord. We should approach our work with integrity and excellence, reflecting God's character.

Rest as Trust
Observing a day of rest is an act of trust in God's provision. It reminds us that our ultimate security and success come from Him, not our efforts.

Community and Family
The commandment to work and rest is given to the community of Israel, highlighting the importance of shared rhythms of life that strengthen family and community bonds.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Six
שֵׁ֤֣שֶׁת (šê·šeṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8337: Six (a cardinal number)

days
יָמִ֣ים֙ (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

you shall labor
תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד֮ (ta·‘ă·ḇōḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

and do
וְעָשִׂ֖֣יתָ (wə·‘ā·śî·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

all
כָּֿל־ (klā-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

your work,
מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ֒׃ (mə·laḵ·te·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4399: Deputyship, ministry, employment, work, property


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 5:13 You shall labor six days and do (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 5:12
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