Tie them as reminders on your hands
This phrase emphasizes the importance of keeping God's commandments at the forefront of daily life. In ancient Israel, the hand symbolized action and work. By tying the commandments on their hands, the Israelites were reminded to let God's laws guide their actions. This practice is reflected in the Jewish tradition of wearing tefillin, small leather boxes containing scripture passages, during prayer. The concept of having God's word influence one's actions is echoed in James 1:22, which encourages believers to be doers of the word, not just hearers.

and bind them on your foreheads
Binding the commandments on the forehead signifies keeping God's laws in one's thoughts and decisions. The forehead represents the mind and intellect, suggesting that God's word should guide one's thoughts and intentions. This practice is also part of the Jewish tradition of wearing tefillin, where one box is placed on the forehead. The idea of having God's word in one's mind is paralleled in Romans 12:2, which speaks of the renewal of the mind to discern God's will. This phrase also foreshadows the New Covenant promise in Jeremiah 31:33, where God writes His law on the hearts and minds of His people, fulfilled in Christ.

1. Moses
The author of Deuteronomy, delivering God's commandments to the Israelites.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, receiving the law as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

3. Mount Sinai
The place where Moses received the Ten Commandments, which form the basis of the laws in Deuteronomy.

4. Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which the Israelites are about to enter, requiring them to adhere to God's laws.

5. Shema
The central declaration of the Jewish faith found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, emphasizing the oneness of God and the importance of loving Him.Symbolism of Binding
The act of binding God's commandments on the hand and forehead symbolizes the integration of God's Word into daily actions (hand) and thoughts (forehead).

Internalization of God's Word
The physical act of binding serves as a metaphor for internalizing God's commandments, ensuring they influence every aspect of life.

Consistency in Faith
Just as the Israelites were to keep God's laws constantly before them, Christians are called to live consistently in faith, allowing God's Word to guide their decisions and actions.

Visible Faith
The visible nature of the sign on the hand and forehead serves as a testimony to others, encouraging believers to live out their faith openly and authentically.

Heart and Mind Alignment
The command to bind God's Word on the hand and forehead underscores the need for alignment between belief (mind) and action (hand).(8) And thou shalt bind them . . .--From this precept the Jews derive the use of the Tephillin, the portions of the Law which they bind upon the head or arm when about to pray.

Verse 8. - The words of God were to be bound for a sign [a memorial or directory] upon thine hand, the instrument of acting, and to be as frontlets [fillets or bands] between thine eyes, the organs of direction in walking or moving, and so on the forehead, the chamber of thought and purpose; and they were to inscribe them on the posts of their houses, and on their gates. The purport of this is that they were constantly and everywhere to have these commandments of the Lord in view and in mind, so as to undeviatingly observe them. It seems, however, to have been a custom widely prevalent among the ancient Eastern peoples to carry about their persons slips of parchment or some other material, on which were written sentences of moral or religious import; and such sentences they were also wont to inscribe on conspicuous places of their dwellings; usages still to be found among the Moslems (see Wilkinson, 'Ancient Egyptians,' 3:364; Lane, 'Modern Egypt,' 1:358; Russell, 'Nat. Hist. of Aleppo;' Thomson, 'Land and the Book,' 1:216), and the latter of which was not altogether unknown among Western nations (cf. Virgil, 'Georg.' lit. 26, etc.), of which traces may still be seen in Switzerland, Germany, and on old houses in both England and Scotland. This custom originated, probably, in a desire to have the sentiments inscribed always in mind; but for the most part these inscriptions came to be regarded as amulets or charms, the presence of which on the person or the house was a safeguard against evil influences, especially such as were supernatural. By the Jews this custom was followed; and they regarded it as authorized by the injunction of Moses in this passage. Taking his words literally, they had their tôtâphoth and their mezuzah, the former of which - the phylacteries of the New Testament - were strips of parchment, on which passages of the Law (Exodus 13:2-10, 11-17; Deuteronomy 6:4-10, 13-22) were written, and these, enclosed in a box, were bound on the forehead and left wrist, and worn at prayers by the worshippers; the latter a slip of parchment, on which were written certain passages of Scripture (vers. 4-9; Deuteronomy 11:13-21), and which, enclosed in a reed or cylinder, was fixed on the right-hand doorpost of every room in the house (see arts. 'Mezuzah' and 'Phylacteries' in Kitto's 'Biblical Cyclopedia,' 3rd edit.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Tie them
וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם (ū·qə·šar·tām)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7194: To tie, gird, confine, compact, in love, league

as reminders
לְא֖וֹת (lə·’ō·wṯ)
Preposition | Noun - common singular
Strong's 226: A signal, as a, flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

your hands
יָדֶ֑ךָ (yā·ḏe·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

and bind them
וְהָי֥וּ (wə·hā·yū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

on your foreheads.
בֵּ֥ין (bên)
Preposition
Strong's 996: An interval, space between


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 6:8 You shall bind them for a sign (Deut. De Du)