The Shema: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 for Families

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 opens with a single word in Hebrew, shema, “hear,” and takes its name from it. Moses is speaking to Israel before they enter the land, and in a few verses he gives both a confession and a plan: who God is, how to love him, and how to pass that on at home. When a scribe later asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest, Jesus answered by quoting these words (Mark 12:29-30). It is hard to think of a passage better suited to a family learning together.

The Shema is also central to Jewish prayer, where it is said daily, and many Jewish homes fix a mezuzah, a small case holding these verses, to the doorpost, as verse 9 describes. This page is written for Christian families using ScriptLoop, and it does not presume to describe how Jewish families teach it.

The text

The World English Bible uses the divine name, Yahweh, where the King James prints “the LORD”: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.” When Jesus quotes the passage, the WEB renders it “the Lord our God, the Lord is one,” and his version names four things to love God with, adding “mind” to heart, soul, and strength. If your church reads a different wording aloud, learn that one.

Two sections: the command and the practice

• Verses 4-5: the command. Who God is, and how to love him. Short, strong, and the part Jesus quoted. Learn it first and learn it well.
• Verses 6-9: the practice. The words on your heart, taught to your children, talked about at every point of the day, and written where you will see them. Longer and full of concrete images.

Verse 7 is worth reading slowly with your family, because it is close to a schedule. Sitting in the house, walking by the way, lying down, rising up: breakfast, the drive, bedtime, the morning. Those are the moments a looped track fits into, and there is something fitting about learning this passage in exactly the places it names.

What to expect by age

• Preschoolers can often learn verses 4-5 by ear. They are short, and the three “with all your” phrases have a rhythm a song carries well.
• Early elementary children can usually add verses 6-9 over a few weeks, especially once the four times of day in verse 7 are pointed out.
• Older children can learn all six verses and are ready to compare them with Jesus's answer in Mark 12, and to notice what he added.
• Parents are part of this one by design. The passage is addressed to the adult who teaches, which makes learning it alongside your children the point, not a side benefit.

Using ScriptLoop for the Shema

Paste verses 4-5 in the translation your family uses, pick a style, and let it play at the four times verse 7 names. A slower style suits the bedtime and morning slots; some families keep a brighter one for the car. When the words begin coming back, open Focus Mode, which loops the track with a pause between repetitions and hides more of the words each time. Then make a second track of verses 4-9 in the same style, so the longer version sounds like an extension of the one they already know.

Two verses also work well as spoken audio in a natural voice, and the free plan covers that along with one song. Two songs use two of a plan's monthly songs; pricing lays out what each plan includes.

For keeping a daily rhythm going when life gets busy, read Scripture memory for kids that actually sticks. For another short passage about loving God's word, see Psalm 1, or browse all scripture songs.

Questions parents ask

Should we learn Deuteronomy 6 or Mark 12?

Either is a good choice, and they fit together. Many families learn Deuteronomy 6:4-5 first, then Mark 12:29-31, which adds the second commandment about loving your neighbor.

Why does our translation say “the LORD” in capitals?

Many English Bibles, including the King James, print “the LORD” in capitals where the Hebrew uses God's personal name. The World English Bible writes that name as Yahweh instead. Use whichever your family hears at church.

Do we need to learn verses 8-9 literally?

That is a question for your church's teaching, not for a memory tool. For memorizing, the words are the same either way, and many families simply write a verse or two somewhere they will see it, as a reminder.