Honor
your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God commanded you; that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
Deuteronomy 5:16
Deuteronomy 5 [12.] “Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Yahweh your God commanded you. You shall labor six days, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God, in which you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm. Therefore Yahweh your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
Deuteronomy 5 [16.] “Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God commanded you; that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
Deuteronomy 5 [17.] “You shall not murder.
Meaning:
In Deuteronomy, Moses speaks to a new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the promised land. In chapter 5 he repeats the Ten Commandments first given at Sinai (Exodus 20:12). This verse is the fifth commandment. It comes right after the commandments about God and the Sabbath, and right before those about our neighbor, beginning with “You shall not murder.” It forms a bridge between love for God and love for others.
- “Honor your father and your mother”
To “honor” means to give weight, respect and value. It is more than obedience in childhood. It includes respect in speech, gratitude, and care for parents when they are old. Proverbs says, “Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old” (Proverbs 23:22). Both father and mother are named. In the ancient world, where mothers were often given less respect, this was significant.
- “As Yahweh your God commanded you”
This phrase is added in Deuteronomy, not in the Exodus version. Moses reminds the people that honoring parents is not merely a social custom; it is God’s command. Parents receive honor because God gave them a place of responsibility in the family. Respecting them is part of respecting him.
- “That your days may be long, and that it may go well with you”
Deuteronomy adds “that it may go well with you” to the promise in Exodus. Paul quotes this when he writes, “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise: “that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:2-3). The promise was first given to Israel as a nation “in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.” A society where families are strong and the generations respect one another is a society that will last.
- In the Gospels
Jesus quoted this commandment when he confronted the Pharisees and scribes. Some of them allowed a son to declare that the support he owed his parents was “a gift devoted to God,” and so leave his parents without help. Jesus said that by their tradition they had disobeyed the commandment of God (Matthew 15:3-5; Mark 7:10-13). Jesus himself honored his mother even from the cross, entrusting her to the care of his disciple: “Woman, behold your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” (John 19:26-27).
The Significance of Deuteronomy 5:16
- Honor in every season of life
For children, honoring parents includes obedience: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1). For adults, it means respect and practical care. Paul tells believers “to show piety towards their own family, and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God” (1 Timothy 5:4).
- No religious excuse
Religious activity can never replace love for family. Jesus rejected any tradition that allowed people to neglect their parents in the name of devotion.
Cross-References:
Exodus 20:12: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you." The commandment at Sinai.
Ephesians 6:2: "which is the first commandment with a promise:" Paul applies the commandment to Christian families.
Proverbs 23:22: "don’t despise your mother when she is old." Honor in old age.
Conclusion: The fifth commandment, repeated by Moses before Israel entered the land, calls God’s people to honor their father and mother, because God has commanded it, with the promise of long life and blessing. Jesus upheld it against human traditions that excused neglect, and he honored his own mother at the cross. The verse calls us to respect, obey and care for our parents in every season of life.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible