In the first movements of Deuteronomy, two words appear more frequently than any others.

The words listen and Hebrew, Shamah, and the word love.

Listen and love over and over.

Moses tells Israel, the love Yahweh, and to listen to him because these are the ways

that they'll preserve their covenant with him.

In every close relationship I can think of, one of the most simple but also difficult

ways to show love is attentive listening and responding and doing something because

of what you hear.

And this isn't just a one-sided listening endeavor.

Moses assures Israel that Yahweh is listening to them.

Far more than they will ever listen to him.

Moses warns that they shouldn't give their allegiance to other gods because they are

gods that do not Shamah.

So you are to Shamah and if you Shamah, you'll enter this relationship where Yahweh will

listen to you.

And if this whole concept of listening and loving has you thinking about your close friendships

or your marriage, that's because it's supposed to.

So Israel's covenant loyalty and love to Yahweh is also described with this word to describe

the marriage union of husband and wife in the Eden story.

I think what the analogy is saying essentially is that just as God provided a covenant partner

for a man and woman that needn so that they can be fruitful and multiply and have long

life in the land, and then together they are to become God's partners.

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