Context

This verse pops up as part of a super-long speech Moses is giving to the Israelites. They're about the enter the Promised Land, but their leader decides now might be a good time to sit for a spell and review some of the things God expects of them in their new home. Sure, why not?

And this one is a biggie. Moses tells the people to listen. Perk up your ears! This is important. There's only one God and he's their God. Take that, other totally lame and fake gods! Basically, the people have one job—they just have to love God with every fiber of their being and everything is gonna be all right. Sounds simple, right?

Yet the people of Israel can't always remember this little gem. That might be why Moses emphasizes it so much here. He tells the crowd that they need to listen to what he's saying. This stuff is important. It should be memorized, treasured, and passed down from generation to generation. Hey, he definitely achieved longevity with this verse.

Where you've heard it

This verse is a super big deal to Jewish folks and, to a lesser extent, Christians and Muslims, so chances are you've heard it somewhere and from someone.

• In Jewish tradition, these words are called Shema (which is the Hebrew word for "hear") and they are a cornerstone of the Jewish prayer canon. You can shema them being spoken in Hebrew here.
• Today, some observant Jews still put reminders of these verses in their home (mezuzah) or on their bodies (tefillin).
• Hundreds of years after this verse was written, when Jesus is asked about the greatest commandment of all, he quotes these verses in Mark 12:29-30. Boo-yah.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Shouting "Hear, O Israel" is always a nice way to get the attention of any room, but you might look a little bit grandiose doing it. (Hey, it never bothered Moses.)