King James Bible
"And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you?"
Moses anticipates future generations questioning the meaning of God's laws, establishing intergenerational dialogue as essential to faith transmission. This frames religious education as responding to children's natural curiosity rather than imposing rules without explanation. The child's question encompasses three categories of divine instruction: testimonies (witnesses to God's character), statutes (decreed regulations), and judgments (case laws for justice). This comprehensive inquiry shows the next generation seeking to understand not just rules but their underlying purpose. The phrasing acknowledges both corporate identity ('our God') and generational distinction ('commanded you'), recognizing that children must personally appropriate the faith of their parents. This sets up the parent's responsibility to explain how past commands remain relevant for present obedience.