Read each of these translations of Deuteronomy 6:4 and see for yourself how the Shema (incorrectly referred to by many) states the “oneness of Yehovah:”
ASV Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah:
(Deu 6:4 ASV)
CJB Deuteronomy 6:4 “Sh’ma, Yisra’el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra’el! ADONAI our God, ADONAI is one]; (Deu 6:4 CJB)
DBY Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah;
(Deu 6:4 DBY)
GNV Deuteronomy 6:4 Heare, O Israel, The Lord our God is Lord onely,
(Deu 6:4 GNV)
KJV Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (Deu 6:4 KJV)
LEE Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel! The Lord, our God, is the One Eternal Being. (Deu 6:4 LEE)
NJB Deuteronomy 6:4 ‘Listen, Israel: Yahweh our God is the one, the only Yahweh. (Deu 6:4 NJB)
YLT Deuteronomy 6:4 ‘Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah;
(Deu 6:4 YLT)
How does anyone get 3 or 2 out of 1. Well, the only way to accomplish this task is to slice and dice the 1 into 2 or 3 pieces. That would be the human way of doing things. But when Yehovah implicitly says over and over and over that He is the only God there is and that there is NO other, why do believers feel so compelled to add another or 2 to this very simple equation?
I have a theory. Polytheism is clearly an invention of hasatan. Since there are countless demons in the world, these demons exist or take-on the identities of gods. Since we have countless demons who masquerade as gods, then it would stand to reason that we would have a ready inclination to accept the existance of a godhead composed of 2 or 3 beings. And as simple a theory as this is, I guarantee you that most evangelicals and traditional Christians will ignore this most nagging, obvious reality and insist that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are equal partners in the God-family, all 3 existing from the beginning. Yet here, in Deuteronomy 6:4 and the many other supporting passages in Deuteronomy (i.e., Deut 5:9f.; Deut 7:9; Deut 10:14ff., 20f., Deut 13:6; Deut 30:20; Deut 32:12), Yehovah is implicitly stating without any wavering or mysticism that He alone is God of all and that there is no other. Additionally, the Shema as this verse has come to be known to many Judaio-Christians throughout the world (which by the way is somewhat inaccurate since Shema means to hear, listen and obey) is in no way a precursory application or expository on the Trinity or a Binary godhead doctrine and belief. Certainly the verse as it reads in many translations, especially in the King James Version, leads one to ask: why didn’t Moshe simply say: “Hey, Yisra’el, there ain’t no other gods but Yehovah. Yehovah is all there is? There ain’t no gaggle of gods up there in heaven. Yehovah is all by Himself. So if you ever come into contact with some pagan dudes who try to convince you that Yehovah is simply one of many gods floating about in the heavens, you shut them down immediately and never have anything to do with them ever again. And oh by the way, in a few centuries, some of your descendants will try to develop a doctrine that teaches that Yehovah is really a family name for 2 or 3 other gods. Ensure that you maintain strict control over the teachings that come out of Yisra’el and whatever it takes, make sure that those distant cousins of yours know that Yehovah ain’t no trinity or binarian concept. I will, in the future, adopt a man child who will fulfill and embody my entire purpose for man. That man I will call my son and I will give him my name and give him a seat at my right-hand on my throne in heaven. He will be the first of many who I will adopt and elevate to such a status. I will start over my purpose and plan (my Word) with this one, where hasatan plotted and attempted to derail my plans for men. My Word will succeed. I AM Yehovah.”