Deuteronomy 32:3
in Deuteronomy 32For I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Ascribe greatness to our God!
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For I will proclaim the name of Jehovah: Ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
KJV
Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 32
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak
on Deuteronomy 32:1-3
Heaven and earth are summoned as witnesses, which is what Moses did the day before at 31:28 and twice earlier at 4:26 and 30:19. Isaiah 1:2 opens his own prophecy with the same summons.
This site's exposition
Ascribe greatness to our God
To proclaim the name of the LORD is what God did at Exodus 34:5-7, where the name was unfolded as mercy, grace and justice. The command to ascribe greatness is plural, so the listeners are asked to answer the singer. The song is meant to be joined.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
The name of the Lord - His glorious excellencies and righteous actions, by which he hath made himself known as a man is known by his name, and by which it will appear both that there is no blame to be laid upon him whatsoever befalls you, and that it is gross madness to forsake such a God for dumb idols.
Because I will publish the name of the Lord,....
It will be of great use to us for the preventing of sin, and the preserving of us in the way of our duty, always to keep up high and honourable thoughts of God, and to take all occasions to express them: Ascribe greatness to our God. We cannot add to his greatness, for it is infinite; but we must acknowledge it, and give him the glory of it.
(2.) To aggravate the wickedness of Israel, who knew and worshipped such a holy god, and yet were themselves so unholy. And, (3.) To justify God in his dealings with them; we must abide by it, that God is righteous, even when his judgments are a great deep, Jer. xii.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
I shall use the text, first, as a caution; secondly, as a command. I shall be but brief upon each particular, for my strength I feel may speedily fail me, but I trust in God to make some impressions on our hearts. I. First, then, I shall use it as A CAUTION. Inasmuch as Moses has said, "Ascribe you greatness to our God," we believe that he intended thereby to hint to us that we ought to ascribe greatness to none else. If greatness is to be ascribed to God, then none of God's creatures may in the least share the honor of that mighty attribute of greatness! Now as there are many who violate this Truth of God, and need this caution, they must allow me, if any of them are here, to caution them. First, then, the man who trusts his salvation in the least degree to priests or pope, or any dignitary of any church, violates this great command—"Ascribe you greatness to our God." If I bow my knee before a saint; if I worship a created being; if I seek the intercession of any save the one Person who is ordained to be the Mediator between God and man, the Man, Christ Jesus, I do in that degree derogate from the greatness of God! Some think not. They suppose that by using some influence with the Virgin Mary, or with the saints, these may also be induced to plead with God.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
I shall use the text, first, as a caution; secondly, as a command. I shall be but brief upon each particular, for my strength I feel may speedily fail me, but I trust in God to make some impressions on our hearts. I. First, then, I shall use it as A CAUTION. Inasmuch as Moses has said, "Ascribe you greatness to our God," we believe that he intended thereby to hint to us that we ought to ascribe greatness to none else.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֛י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| שֵׁ֥ם | shem | [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶקְרָ֑א | ʾekra' | I will proclaim | H7121 → | 733 times |
| הָב֥וּ | havu | ascribe | H3051 → | |
| גֹ֖דֶל | godel | greatness | H1433 → | 13 times |
| לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ | leloheinu | to God our | H430 → | 2601 times |
כִּ֛יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
שֵׁ֥ם[the] name of
shemH8034 →864 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶקְרָ֑אI will proclaim
ʾekra'H7121 →733 times
הָב֥וּascribe
havuH3051 →
גֹ֖דֶלgreatness
godelH1433 →13 times
לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃to God our
leloheinuH430 →2601 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 1:19and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength,
it leads to
- Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
- Colossians 2:12
And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.
- Ephesians 3:20
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
- Colossians 1:29
To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.
- 2 Corinthians 4:7
Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.
- Philippians 2:13
Through
John 17:6I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
it leads to
- John 17:26
And I have made Your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love You have for Me may be in them, and I in them.”
- John 17:26
Through
Jeremiah 10:6There is none like You, O LORD. You are great, and Your name is mighty in power.
it leads to
- Psalms 96:4
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
- Exodus 15:11
Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?
- Psalms 96:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies17
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 367: “The Great Supreme” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.