Deuteronomy 4:6
in Deuteronomy 4Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples, who will hear of all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
KJV
Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 4
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
See, I have taught you statutes and ordinances
on Deuteronomy 4:5-6
Keeping the statutes "will show your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples," so Moses gives the law an audience beyond Israel. At 1 Kings 10:6-9 the queen of Sheba says much the same over Solomon's house.
This site's exposition
in the sight of the peoples
The wisdom lies in the doing, and the nations judge Israel from what they hear of its laws. Matthew Henry reads obedience as agreeable to right reason, and links it to Job 28, where the fear of the Lord is wisdom.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And particularly the old Heathen oracle expressly said, that the Chaldeans or Hebrew, who worshipped the uncreated God, were the only wise men.
Keep therefore and do them,.....
In keeping God's commandments, [1.] They would act wisely for themselves; It is not only agreeable to right reason, but highly conducive to our true interest; this is one of the first and most ancient maxims of divine revelation. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, Job xxviii.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Keep - and do them; for this is your wisdom - There was no mode of worship at this time on the face or the earth that was not wicked, obscene, puerile, foolish, or ridiculous, except that established by God himself among the Israelites. And every part of this, taken in its connection and reference, may be truly called a wise and reasonable service.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮ | ushemartem | and you will take care | H8104 → | 468 times |
| וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֒ | vaasitem | and you will observe [them] | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הִ֤וא | hi' | that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| חָכְמַתְכֶם֙ | chakhematkhem | [will be] wisdom your | H2451 → | |
| וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔ם | uvinatkhem | and understanding your | H998 → | |
| לְעֵינֵ֖י | leeinei | to [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| הָעַמִּ֑ים | haamim | the peoples | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִשְׁמְע֗וּן | yishmeun | they will hear ! | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֵ֚ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַחֻקִּ֣ים | hachukim | the statutes | H2706 → | 127 times |
| הָאֵ֔לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| וְאָמְר֗וּ | veameru | and they will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| רַ֚ק | rak | certainly | H7535 → | 109 times |
| עַם־ | ʾam- | [is] a people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| חָכָ֣ם | chakham | wise | H2450 → | 138 times |
| וְנָב֔וֹן | venavon | and understanding | H995 → | 170 times |
| הַגּ֥וֹי | hagoy | the nation | H1471 → | 561 times |
| הַגָּד֖וֹל | hagadol | <the> great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| הַזֶּֽה׃ | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮and you will take care
ushemartemH8104 →468 times
וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֒and you will observe [them]
vaasitemH6213 →2628 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
הִ֤ואthat
hi'H1931 →1879 times
חָכְמַתְכֶם֙[will be] wisdom your
chakhematkhemH2451 →
וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔םand understanding your
uvinatkhemH998 →
לְעֵינֵ֖יto [the] eyes of
leeineiH5869 →887 times
הָעַמִּ֑יםthe peoples
haamimH5971 →1873 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יִשְׁמְע֗וּןthey will hear !
yishmeunH8085 →1159 times
אֵ֚ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַחֻקִּ֣יםthe statutes
hachukimH2706 →127 times
הָאֵ֔לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
וְאָמְר֗וּand they will say
veameruH559 →5305 times
רַ֚קcertainly
rakH7535 →109 times
עַם־[is] a people
ʾam-H5971 →1873 times
חָכָ֣םwise
chakhamH2450 →138 times
וְנָב֔וֹןand understanding
venavonH995 →170 times
הַגּ֥וֹיthe nation
hagoyH1471 →561 times
הַגָּד֖וֹל<the> great
hagadolH1419 →526 times
הַזֶּֽה׃<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 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
Job 28:28And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
it leads to
- Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13
When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!
- Proverbs 1:7
Through
Psalms 19:7The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:130
The unfolding of Your words gives light; it informs the simple.
- Psalms 111:7
The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are trustworthy.
- Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to…
- Proverbs 1:4
To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
- Psalms 119:130
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.