Deuteronomy 4:7
in Deuteronomy 4For what nation is great enough to have a god as near to them as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For what great nation is there, that hath a god so nigh unto them, as Jehovah our God is whensoever we call upon him?
KJV
For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
⋯
This verse in Deuteronomy 4
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
For what nation is great enough
on Deuteronomy 4:7-8
Two questions carry the argument, each opening with "what nation is great enough". The first answer is nearness, a god "as near to them as the LORD our God is to us." The second is the law itself, "righteous statutes and ordinances."
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
So nigh - By glorious miracles, by the pledges of his special presence, by the operations of his grace, and particularly by his readiness to hear our prayers, and to give us those succors which we call upon him for.
Not so much for their number, for they were the fewest of all people; nor for the largeness of their territories, for the land they were going to possess was but a small country; nor for their wealth and riches, and warlike exploits, though they were not contemptible in either; but for their happy constitution in church and state, being directed and governed in both by laws which came immediately from God himself; for their knowledge of divine things, and for spiritual blessings and privileges they were favoured with, of which a special instance is given: who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is, in all things that we call upon him for?
Secondly, Those that call upon God shall certainly find him within call, and ready to give an answer of peace to every prayer of faith; see Isa. lviii. 9 , " Thou shalt cry, as the child for a nurse, and he shall say, Here I am, what does my dear child cry for?" Thirdly, This is a privilege which makes the Israel of God truly great and honourable.
Our communion with God (which is the highest honour and happiness we are capable of in this world) is kept up by the word and prayer; in both these Israel were happy above any people under heaven. [1.] Never were any people so privileged in speaking to God,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The former, their national advantages, are described (De 4:7, 8), and they were twofold: 1. God's readiness to hear and aid them at all times; and 2. the excellence of that religion in which they were instructed, set forth in the "statutes and judgments so righteous" which the law of Moses contained.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֚י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מִי־ | mi- | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| ג֣וֹי | goy | [is] a nation | H1471 → | 561 times |
| גָּד֔וֹל | gadol | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ל֥וֹ | lo | [belongs] to it | ||
| אֱלֹהִ֖ים | ʾelohim | a god | H430 → | 2601 times |
| קְרֹבִ֣ים | kerovim | near | H7138 → | 77 times |
| אֵלָ֑יו | ʾelav | to it | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כַּיהוָ֣ה | kayahweh | like Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ | ʾeloheinu | God our | H430 → | 2601 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| קָרְאֵ֖נוּ | kareenu | calling we | H7121 → | 733 times |
| אֵלָֽיו׃ | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
כִּ֚יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
מִי־who?
mi-H4310 →423 times
ג֣וֹי[is] a nation
goyH1471 →561 times
גָּד֔וֹלgreat
gadolH1419 →526 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
ל֥וֹ[belongs] to it
lo
אֱלֹהִ֖יםa god
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
קְרֹבִ֣יםnear
kerovimH7138 →77 times
אֵלָ֑יוto it
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
כַּיהוָ֣הlike Yahweh
kayahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּGod our
ʾeloheinuH430 →2601 times
בְּכָל־in all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
קָרְאֵ֖נוּcalling we
kareenuH7121 →733 times
אֵלָֽיו׃to him
ʾelavH413 →5510 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
James 4:8Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
it leads to
- Psalms 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 10:22
let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
- Malachi 3:7
Yet from the days of your fathers, you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Hosts. “But…
- Zechariah 1:3
So tell the people that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.’
- Isaiah 55:6–7
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
- Psalms 145:18
Through
Psalms 34:18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.
it leads to
- Psalms 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
- Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit,…
- Psalms 147:3
Through
Psalms 145:18The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Where this verse is studied
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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.