7
Forכִּיwhatמִיgreatגָּדוֹלnationגוֹיis there thatאֲשֶׁרhasלוֹgodsאֱלֹהִיםso nearקְרֹבִיםto itאֵלָיוas YHWHכַּיהוָהour Elohim isאֱלֹהֵינוּwheneverבְּכָּלwe callקָרְאֵנוּon him?אֵלָיו
Deuteronomy 4:7
Study it in the app“For what great nation is there that has gods so near to it as YHWH our Elohim is whenever we call on him?”
With the Hebrew beneath
Deuteronomy 4:7, word by word
- greatגָּדוֹלgadol
great
Of great size, amount or importance: a river, a city, a king.
Where else “gadol” appears- nationגוֹיgoy
nation
A people with their land; also Israel.
Where else “goy” appears- godsאֱלֹהִיםelohim
gods
The gods of other peoples.
Where else “elohim” appears- so nearקְרֹבִיםkerovim
near
Close by, or having access to YHWH.
Where else “kerovim” appears- as YHWHיהוָהyhva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yhva” appears- we callקָרְאֵkare
cry out
To shout to YHWH for help, call on his name.
Where else “kare” appears
Translation note
The Hebrew says elohim with the adjective in the plural; it can be read “gods so near” or “an Elohim so near.” The sense is the same: no nation has its god as near as Israel has YHWH.
The context
6Keep them and carry them out, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the peoples, who will hear all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
7 · This verse (above)
8And what great nation is there that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this instruction that I am setting before you today?