Deuteronomy 10:17–18

In its context

Its words in the original

• יְהוָהyehva· 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.

• אֱלֹהֵיelohe· Elohim, God, gods

  The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.

• אֲדֹנֵיadone· Adonai, Lord

  "Adonai": "my Lord", said only to God. It is a title of respect that acknowledges his authority. It is not another god besides YHWH: often it goes with his name, "Adonai YHWH", Lord YHWH.

• אֲדֹנִיםadonim· lord, master

  Lord: one who has authority over another (an owner, a husband, a superior). It is also a polite form, "my lord". Said of God, "the Lord".

• אֵלel· El, God, god

  "El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".

• גָּדֹלgadol· great

  Great in size, number, age or importance; also "the elder" of two; "high priest" is "great priest".

• גִּבֹּרgibor· mighty one, mighty man

  Strong, valiant; a mighty man, an outstanding warrior.

• נּוֹרָאnora· fear

  Fear. It can be fright before a danger or deep reverence before God ("fear YHWH"). In some forms, be fearsome, awesome.

• יִשָּׂאyisa· lift, carry, bear

  Lift up, carry, bear. "Bear sin" is to suffer its consequences; said of God, "taking away" sin is forgiving it. "Lift up the eyes" is to look.

• פָנִיםfanim· face, presence

  Face. From there "surface" (the face of something) and "presence" (being before someone's face); with a preposition it means "before" or "in front of".

• יִקַּחyikach· take

  Take: seize, take along, receive. Also "take a wife" (marry).

• שֹׁחַדshochad· bribe

  Bribe: a gift given to a judge to twist his decision.

• עֹשֶׂהose· do, make

  Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.

• מִשְׁפַּטmishpat· justice, judgment

  What is right and the decision that establishes it: the judgment of a judge, someone's right, a rule or ordinance, a custom. "Do righteousness and justice" is to treat each one as is due.

• יָתוֹםyatom· fatherless

  Orphan; above all one who has lost his father.

• אַלְמָנָהalmana· widow

  Widow.

• אֹהֵבohev· love

  Love, have affection for someone: a parent for a child, a husband for a wife, a friend for a friend, a person for God; also like, desire.

• גֵּרger· resident alien

  Foreigner who lives in a land that is not his own, without the rights of those who belong to the place.

• תֶתtet· give, put, set

  Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.

• לֶחֶםlechem· bread, food

  Bread; in a wide sense, food.

• שִׂמְלָהsimla· cloak

  Cloak: the outer garment, which also served as a covering for sleeping.