Deuteronomy 4 7

Deuteronomy 4:7 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?

Deuteronomy 4:7 nkjv

"For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?

Deuteronomy 4:7 niv

What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?

Deuteronomy 4:7 esv

For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?

Deuteronomy 4:7 nlt

For what great nation has a god as near to them as the LORD our God is near to us whenever we call on him?

Deuteronomy 4 verses

Deuteronomy 4 7 Meaning

Deuteronomy 4:7 proclaims the unique and unparalleled privilege of the nation of Israel: the Almighty God, Yahweh, is singularly close and accessible to them. Unlike the distant or non-existent deities of other nations, the Lord, their covenant God, is uniquely available and responsive to their earnest prayers and petitions. This verse underscores the intimate, responsive, and ongoing covenant relationship between God and His chosen people, emphasizing that Israel's true "greatness" lies not in their own strength or numbers, but in the immeasurable nearness of their God who listens and responds whenever they call upon Him.

Deuteronomy 4 7 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 4 is part of Moses' powerful exhortation to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they are to enter the Promised Land. Moses reviews their history from Mount Horeb (Sinai), recounting God's direct communication, the giving of the Ten Commandments, and the subsequent covenant established with them. The chapter functions as a plea for absolute obedience to God's statutes and judgments, urging Israel to learn from past failures and embrace their unique status. Verse 7 specifically sets up the rhetorical foundation for their unique privilege, demonstrating why it is supremely rational and wise for Israel to keep God's laws, as they have an unparalleled access to the one true God who personally intervened on their behalf and remains intimately involved in their lives. This divine nearness serves as both a sign of their "greatness" and a profound incentive for fidelity to the covenant.

Deuteronomy 4 7 Word analysis

• For what great nation: Hebrew Ki mi goy gadol (כִּי מִי גוֹי גָּדוֹל). This phrase employs a rhetorical question designed to elicit a negative answer – "no nation." It powerfully establishes Israel's exceptional status, not based on conventional earthly might, but on a unique divine relationship. The term goy (nation) is employed here to signify Israel's distinctness from all other peoples.
• is there that has God so near to it: Hebrew Elohim qerovim elav (אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו). Elohim (God), though plural in its Hebrew form, functions as an intensive plural, referring to the one singular God of Israel. Qerovim (near, close, at hand) conveys a profound sense of accessibility, not merely physical proximity but a readiness to interact, to listen, and to intervene personally. This directly contrasts with the often distant, localized, or capricious deities of ancient Near Eastern religions.
• as the Lord our God: Hebrew ka'Adonai Eloheinu (כַּיהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ). This explicitly invokes the covenant name, YHWH (the Lord), underscoring His unique, self-revealed, and personal relationship with Israel. "Our God" signifies a deeply intimate, possessive, and familial bond that other nations lacked with their deities.
• is to us: Hebrew lanu (לָנוּ). This personal pronoun suffix reinforces the exclusivity and directness of God's bond with the nation of Israel, emphasizing that this "nearness" is specifically and personally experienced by them as His chosen people.
• whenever we call upon Him: Hebrew bekol qor'einu elav (בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו). This clause defines the active and experiential nature of God's nearness. It is not a passive attribute, but one realized through sincere prayer and supplication. It implies God's constant readiness to listen and respond to the petitions of His people, thereby inviting ongoing communion and dependence upon Him. This phrase contrasts with gods who must be appeased or sought through elaborate, often uncertain, rituals.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "What great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us": This entire rhetorical question serves as the theological linchpin of Israel's exceptionalism. It presents their privileged status not as a matter of their own merit, but as a sovereign act of divine election, marked by the extraordinary, intimate, and accessible presence of the living God among them. This unique relationship is the foundation for their identity and purpose.
  • "God so near to it... whenever we call upon Him": This pairing elucidates the dynamic nature of divine accessibility. God's inherent nearness to Israel is made manifest and experienced through their active and continuous engagement with Him in prayer. It emphasizes a responsive deity, one who is not aloof or silent, but readily available to hear and act when His people genuinely seek Him. This stands in sharp contrast to the silent, inert idols worshipped by surrounding peoples, underscoring the vital, active relationship YHWH maintains with His covenant people.

Deuteronomy 4 7 Bonus section

• This verse carries a profound polemical edge against the pagan religions prevalent in the ancient Near East, implicitly contrasting the living, responsive God of Israel with the manufactured, impotent idols or distant, unknowable deities of other cultures.
• The concept of God's "nearness" foreshadows the dwelling of God among His people in the Tabernacle and later the Temple, providing tangible representations of His accessible presence.
• In the New Testament, the "nearness" of God culminates and is ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, "God with us" (Matt 1:23). Through Christ's incarnation, atoning work, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God's accessibility is extended beyond a single nation to all who believe, offering an even greater intimacy and boldness in drawing near to God's throne of grace (Heb 4:16).

Deuteronomy 4 7 Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:7 is a foundational statement of Israel's unique status among the nations. Moses, in this verse, employs a powerful rhetorical question to emphasize that Israel's true greatness derived from the singular fact of God's unparalleled closeness and accessibility to them. Unlike other peoples who had silent idols or believed their gods to be remote, uncaring, or manipulable, Israel had the Creator and Sustainer of the universe intimately present in their midst. This "nearness" was not merely a physical proximity, but a relational reality: God had established a covenant with them, dwelled in their Tabernacle, provided His law, and, crucially, listened and responded when they called upon Him. This dynamic responsiveness signified that the God who commanded their obedience was also the God who empowered them, interceded for them, and provided for their needs. It was an invitation to a life of continuous reliance on their ever-present and attentive God, setting Israel apart as a beacon of true divine worship against the backdrop of pervasive paganism.