American Standard Version
Deuteronomy 4:6
6Keep 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.
Deuteronomy 4:6 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
Context of Deuteronomy 4:6
4But ye that did cleave unto Jehovah your God are alive every one of you this day. 5Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as Jehovah my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the midst of the land whither ye go in to possess it. 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. 7For what great nation is there, that hath a god so nigh unto them, as Jehovah our God is whensoever we call upon him? 8And what great nation is there, that hath statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
Read all of Deuteronomy 4Deuteronomy 4:6 word by word
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֒ כִּ֣י הִ֤וא חָכְמַתְכֶם֙ וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔ם לְעֵינֵ֖י הָעַמִּ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאָמְר֗וּ רַ֚ק עַם־חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן הַגּ֥וֹי הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
- Keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
- wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
- understandingבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
- peoplesעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- statutesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
- sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- nationגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 4:6
- Job 28:28And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.
- Psalms 19:7The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul: The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple.
- Psalms 111:10The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all they that dohis commandments: His praise endureth for ever.
- Psalms 119:98Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies; For they are ever with me.
- Proverbs 1:7The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; Butthe foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
- Proverbs 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way; But the folly of fools is deceit.
- Jeremiah 8:9The wise men are put to shame, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of Jehovah; and what manner of wisdom is in them?
- 2 Timothy 3:15and that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
- James 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.
- 1 Kings 4:34And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.
- 1 Kings 10:6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom.
- Psalms 119:99I have more understanding than all my teachers; For thy testimonies are my meditation.
- Daniel 1:20And in every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm.
- Daniel 4:9O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
- Daniel 5:11There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
- Zechariah 8:20Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities;
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 4:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Keep - 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 nations - and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people - Almost all the nations…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Observe … wisdom and intelligence: Wisdom is linked to obedience. Obeying the Lord is the essence of wisdom (see 10:12–13; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 15:33). If God’s people were wise and careful enough to keep the Lord’s perfect covenant, the nations would see this and be amazed. Their obedience would display God’s wisdom to the world.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-65-6. this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes--Moses predicted that the faithful observance of the laws given them would raise their national character for intelligence and wisdom. In point of fact it did do so; for although the heathen world generally ridiculed the Hebrews for what they considered a foolish and absurd exclusiveness, some of the most eminent philosophers expressed the…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 4:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries