Christian Standard Bible
Deuteronomy 4:6
6Carefully follow them, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the peoples. When they hear about all these statutes, they will say, ‘This great nation is indeed 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 you who have remained faithful to the Lord your God are all alive today. 5Look, I have taught you statutes and ordinances as the Lord my God has commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to possess. Carefully follow them, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the peoples. When they hear about all these statutes, they will say, ‘This great nation is indeed a wise and understanding people.’ 7For what great nation is there that has a god near to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? 8And what great nation has righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today?
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
- therefore and doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- your wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
- and your understandingבִּינָהbîynâh · understandingH998
- in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- of the nationsעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- which shall hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- all these statutesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
- and sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Surely this greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- nationגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- a wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
- and understandingבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 4:6
- Job 28:28He said to mankind, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.”
- Psalms 19:7The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.
- Psalms 111:10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his instructions have good insight. His praise endures forever.
- Psalms 119:98Your command makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is always with me.
- Proverbs 1:7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.
- Proverbs 14:8The sensible person’s wisdom is to consider his way, but the stupidity of fools deceives them.
- Jeremiah 8:9The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and snared. They have rejected the word of the Lord, so what wisdom do they really have?
- 2 Timothy 3:15and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- James 3:13Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.
- 1 Kings 4:34Emissaries of all peoples, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom.
- 1 Kings 10:6She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true.
- Psalms 119:99I have more insight than all my teachers because your decrees are my meditation.
- Daniel 1:20In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and mediums in his entire kingdom.
- Daniel 4:9“Belteshazzar, head of the magicians, because I know that you have the spirit of the holy gods and that no mystery puzzles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its interpretation.
- Daniel 5:11There is a man in your kingdom who has a spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your predecessor he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. Your own predecessor, the king,
- Zechariah 8:20The Lord of Armies says this: “Peoples will yet come, the residents 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
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