Tree of Life Version
Deuteronomy 4:6
6You must keep and do them, for it is your wisdom and 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.’
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 held tight to Adonai your God are alive today—all of you. 5“See, just as Adonai my God commanded me, I have taught you statutes and ordinances to do in the land that you are about to enter to possess. You must keep and do them, for it is your wisdom and 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.’ 7For what great nation is there that has gods so near to them, as Adonai our God is whenever we call on Him? 8What great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances that are righteous—like all of this Torah that I am setting 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 28:28And He said to mankind, ‘The fear of the Lord —that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.”’
- Psalms 19:7It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other end. Nothing is hidden from its heat.
- Psalms 111:10The fear of Adonai is the beginning of wisdom. All who follow His precepts have good understanding. His praise endures forever!
- Psalms 119:98Your mitzvot make me wiser than my enemies —for they are mine forever.
- Proverbs 1:7The fear of Adonai is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
- Proverbs 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to consider his way, but the folly of fools is deception.
- Jeremiah 8:9The wise men will be put to shame— shattered, trapped. Look! They have rejected Adonai’s word, so what wisdom do they have?
- 2 Timothy 3:15and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to make you wise, leading to salvation through trusting in Messiah Yeshua.
- James 3:13Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct let him show his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
- 1 Kings 10:6Then she said to the king: “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your deeds and of your wisdom.
- Psalms 119:99I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.
- Daniel 1:20In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers throughout his realm.
- Daniel 4:9Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Beneath it the beasts of the field found shade and birds of the sky lived in its branches, and from it all creatures were fed.
- Daniel 5:11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father, he was found to have insight and intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. So King Nebuchadnezzar your father made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and diviners.
- Zechariah 8:20Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, “Peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will again come.
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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