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1 Chronicles 17:21

And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?
1 Chronicles 17:21 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB What one nation in the earth is like your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, to make you a name by great and awesome things, in driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeem out of Egypt?
  • BSB And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem as a people for Himself? You made a name for Yourself through great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt.
  • NKJV And who is like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people—to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt?
  • NASB And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for You a name by great and awesome things, by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt?
  • NLT What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations that stood in their way.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

David marvels that Israel is unique among nations because God redeemed them for himself. It celebrates God's saving, name-making acts in the Exodus.

Overview

David recalls the Exodus, when God redeemed a people out of Egypt and drove out nations to settle them, making a great name for himself. Israel's distinctiveness rests not in its own merit but in God's redeeming grace. This redemption anticipates the greater deliverance in Christ, who redeems a people for God from every nation (Titus 2:14; Revelation 5:9).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 25

  • Ezek 20:9–10But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
  • Exod 3:7–8And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
  • Deut 4:7For 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?
  • Deut 4:32–34For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?
  • Deut 15:15And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.
  • Deut 7:1–2When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
  • Deut 33:26–29There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
  • Josh 24:11–12And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.
  • Josh 10:42And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.
  • Josh 21:43–45And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
  • Neh 9:10And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.
  • Isa 48:9For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.
  • Isa 63:9In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
  • Isa 64:3When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.
  • Isa 63:12That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
  • Ps 147:20He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.
  • Exod 19:4–6Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
  • Ps 107:2Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
  • Ps 44:2–3How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
  • Ps 114:3–8The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.
  • Ps 66:3–7Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
  • Ps 111:9He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
  • Ps 65:5By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:
  • Ps 77:15Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
  • Titus 2:14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

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Christ at the center

The genealogies and the everlasting covenant with David trace the single thread of promise running through the generations straight to the Christ in whom the line reaches its goal.

How 1 Chronicles 17:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

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