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?
Parallel translations
- WEB For what great nation is there, that has a god so near to them, as Yahweh our God is whenever we call on him?
- 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?
- BSB For what nation is great enough to have a god as near to them as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him?
- 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?
- NASB For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him?
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
No other nation has a god so near as the LORD is when Israel calls. It celebrates God's unique nearness to His people.
Overview
Moses marvels that Israel enjoys a God who draws near and answers prayer, unlike the distant idols of the nations. This nearness is a gift of covenant grace, not Israel's achievement. It foreshadows the fullest nearness of God in Christ, Immanuel, God with us.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ps 145:18Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
- 2 Sam 7:23What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make himself a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeemed to yourself out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
- Ps 34:18Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
- Jas 4:8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Ps 73:28But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
- Isa 55:6Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.
- Ps 46:1For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
- Ps 148:14He has lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near to him. Praise Yah!
- Isa 43:4Since you have been precious and honored in my sight, and I have loved you; therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.
- Eph 2:12–22that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
- Deut 5:26For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the middle of the fire, as we have, and lived?
- Num 23:21He has not seen iniquity in Jacob. Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. Yahweh his God is with him. The shout of a king is among them.
- Num 23:9For from the top of the rocks I see him. From the hills I see him. Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and shall not be listed among the nations.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 4:7 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.