He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings
Parallel translations
- WEB Then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction,
- KJV Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
- NKJV Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction.
- NASB Then He opens the ears of people, And horrifies them with warnings,
- NLT He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings.
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
Moses argues that only God's presence sets Israel apart from all other peoples. God dwelling with them is their true distinction.
Overview
What makes Israel God's people is not their location or prosperity but God's presence among them. Moses understands that this is the mark of divine favor that distinguishes them from the nations. This anticipates the church as God's dwelling by the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22), set apart by God's indwelling presence in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Job 36:10He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.
- Job 36:15God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.
- Ps 40:6Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require.
- Isa 50:5The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back.
- Isa 6:10Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
- Acts 16:14Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
- Luke 24:45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
- Rom 15:28So after I have completed this service and have safely delivered this bounty to them, I will set off to Spain by way of you.
- Neh 9:38In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”
- Isa 48:8You have never heard; you have never understood; for a long time your ears have not been open. For I knew how deceitful you are; you have been called a rebel from birth.
- 2 Sam 7:27For You, O LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant when You said, ‘I will build a house for you.’ Therefore Your servant has found the courage to offer this prayer to You.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 33:16 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.