Deuteronomy 4:6

4:6 So be sure to do them, because this will testify of your wise understanding ¹  to the people who will learn of all these statutes and say, “Indeed, this great nation is a very wise ²  people.”

Deuteronomy 4:19

4:19 When you look up ³  to the sky ⁴  and see the sun, moon, and stars – the whole heavenly creation ⁵  – you must not be seduced to worship and serve them, ⁶  for the Lord your God has assigned ⁷  them to all the people ⁸  of the world. ⁹ 

Deuteronomy 7:6

7:6 For you are a people holy ¹⁰  to the Lord your God. He ¹¹  has chosen you to be his people, prized ¹²  above all others on the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 7:16

Exhortation to Destroy Canaanite Paganism

7:16 You must destroy ¹³  all the people whom the Lord your God is about to deliver over to you; you must not pity them or worship ¹⁴  their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

Deuteronomy 7:19

7:19 the great judgments ¹⁵  you saw, the signs and wonders, the strength and power ¹⁶  by which he ¹⁷  brought you out – thus the Lord your God will do to all the people you fear.

Deuteronomy 14:2

14:2 For you are a people holy ¹⁸  to the Lord your God. He ¹⁹  has chosen you to be his people, prized ²⁰  above all others on the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 28:64

28:64 The Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of wood and stone.

¹ tn Heb “it is wisdom and understanding.”

² tn Heb “wise and understanding.”

³ tn Heb “lest you lift up your eyes.” In the Hebrew text vv. 16-19 are subordinated to “Be careful” in v. 15, but this makes for an unduly long sentence in English.

⁴ tn Or “heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

⁵ tn Heb “all the host of heaven.”

⁶ tn In the Hebrew text the verbal sequence in v. 19 is “lest you look up…and see…and be seduced…and worship them…and serve them.” However, the first two actions are not prohibited in and of themselves. The prohibition pertains to the final three actions. The first two verbs describe actions that are logically subordinate to the following actions and can be treated as temporal or circumstantial: “lest, looking up…and seeing…, you are seduced.” See Joüon 2:635 §168.h.

⁷ tn Or “allotted.”

⁸ tn Or “nations.”

⁹ tn Heb “under all the heaven.”

⁵ tn That is, “set apart.”

⁶ tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.

⁷ tn Or “treasured” (so NIV, NRSV); NLT “his own special treasure.” The Hebrew term סְגֻלָּה (sÿgullah) describes Israel as God’s choice people, those whom he elected and who are most precious to him (cf. Exod 19:4-6; Deut 14:2; 26:18; 1 Chr 29:3; Ps 135:4; Eccl 2:8 Mal 3:17). See E. Carpenter, NIDOTTE 3:224.

⁷ tn Heb “devour” (so NRSV); KJV, NAB, NASB “consume.” The verbal form (a perfect with vav consecutive) is understood here as having an imperatival or obligatory nuance (cf. the instructions and commands that follow). Another option is to take the statement as a continuation of the preceding conditional promises and translate “and you will destroy.”

⁸ tn Or “serve” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).

⁹ tn Heb “testings” (so NAB), a reference to the plagues. See note at 4:34.

¹⁰ tn Heb “the strong hand and outstretched arm.” See 4:34.

¹¹ tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.

¹¹ tn Or “set apart.”

¹² tn Heb “The Lord.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.

¹³ tn Or “treasured.” The Hebrew term סְגֻלָּה (sÿgullah) describes Israel as God’s choice people, those whom he elected and who are most precious to him (cf. Exod 19:4-6; Deut 14:2; 26:18; 1 Chr 29:3; Ps 135:4; Eccl 2:8 Mal 3:17). See E. Carpenter, NIDOTTE 3:224.