Exodus 15:11

15:11 Who is like you, ¹  O Lord, among the gods? ² 

Who is like you? – majestic in holiness, fearful in praises, ³  working wonders?

Psalms 89:6

89:6 For who in the skies can compare to the Lord?

Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings, ⁴ 

Psalms 89:8

89:8 O Lord, sovereign God! ⁵ 

Who is strong like you, O Lord?

Your faithfulness surrounds you.

Isaiah 40:18

40:18 To whom can you compare God?

To what image can you liken him?

Isaiah 40:25

40:25 “To whom can you compare me? Whom do I resemble?”

says the Holy One. ⁶ 

Isaiah 43:10

43:10 You are my witnesses,” says the Lord,

“my servant whom I have chosen,

so that you may consider ⁷  and believe in me,

and understand that I am he.

No god was formed before me,

and none will outlive me. ⁸ 

¹ tn The question is of course rhetorical; it is a way of affirming that no one is comparable to God. See C. J. Labuschagne, The Incomparability of Yahweh in the Old Testament, 22, 66-67, and 94-97.

² sn Verses 11-17 will now focus on Yahweh as the incomparable one who was able to save Israel from their foes and afterward lead them to the promised land.

³ tn S. R. Driver suggests “praiseworthy acts” as the translation (Exodus, 137).

⁴ tn Heb “sons of gods”; or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (’elim) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the Hebrew text, it is likely that the final mem (ם) is actually enclitic rather than a plural marker. In this case one may read “God.” Some, following a Qumran text and the LXX, also propose the phrase occurred in the original text of Deut 32:8. The phrase בְנֵי אֵלִים (vÿney ’elim, “sons of gods” or “sons of God”) occurs only here and in Ps 29:1. Since the “sons of gods/God” are here associated with “the assembly of the holy ones” and “council of the holy ones,” the heavenly assembly (comprised of so-called “angels” and other supernatural beings) appears to be in view. See Job 5:1; 15:15 and Zech 14:5, where these supernatural beings are referred to as “holy ones.” In Canaanite mythological texts the divine council of the high god El is called “the sons of El.” The OT apparently uses the Canaanite phrase, applying it to the supernatural beings that surround the Lord’s heavenly throne.

⁵ tn Traditionally “God of hosts.” The title here pictures the Lord as enthroned in the midst of the angelic hosts of heaven.

⁶ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

⁷ tn Or “know” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

⁸ tn Heb “and after me, there will not be”; NASB “there will be none after Me.”