Bible Strands

1 Chronicles 17:21

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — David speaks to God in prayer immediately following the covenant promise recorded in the preceding verses. He addresses the Lord as the sole sovereign who intervened historically to form Israel.

The words — אֶחָ֖ד ('e.Chad) = one [H259] and גּ֥וֹי (Goy) = a nation [H1471] combine to form the phrase “one nation.” This wording isolates Israel from all other earthly groups to mark them as uniquely set apart.

The thread — The redemption from Egypt and the motive of God acting for His name run through Exodus 3:7, Exodus 19:4, and Ezekiel 20:9. These texts track the same pattern of deliverance establishing a distinct people for divine purposes.

Why it lands — The text states that God singled out Israel, redeemed them from Egypt, and performed wonders to establish His name. A reader must acknowledge that divine election precedes human merit and that history serves God’s declared purpose.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּמִי֙u./Miand/ who?כְּעַמְּךָ֣ke./'a.me./Kha[is] like/ people/ yourיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelגּ֥וֹיGoya nationאֶחָ֖ד'e.Chadoneבָּאָ֑רֶץba./'A.retzon the/ earthאֲשֶׁר֩'a.Sherwhichהָלַ֨ךְha.Lakhhe wentהָאֱלֹהִ֜יםha./'E.lo.Him<the>/ Godלִפְדּ֧וֹתli/f.Dotto/ redeemל֣וֹl/ofor/ himselfעָ֗ם'Ama peopleלָשׂ֤וּםla./Sumto/ makeלְךָ֙le./Khafor/ yourselfשֵׁ֚םShema nameגְּדֻלּ֣וֹתge.du.Lotgreat thingsוְנֹרָא֔וֹתve./no.ra.'otand/ awesome [deeds]לְגָרֵ֗שׁle./ga.Reshby/ driving outמִפְּנֵ֧יmi./pe.Neifrom/ beforeעַמְּךָ֛'a.me./Khapeople/ yourאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-whichפָּדִ֥יתָpa.Di.tayou had redeemedמִמִּצְרַ֖יִםmi./mitz.Ra.yimfrom/ Egyptגּוֹיִֽם׃go.Yimnations

King James Version

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?

Cross-references