Bible Strands

2 Samuel 7:23

And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem as a people for Himself and to make a name for Himself? You performed great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before Your people, whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — David addresses this prayer to the Lord in response to God's covenant promise concerning the Davidic dynasty. He speaks at a moment of revelation, acknowledging God's prior actions before confirming the eternal establishment of Israel as God's people.

The words — The Hebrew terms גּוֹי (goy, "a nation") and אֶחָד ('echad, "one") frame Israel as the single distinct people on earth. The verb הָלְכֽוּ (halchu, "they went out") describes God's active movement to redeem and separate this group for Himself.

The thread — The motif of God redeeming Israel from Egypt and performing wonders recurs in Deuteronomy 9:26, Deuteronomy 10:21, and Deuteronomy 15:15. These passages consistently tie Israel's covenant identity to God's historical deliverance rather than human achievement.

Why it lands — The text states that God uniquely chose Israel, performed awesome wonders to drive out opposing nations, and redeemed them from Egypt. It demands recognition that covenant standing and national identity originate solely from divine action, not human qualification.

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

וּמִ֤יu./Miand/ who?כְעַמְּךָ֙khe./'a.me./Kha[is] like/ people/ yourכְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לke./Yis.ra.'Ellike/ Israelגּ֥וֹיGoya nationאֶחָ֖ד'e.Chadoneבָּאָ֑רֶץba./'A.retzon the/ earthאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhichהָלְכֽוּ־hal.khu-they wentאֱ֠לֹהִים'E.lo.HimGodלִפְדּֽוֹת־li/f.dot-to/ redeemל֨וֹl/ofor <the>/ himselfלְעָ֜םle./'Amto/ a peopleוְלָשׂ֧וּםve./la./Sumand/ to/ makeל֣וֹl/ofor <the>/ himselfשֵׁ֗םShema nameוְלַעֲשׂ֨וֹתve./la./'a.Sotand/ to/ doלָכֶ֜םla./Khemfor <the>/ youהַגְּדוּלָּ֤הha./ge.du.Lah<the>/ greatnessוְנֹֽרָאוֹת֙ve./no.ra.'Otand/ awesome [deeds]לְאַרְצֶ֔ךָle./'ar.Tze./khafor/ land/ yourמִפְּנֵ֣יmi./pe.Neifrom/ beforeעַמְּךָ֗'a.me./Khapeople/ yourאֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhichפָּדִ֤יתָpa.Di.tayou redeemedלְּךָ֙le./Khafor <the>/ yourselfמִמִּצְרַ֔יִםmi./mitz.Ra.yimfrom/ Egyptגּוֹיִ֖םgo.Yimnationsוֵאלֹהָֽיו׃ve./lo.Ha/vand/ gods/ its

King James Version

And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

Cross-references