Deuteronomy 26:19

that He will set you high in praise and name and honor above all the nations He has made, and that you will be a holy people to the LORD your God, as He has promised.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses Israel on the plains of Moab in the final covenant renewal before entry into the land. Verse 19 states God's response to the declaration in verse 18: Israel is His treasured possession.

The words — עֶלְיֹן (elyon, "most high") is an epithet normally reserved for God (Ps 82:6); here it describes Israel's position above the nations. לִתְהִלָּה (litheillah, "for praise") is a purpose clause: the elevation exists to produce praise, not merely status.

The thread — Deuteronomy 7:6 and 28:1 frame the same covenant logic (holy people, blessings for obedience); 1 Peter 2:9 picks up "holy nation" and "for praise" in a New Testament application.

Why it lands — The promise is explicitly conditional on keeping the commandments (v. 18); it is not an unconditional identity label but a covenantal status that can be forfeited. The reader is asked to weigh the cost of the condition as seriously as the weight of the promise.

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

וּֽלְתִתְּךָ֣u./le./ti.te./Khaand/ to/ set/ you עֶלְי֗וֹןel.Yonmost high עַ֤ל'alabove כָּל־kol-all הַגּוֹיִם֙ha./go.Yimthe/ nations אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhich עָשָׂ֔ה'a.Sahhe has made לִתְהִלָּ֖הli/t.hi.Lahfor/ praise וּלְשֵׁ֣םu./le./Shemand/ for/ a name וּלְתִפְאָ֑רֶתu./le./tif.'A.retand/ for/ honor וְלִֽהְיֹתְךָ֧ve./li/h.yo.te./Khaand/ to/ be/ you עַם־'am-a people קָדֹ֛שׁka.Doshholy לַיהוָ֥הla./Yah.wehto/ Yahweh אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka./'a.Sherjust/ as דִּבֵּֽר׃ סdi.Berhe spoke

King James Version

And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.

Cross-references

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Deuteronomy 28:1 “Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of the earth.
Deuteronomy 4:7 For what nation is great enough to have a god as near to them as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him?
Exodus 19:6 And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
Isaiah 62:12 And they will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of The LORD; and you will be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.
1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,
Ezekiel 16:12 I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head.
Deuteronomy 28:9 The LORD will establish you as His holy people, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.