Deuteronomy 4:6

6 and ye shall keep, and fulfill them in work. For this is your wisdom and understanding before [the] peoples, that all men hear these behests, and say, Lo! a wise people and an understanding (one)! a great folk! (and ye shall obey them, and fulfill them in work. For this shall show your wisdom and understanding to the other peoples, and when the other peoples hear of these statutes, they shall say, Lo! a wise people, a people of understanding! yea, a great nation!)

Deuteronomy 4:6 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:6

Keep therefore and do them
. Observe them, take notice of what is expressed by them, and perform them, both as to matter and manner, as they require:

for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the
nations;
that is, their wisdom and understanding would appear to other nations by their observance of the commands of God:

which hear all these statutes;
which they had a report, got knowledge of by some of the philosophers who travelled into those parts, and by the translation of the Bible into the Greek language:

and say, surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people;
that had such a body of laws, in which they were instructed, and according to which they were governed, and in which they walked; that were so agreeable to reason, truth, justice, and equity; insomuch that so far as they became known they were admired and copied after, both by Greeks and Romans; and hence it was that the oracle F6 declared, that only the Chaldeans and Hebrews were a wise people; the Hebrews came from Chaldea, as Abraham the father of them.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Apud Porphyr. in Euseb Evangel. Praepar. l. 9. c. 10. p. 413.

Deuteronomy 4:6 In-Context

4 Forsooth ye that cleave(d) to your Lord God live all till into (this) present day. (But all of ye who cleaved to the Lord your God still be alive unto this present day.)
5 Ye know that I taught you the behests and the rightwisenesses, as my Lord God commanded to me; so ye shall do them in the land that ye shall wield, (Ye know that I have taught you all the statutes and the laws, or the judgements, as the Lord my God commanded to me; and ye shall do them in the land that ye shall take,)
6 and ye shall keep, and fulfill them in work. For this is your wisdom and understanding before [the] peoples, that all men hear these behests, and say, Lo! a wise people and an understanding (one)! a great folk! (and ye shall obey them, and fulfill them in work. For this shall show your wisdom and understanding to the other peoples, and when the other peoples hear of these statutes, they shall say, Lo! a wise people, a people of understanding! yea, a great nation!)
7 None other nation is so great, that hath Gods nighing to itself, as our God is ready to all our beseechings. (No other nation, no matter how great, hath gods so near to it, as our God is to us.)
8 For what other folk is so noble, that it hath ceremonies, and just dooms, and all the law, which I shall set forth today before your eyes? (For what other nation is so noble, that it hath statutes, and judgements, and all the law/s, which I shall set forth today before your eyes?)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.