1 Chronicles 17:21

Translation
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?
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KJV (with Strong's)
And what one H259 nation H1471 in the earth H776 is like thy people H5971 Israel H3478, whom God H430 went H1980 to redeem H6299 to be his own people H5971, to make H7760 thee a name H8034 of greatness H1420 and terribleness H3372, by driving out H1644 nations H1471 from before H6440 thy people H5971, whom thou hast redeemed H6299 out of Egypt H4714?
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Complete Jewish Bible
Who can be compared with your people Isra'el? What other nation on earth did God set out to redeem and turn into a people for himself? You made yourself a reputation by doing great and terrifying things, as you drove out the nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt.
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Berean Standard Bible
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.
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American Standard Version
And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem unto himself for a people, to make thee a name by great and terrible things, in driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou redeemedst out of Egypt?
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World English Bible Messianic
What one nation in the earth is like your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, to make you a name by great and awesome things, in driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeem out of Egypt?
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Moreouer what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whose God went to redeeme them to be his people, and to make thy selfe a Name, and to doe great and terrible things by casting out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast deliuered out of Egypt?
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Young's Literal Translation
`And who is as Thy people Israel, one nation in the earth whom God hath gone to ransom to Him for a people, to make for Thee a name great and fearful, to cast out from the presence of Thy people whom Thou hast ransomed out of Egypt--nations?
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See also
Ezekiel 20:9Ezekiel 20:10Deuteronomy 15:15Isaiah 48:9Psalms 147:20Psalms 66:3Psalms 66:7
In the KJVVerse 10,885 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

1 Chronicles 17:21 encapsulates King David's profound and worshipful declaration of Israel's unparalleled status among all nations, attributing their unique identity and existence solely to God's sovereign and powerful acts of redemption. This verse highlights God's deliberate choice to liberate Israel from Egyptian bondage, establish them as His own treasured people, and display His formidable power by dispossessing other nations from the Promised Land. All these divine interventions served the ultimate purpose of making a great and awe-inspiring name for Himself through His chosen people, serving as a powerful testament to God's unwavering covenant faithfulness and His singular relationship with Israel.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is a central component of King David's magnificent prayer of thanksgiving, recorded in its entirety in 1 Chronicles 17. This prayer immediately follows the Lord's unilateral and unconditional covenant promise delivered to David through the prophet Nathan, as detailed in 1 Chronicles 17:4-14. God had just revealed His intention to establish an everlasting house, kingdom, and throne for David, a promise that far exceeded David's own desire to build a temple for God. Overwhelmed by this astonishing display of divine grace and faithfulness, David responds with a prayer that transitions from humble adoration and self-abasement to a profound recounting of God's past redemptive acts for Israel. This specific declaration of Israel's unique status among nations serves as a climactic theological affirmation within David's prayer, emphasizing the foundational acts that define God's relationship with His people and provide the basis for trusting His future promises. The prayer, spanning 1 Chronicles 17:16-27, stands as a timeless model of reverent submission, confident trust, and grateful praise in response to divine revelation.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop for this prayer is the early, stable period of David's reign in Jerusalem, after he has successfully consolidated his kingdom and brought the Ark of the Covenant to the capital city. This era marks a peak of national unity and spiritual focus. The verse's references to God "driving out nations" (referring to the Canaanite inhabitants of the Promised Land) and redeeming Israel "out of Egypt" firmly anchor it within the defining historical narratives of the Exodus and the subsequent conquest of Canaan. These events were not merely historical occurrences but were foundational to Israel's national identity and their understanding of Yahweh as their unique God. In the broader ancient Near Eastern context, nations frequently boasted of their patron deities' prowess in warfare and national deliverance. However, David's prayer asserts a radical distinction: Israel's God is not merely one powerful deity among many, but the singular, true God who actively intervenes in history, uniquely choosing and delivering His people, thereby setting them apart from all other peoples and their gods. This theological assertion would have resonated powerfully in a polytheistic world.
  • Key Themes: 1 Chronicles 17:21 significantly contributes to several overarching themes pervasive throughout 1 Chronicles and the broader biblical narrative. Foremost, it underscores Israel's Unique Identity, asserting that Israel is unlike any other nation on earth, entirely set apart by God Himself through His mighty, distinguishing acts. It prominently features the theme of Divine Redemption, highlighting God's active, personal, and powerful role in liberating Israel from slavery in Egypt—a foundational act of salvation that irrevocably defined their relationship with Him (compare Exodus 6:6-7). The verse also powerfully points to God's Power and Glory, demonstrating that God's actions in redeeming Israel and dispossessing nations were ultimately intended to magnify His own name and reputation throughout the earth, a theme consistently echoed in passages such as Exodus 9:16. Finally, it reinforces the crucial theme of Covenant Faithfulness, as David's reflection on God's past redemptive faithfulness serves as the unwavering basis for trusting God's future promises, particularly the eternal Davidic Covenant detailed earlier in 1 Chronicles 17:11-14.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Nation (Hebrew, gôwy', H1471): This term typically refers to a foreign nation or Gentile people. In this verse, its usage in the rhetorical question "what one nation... is like thy people Israel" serves to highlight Israel's distinctiveness by contrasting them with all other peoples. While other nations might boast of their deities or achievements, Israel's uniqueness stems solely from God's singular choice and redemptive action, setting them apart from the collective "nations" of the earth.
  • Redeem (Hebrew, pâdâh', H6299): This primitive root signifies the act of severing, buying back, ransoming, or liberating, particularly from bondage, danger, or a state of being lost. In the context of 1 Chronicles 17:21, it refers specifically to God's powerful, deliberate, and costly act of freeing Israel from their enslavement in Egypt. This redemption was not merely an escape but a divine acquisition, where God claimed Israel as His own people, establishing a unique covenant relationship. The concept of "redemption" is foundational to Israel's identity and their understanding of Yahweh as their deliverer.
  • Terribleness (Hebrew, yârêʼ', H3372): This is a primitive root meaning "to fear," "to revere," or causatively, "to frighten." While the KJV translates it as "terribleness" (a noun), it conveys the idea of that which inspires awe, dread, or reverence due to immense power and majesty. In this verse, it speaks to the formidable and awe-inspiring power God displayed through His actions, particularly in the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan. This "terribleness" was not merely destructive but served to establish God's reputation among the nations and to instill profound reverence (and sometimes fear) in those who witnessed His work on behalf of Israel, denoting His sovereignty that commands respect and recognition.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And what one nation in the earth [is] like thy people Israel": This opening rhetorical question serves as a powerful declaration of Israel's absolute uniqueness among all peoples on the globe. It implies a resounding "none," asserting that no other nation has ever experienced such a direct, intimate, and transformative relationship with its deity. This uniqueness is not attributed to Israel's inherent qualities, moral superiority, or military might, but solely to God's sovereign choice and unparalleled intervention.
  • "whom God went to redeem [to be] his own people": This clause specifies the foundational act that established Israel's distinctiveness: God's personal, active, and intentional intervention to liberate them from slavery in Egypt. The phrase "went to redeem" emphasizes God's purposeful movement and determined pursuit of His people. The explicit purpose of this redemption was to make them "His own people," a treasured possession (segullah), thereby establishing a unique and exclusive covenant relationship with them, setting them apart from all other nations.
  • "to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness": This explains God's ultimate, overarching purpose behind His redemptive acts. His mighty deeds were not solely for Israel's benefit but were also designed to magnify His own name and reputation throughout the earth. "Greatness" (gᵉdûwlâh) refers to His supreme power, majesty, and authority, while "terribleness" (yârêʼ) speaks to the awe, dread, and reverence His formidable deeds inspired in the nations who witnessed them. This demonstrates God's self-glorifying purpose in the unfolding of salvation history.
  • "by driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?": This final clause provides further, tangible evidence of God's "greatness and terribleness." The "driving out nations" refers to the miraculous and powerful conquest of Canaan, where God supernaturally cleared the land of its inhabitants to establish Israel within it. The repetition of "whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt" serves as a powerful rhetorical end, grounding all of God's subsequent acts of deliverance, provision, and establishment in the foundational act of the Exodus. This reiteration underscores that the Exodus is the defining event that shaped Israel's identity and forever demonstrated God's faithfulness and power.

Literary Devices

The verse employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound theological message. The opening phrase, Rhetorical Question ("And what one nation in the earth [is] like thy people Israel?"), immediately engages the listener, asserting Israel's unparalleled status and implying a resounding "none" without needing an explicit answer. This is powerfully reinforced by Repetition and Parallelism, particularly the repeated emphasis on God's act of redemption: "whom God went to redeem [to be] his own people" and "whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt." This reiteration serves to underscore the centrality of divine redemption as the absolute basis of Israel's identity and the display of God's glory. The phrase "make thee a name of greatness and terribleness" utilizes Merism (or a form of it) by combining two complementary, strong attributes ("greatness" and "terribleness") to comprehensively describe the scope and impact of God's renown among the nations. The entire verse functions as a powerful Hymnic Declaration, a poetic and worshipful expression of praise and theological affirmation seamlessly integrated into David's prayer, celebrating God's unique relationship with His people and His awesome, redeeming power.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

1 Chronicles 17:21 articulates a profound theological truth: Israel's distinctiveness, identity, and very existence as a unique people are not self-derived but are entirely a direct result of God's sovereign choice and powerful redemptive acts. This verse powerfully underscores the biblical concept of divine election, where God, out of His own initiative, unconditional love, and mysterious purpose, chose a particular people (Israel) to be His own. This divine election is always intrinsically tied to a greater purpose—in this case, to display God's "greatness and terribleness" to the entire world. The Exodus, as the quintessential act of redemption, becomes the foundational paradigm for understanding God's saving work throughout history, demonstrating His unwavering power to deliver His people from bondage and establish them for His own glory. This foundational relationship between God and Israel, rooted in His covenant faithfulness and redemptive power, sets the stage for all subsequent divine interaction, prophecy, and the unfolding of His redemptive plan, including the pivotal Davidic Covenant which promises an eternal kingdom.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

David's prayer, powerfully encapsulated in 1 Chronicles 17:21, serves as a profound and enduring reminder that our identity, significance, and very standing before God are ultimately rooted in His gracious choice and mighty acts of redemption, not in our own merit, achievements, or inherent worth. Just as God uniquely chose and acted for ancient Israel, He demonstrates His transformative power and boundless grace in the lives of believers today. This verse calls us to deeply remember and reflect upon God's past acts of redemption and faithfulness – both in the grand sweep of biblical history, such as the miraculous deliverance from Egypt, and in the intimate details of our personal journeys of salvation. Our status as God's people, His treasured possession, is solely due to His gracious choice and mighty deeds on our behalf. Moreover, we are reminded that God's ultimate goal in all His redemptive work is to make His own name known, glorified, and revered throughout the earth. As those redeemed by Him, we are therefore called to be a people who consciously reflect His greatness, power, and character to the world, living in a way that testifies compellingly to His unique nature and His ongoing saving work. This profound truth should inspire within us both deep humility for His unmerited favor and unwavering confidence in the God who has sovereignly chosen and powerfully redeemed us.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does understanding God's unique redemption of Israel, as described here, deepen your understanding and appreciation of your own salvation experience in Christ?
  • In what tangible ways can your life, as one redeemed by God, contribute to making "a name of greatness and terribleness" for Him in the world today?
  • What specific past acts of God's faithfulness in your personal life or in the broader history of redemption can you reflect on to strengthen your trust in His future promises?

FAQ

What does "redeem" specifically mean in this context?

Answer: In 1 Chronicles 17:21, "redeem" (Hebrew: pādâ') refers to God's powerful, deliberate, and decisive act of liberating Israel from their cruel enslavement in Egypt. This was not merely a release from bondage but an act of divine acquisition, where God "bought back" or claimed Israel as His own treasured possession. It signifies a profound transfer of ownership and status, moving Israel from the oppressive dominion of Pharaoh to the freedom and covenant relationship with Yahweh. This act of redemption is absolutely foundational to Israel's identity as a nation and their understanding of God's character as a mighty deliverer, a theme that permeates the entire book of Exodus.

Why does David emphasize Israel's uniqueness among nations?

Answer: David emphasizes Israel's uniqueness to profoundly highlight God's unparalleled power, faithfulness, and singular relationship with His chosen people. Unlike other nations in the ancient world whose gods were often tied to specific regions, limited in power, or merely reflections of human attributes, Israel's God, Yahweh, is presented as the sovereign Lord of all the earth. He actively intervened in history to uniquely choose, deliver, and establish a people for Himself. This uniqueness is not based on any inherent superiority or merit of Israel itself, but solely on God's singular, unmerited grace and His mighty, distinguishing acts, such as the Exodus from Egypt and the powerful conquest of Canaan. It serves to magnify God's name and underscore the extraordinary nature of His covenant relationship with Israel, as beautifully articulated in passages like Deuteronomy 7:6-8.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While 1 Chronicles 17:21 celebrates God's unique redemption of ancient Israel from Egyptian bondage, its deepest and most expansive fulfillment is found in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Just as God "went to redeem" Israel to be His own people, so too in Christ, God has acted decisively and definitively to redeem a people for Himself from the far more profound bondage of sin, death, and spiritual darkness. Jesus is the ultimate "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), whose sacrificial death on the cross constitutes the new and greater Exodus, liberating believers from the dominion of darkness and transferring them into the glorious kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13-14). Through His victorious resurrection from the dead, God made a "name of greatness and terribleness" for Himself, demonstrating His supreme power over sin, death, and every opposing force—a power now made available to all who believe. The church, comprised of believers from every nation, tribe, and tongue, becomes the new "people for His own possession" (1 Peter 2:9-10), redeemed not by the blood of bulls and goats, but by the infinitely precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). Thus, the unique identity and redemptive purpose of God's people, powerfully foreshadowed in the history of Israel, find their ultimate, global, and eternal expression in the new covenant community established through Christ, all to the everlasting glory of God's great name.

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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 17 verses 16–27

We have here David's solemn address to God, in answer to the gracious message he had now received from him. By faith he receives the promises, embraces them, and is persuaded of them, as the patriarchs, Heb, Ch1 11:13. How humbly does he here abase himself, and acknowledge his own unworthiness! How highly does he advance the name of God and admire his condescending grace and favour! With what devout affections does he magnify the God of Israel and what a value has he for the Israel of God! With what assurance does he build upon the promise, and with what a lively faith does he put it in suit! What an example is this to us of humble, believing, fervent prayer! The Lord enable us all thus to seek him! These things were largely observed, 2 Sa. 7. We shall therefore here observe only those few expressions in which the prayer, as we find it here, differs from the record of it there, and has something added to it.

I. That which is there expressed by way of question (Is this the manner of men, O Lord God?) is here an acknowledgment: "Thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree. Thou hast made me a great man, and then treated me accordingly." God, by the covenant-relations into which he admits believers, the titles he gives them, the favours he bestows on them, and the preparations he has made for them, regards them according to the estate of men of high degree, though they are mean and vile. Having himself distinguished them, he treats them as persons of distinction, according to the quality he has been pleased to put upon them. Some give these words here another reading: "Thou hast looked upon me in the form of a man who art in the highest, the Lord God; or, Thou hast made me to see according to the form of a man the majesty of the Lord God." And so it points at the Messiah; for, as Abraham, so David, saw his day and was glad, saw it by faith, saw it in fashion as a man, the Word made flesh, and yet saw his glory as that of the only-begotten of the Father. And this was that which God spoke concerning his house for a great while to come, the foresight of which affected him more than any thing. And let it not be thought strange that David should speak so plainly of the two natures of Christ who in spirit called him Lord, though he knew he was to be his Son (Psa 110:1), and foresaw him lower than the angels for a little while, but afterwards crowned with glory and honour, Heb 2:6, Heb 2:7.

II. After the words What can David say more unto thee, it is here added, for the honour of they servant? Ch1 17:18. Note, The honour God puts upon his servants, by taking them into covenant and communion with himself, is so great that they need not, they cannot, desire to be more highly honoured. Were they to sit down and wish, they could not speak more for their own honour than the word of God has spoken.

III. It is very observable that what in Samuel is said to be for thy word's sake is here said to be for thy servant's sake, Ch1 17:19. Jesus Christ is both the Word of God (Rev 19:13) and the servant of God (Isa 42:1), and it is for his sake, upon the score of his meditation, that the promises are both made and made good to all believers; it is in him that they are yea and amen. For his sake is all kindness done, for his sake it is made known; to him we owe all this greatness and from him we are to expect all these great things; they are the unsearchable riches of Christ, which, if by faith we see in themselves and see in the hand of the Lord Jesus, we cannot but magnify as great things, the only true greatness, and speak honourably of accordingly.

IV. In Samuel, the Lord of hosts is said to be the God over Israel; here he is said to be the God of Israel, even a God to Israel, Ch1 17:24. His being the God of Israel bespeaks his having the name of their God and so calling himself; his being a God to Israel bespeaks his answering to the name, his filling up the relation, and doing all that to them which might be expected from him. There were those that were called gods of such and such nations, gods of Assyria and Egypt, gods of Hamad and Arpad; but they were no gods to them, for they stood them in no stead at all, were mere ciphers, nothing but a name. But the God of Israel is a God to Israel; all his attributes and perfections redound to their real benefit and advantage. Happy therefore, thrice happy, is the people whose God is Jehovah; for he will be a God to them, a God all-sufficient.

V. The closing words in Samuel are, With thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed forever. That is the language of a holy desire. But the closing words here are the language of a most holy faith: For thou blessest, O Lord! and it shall be blessed for ever, Ch1 17:27. 1. He was encouraged to beg a blessing because God had intimated to him that he had blessings in store for him and his family: "Thou blessest, O Lord! and therefore unto thee shall all flesh come for a blessing; unto thee do I come for the blessing promised to me." Promises are intended to direct and excite prayer. Has God said, I will bless? Let our hearts answer, Lord, bless me, 2. He was earnest for the blessing because he believed that those whom God blesses are truly and eternally blessed: Thou blessest, and it shall be blessed. Men can but beg the blessing; it is God that commands it. What he designs he effects; what he promises he performs; saying and doing are not two things with him. Nay, it shall be blessed for ever. His blessings shall not be revoked, cannot be opposed, and the benefits conferred by them are such as will survive time and days. David's prayer concludes as God's promise did (Ch1 17:14) with that which is for ever. God's word looks at things eternal, and so should our desires and hopes.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 16–27. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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