Deuteronomy 7:6

7:6 For you are a people holy ¹  to the Lord your God. He ²  has chosen you to be his people, prized ³  above all others on the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 14:2

14:2 For you are a people holy ⁴  to the Lord your God. He ⁵  has chosen you to be his people, prized ⁶  above all others on the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 17:20

17:20 Then he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens or turn from the commandments to the right or left, and he and his descendants will enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom ⁷  in Israel.

Deuteronomy 26:19

26:19 Then ⁸  he will elevate you above all the nations he has made and you will receive praise, fame, and honor. ⁹  You will ¹⁰  be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he has said.

Deuteronomy 28:1

The Covenant Blessings

28:1 “If you indeed ¹¹  obey the Lord your God and are careful to observe all his commandments I am giving ¹²  you today, the Lord your God will elevate you above all the nations of the earth.

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¹ tn That is, “set apart.”

² tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.

³ tn Or “treasured” (so NIV, NRSV); NLT “his own special treasure.” The Hebrew term סְגֻלָּה (sÿgullah) describes Israel as God’s choice people, those whom he elected and who are most precious to him (cf. Exod 19:4-6; Deut 14:2; 26:18; 1 Chr 29:3; Ps 135:4; Eccl 2:8 Mal 3:17). See E. Carpenter, NIDOTTE 3:224.

⁴ tn Or “set apart.”

⁵ tn Heb “The Lord.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.

⁶ tn Or “treasured.” The Hebrew term סְגֻלָּה (sÿgullah) describes Israel as God’s choice people, those whom he elected and who are most precious to him (cf. Exod 19:4-6; Deut 14:2; 26:18; 1 Chr 29:3; Ps 135:4; Eccl 2:8 Mal 3:17). See E. Carpenter, NIDOTTE 3:224.

sn The Hebrew term translated “select” (and the whole verse) is reminiscent of the classic covenant text (Exod 19:4-6) which describes Israel’s entry into covenant relationship with the Lord. Israel must resist paganism and its trappings precisely because she is a holy people elected by the Lord from among the nations to be his instrument of world redemption (cf. Deut 7:6; 26:18; Ps 135:4; Mal 3:17; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet 2:9).

⁷ tc Heb “upon his kingship.” Smr supplies כִּסֵא (kise’, “throne”) so as to read “upon the throne of his kingship.” This overliteralizes what is a clearly understood figure of speech.

⁸ tn Heb “so that.” Verses 18-19 are one sentence in the Hebrew text, but the translation divides it into three sentences for stylistic reasons. The first clause in verse 19 gives a result of the preceding clause. When Israel keeps God’s law, God will bless them with fame and honor (cf. NAB “he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory”; NLT “And if you do, he will make you greater than any other nation”).

⁹ tn Heb “for praise and for a name and for glory.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “and to be.” A new sentence was started here for stylistic reasons.

¹¹ tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “indeed.”

¹² tn Heb “commanding”; NAB “which I enjoin on you today” (likewise in v. 15).