Deuteronomy Chapter 4 · Verse 34

Authorized King James Version

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Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Original Language Analysis

א֣וֹ׀ H176
א֣וֹ׀
Strong's: H176
Word #: 1 of 27
desire (and so probably in proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if
הֲנִסָּ֣ה assayed H5254
הֲנִסָּ֣ה assayed
Strong's: H5254
Word #: 2 of 27
to test; by implication, to attempt
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֛ם Or hath God H430
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֛ם Or hath God
Strong's: H430
Word #: 3 of 27
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
לָ֠בוֹא to go H935
לָ֠בוֹא to go
Strong's: H935
Word #: 4 of 27
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
לָקַ֨חַת and take H3947
לָקַ֨חַת and take
Strong's: H3947
Word #: 5 of 27
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
ל֣וֹ H0
ל֣וֹ
Strong's: H0
Word #: 6 of 27
גּוֹי֒ him a nation H1471
גּוֹי֒ him a nation
Strong's: H1471
Word #: 7 of 27
a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
מִקֶּ֣רֶב from the midst H7130
מִקֶּ֣רֶב from the midst
Strong's: H7130
Word #: 8 of 27
properly, the nearest part, i.e., the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition)
גּוֹי֒ him a nation H1471
גּוֹי֒ him a nation
Strong's: H1471
Word #: 9 of 27
a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
בְּמַסֹּת֩ by temptations H4531
בְּמַסֹּת֩ by temptations
Strong's: H4531
Word #: 10 of 27
a testing, of men (judicial) or of god (querulous)
בְּאֹתֹ֨ת by signs H226
בְּאֹתֹ֨ת by signs
Strong's: H226
Word #: 11 of 27
a signal (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc
וּבְמֽוֹפְתִ֜ים and by wonders H4159
וּבְמֽוֹפְתִ֜ים and by wonders
Strong's: H4159
Word #: 12 of 27
a miracle; by implication, a token or omen
וּבְמִלְחָמָ֗ה and by war H4421
וּבְמִלְחָמָ֗ה and by war
Strong's: H4421
Word #: 13 of 27
a battle (i.e., the engagement); generally, war (i.e., war-fare)
וּבְיָ֤ד hand H3027
וּבְיָ֤ד hand
Strong's: H3027
Word #: 14 of 27
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v
חֲזָקָה֙ and by a mighty H2389
חֲזָקָה֙ and by a mighty
Strong's: H2389
Word #: 15 of 27
strong (usu. in a bad sense, hard, bold, violent)
וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ arm H2220
וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ arm
Strong's: H2220
Word #: 16 of 27
the arm (as stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively, force
נְטוּיָ֔ה and by a stretched out H5186
נְטוּיָ֔ה and by a stretched out
Strong's: H5186
Word #: 17 of 27
to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application (as follows)
וּבְמֽוֹרָאִ֖ים terrors H4172
וּבְמֽוֹרָאִ֖ים terrors
Strong's: H4172
Word #: 18 of 27
fear; by implication, a fearful thing or deed
גְּדֹלִ֑ים and by great H1419
גְּדֹלִ֑ים and by great
Strong's: H1419
Word #: 19 of 27
great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent
כְּ֠כֹל H3605
כְּ֠כֹל
Strong's: H3605
Word #: 20 of 27
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אֲשֶׁר H834
אֲשֶׁר
Strong's: H834
Word #: 21 of 27
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
עָשָׂ֨ה did H6213
עָשָׂ֨ה did
Strong's: H6213
Word #: 22 of 27
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
לָכֶ֜ם H0
לָכֶ֜ם
Strong's: H0
Word #: 23 of 27
יְהוָ֧ה according to all that the LORD H3068
יְהוָ֧ה according to all that the LORD
Strong's: H3068
Word #: 24 of 27
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֛ם Or hath God H430
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֛ם Or hath God
Strong's: H430
Word #: 25 of 27
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם for you in Egypt H4714
בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם for you in Egypt
Strong's: H4714
Word #: 26 of 27
mitsrajim, i.e., upper and lower egypt
לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ before your eyes H5869
לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ before your eyes
Strong's: H5869
Word #: 27 of 27
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)

Cross References

Deuteronomy 26:8And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:Exodus 6:6Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:Deuteronomy 5:15And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.Deuteronomy 7:19The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.Jeremiah 32:21And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;Deuteronomy 6:21Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:Exodus 13:3And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.Deuteronomy 34:12And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.Exodus 3:10Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.Exodus 10:7And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

Analysis & Commentary

Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders...

Moses catalogues seven ways God delivered Israel, each term highlighting a different aspect of divine power. Bemassot (בְּמַסֹּת, 'temptations/trials') refers to the testing of Egypt through plagues. Be'otot (בְּאֹתֹת, 'signs') and bemophetim (וּבְמוֹפְתִים, 'wonders') describe miraculous attestation. Bemilchamah (וּבְמִלְחָמָה, 'war') recalls the conflict with Pharaoh's army. Beyad chazakah (בְּיָד חֲזָקָה, 'mighty hand') and bizeroa netuyah (וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה, 'stretched out arm') are anthropomorphic expressions of divine power. Uvemora'im gedolim (וּבְמוֹרָאִים גְּדֹלִים, 'great terrors') evokes the fear that fell upon Egypt.

The unique phrase laqachat lo goy miqqerev goy (לָקַחַת לוֹ גוֹי מִקֶּרֶב גּוֹי, 'to take a nation from within another nation') describes an extraction unprecedented in history. Israel was not merely liberated from foreign soil but surgically removed from Egypt's very midst. No human military operation accomplishes this; only divine intervention explains Israel's existence.

The final phrase le'enekha (לְעֵינֶיךָ, 'before your eyes') grounds everything in eyewitness testimony. The audience includes those who witnessed these events as children. Moses appeals to living memory, not ancient legend. The Exodus is historical fact, not mythological speculation.

Historical Context

Moses recounts the unprecedented Exodus deliverance with its signs, wonders, mighty hand, and outstretched arm. These events occurred approximately 40 years earlier (c. 1446 BC in early dating), including the ten plagues, Red Sea crossing, and wilderness provisions. No other nation could claim such dramatic divine intervention in their national origin.

Questions for Reflection