1 Chronicles 17:21 Meaning and Explanation
“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?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →David marvels at Israel's uniqueness as the people God personally went to redeem out of Egypt for His own.
What Does 1 Chronicles 17:21 Mean?
David turns from God's uniqueness to the uniqueness of His people. What nation is like Israel, whom God Himself went to redeem to be His own? He recalls the Exodus, when the LORD made His name great and awesome by driving out nations and bringing His people out of Egypt. Israel's distinction lies entirely in the God who chose and rescued them.
The word redeem stands at the center, for a redeemed people is the goal of all God's work. Israel's deliverance from Egypt is the great pattern of salvation, pointing forward to a greater redemption won by Christ, who went to gather a people of His own from every nation. To belong to God by His own rescuing act is the highest honor any people or person can know. We are precious not for what we are, but for the price He paid to make us His.
1 Chronicles 17:21 in the Original Language
padah (פָּדָה), 'to redeem' -- to ransom or buy back, to set free by paying a price; the heart of God's saving acts.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Chronicles 17:21
What does 1 Chronicles 17:21 mean?
David marvels at Israel's uniqueness as the people God personally went to redeem out of Egypt for His own.