Deuteronomy 7:6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
6 For you are a people holy to the Lord, your God; the Lord, your God, has chosen you from all the peoples on the face of the earth to be a people specially his own.(A)
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Exodus 19:5-6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
5 Now, if you obey me completely and keep my covenant,[a] you will be my treasured possession among all peoples,(A) though all the earth is mine. 6 You will be to me a kingdom of priests,[b] a holy nation.(B) That is what you must tell the Israelites.
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- 19:5 Covenant: while covenants between individuals and between nations are ubiquitous in the ancient Near East, the adaptation of this concept to express the relationship that will henceforth characterize God’s relationship to Israel represents an important innovation of biblical faith. Other gods might “choose” nations to fulfill a special destiny or role in the world; but only Israel’s God is bound to a people by covenant. Thereby Israel’s identity as a people is put upon a foundation that does not depend upon the vicissitudes of Israelite statehood or the normal trappings of national existence. Israel will be a covenant people.
- 19:6 Kingdom of priests: inasmuch as this phrase is parallel to “holy nation,” it most likely means that the whole Israelite nation is set apart from other nations and so consecrated to God, or holy, in the way priests are among the people (cf. Is 61:6; 1 Pt 2:5, 9).
Psalm 33:12
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people chosen as his inheritance.(A)
Ben Sira 17:17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Footnotes
- 17:17 Ruler: this may refer to civil officials or to heavenly beings placed over nations as guardians; see note on Dt 32:8, and the cross-references.
- 17:17
Other ancient texts read as v. 18:
Israel, as his firstborn, he cares for with chastisement;
the light of his love he shares with him without neglect.
Jeremiah 10:16
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
16 Jacob’s portion is nothing like them:
for he is the maker of everything!
Israel is his very own tribe,
Lord of hosts is his name.(A)
Zechariah 2:16
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
16 The Lord will inherit Judah(A) as his portion of the holy land,[a] and the Lord will again choose Jerusalem.
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- 2:16 The holy land: the Lord’s earthly territory, a designation found only rarely in the Old Testament.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.