Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.

DEUTERONOMY 4:35KJV
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Deuteronomy 4:35 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 4:35 mean?

Deuteronomy 4:35 says that God showed Himself to the Israelites so they would know for certain that the LORD alone is God, and that there is no other besides Him. The verse emphasizes the uniqueness and exclusivity of the LORD as the only true God.

Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the promised land. He reminds them of the miraculous things God did before their eyes—such as the events at Mount Sinai—so they would understand that the LORD (the personal name for God in Hebrew) is truly God, with no rivals or equals. This statement sets Israel’s faith apart from the beliefs of surrounding nations, who worshipped many gods.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 4:35

  • "shewed" (רָאָה, ra’ah): This word means "to see" or "to show." Here, it stresses that God made Himself visible or obvious to the people, not just through words but through unmistakable actions.
  • "know" (יָדַע, yada‘): This word means more than intellectual knowledge; it often carries the sense of personal, experiential understanding. The Israelites were meant to deeply recognize and be convinced of God’s uniqueness.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible, highlighting a unique, covenant relationship with Israel.
  • "God" (אֱלֹהִים, Elohim): This is a general word for God or gods, but here it is used specifically for the one true God, making the claim that YHWH alone is truly God.
  • "else" (עוֹד, ‘od): This word means "besides" or "in addition." It underscores the exclusivity: there is no other being like Him.

Why Deuteronomy 4:35 matters

  • Deuteronomy 4:35 makes it clear that Israel’s God is not just one among many, but the only true God—a claim that sets the foundation for monotheism in the Bible.
  • The verse highlights that Israel’s faith is based on what they have seen and experienced, not just on tradition or hearsay.
  • This statement prepares the Israelites to resist the temptation to follow other gods in the land they are about to enter, reinforcing the central theme of loyalty to the LORD alone.

Where else these words appear

“else” Hebrew H5750 · used in 30 verses

  • Genesis 4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
  • Genesis 46:30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.
  • Judges 2:14 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

“him” Hebrew H905 · used in 50 verses

  • Genesis 26:1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
  • Exodus 37:4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
  • Numbers 4:14 And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.