Deuteronomy 10:17
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What's striking here is that after establishing God's ultimate authority over all beings ("God of gods," "Lord of lords"), the verse immediately pivots to His character. This isn't just about His immense power, but His perfect impartiality and incorruptibility, highlighting that His greatness means He is never swayed by favoritism or bribes. This underscores that His divine reign is fundamentally just, a truth that should shape how we approach Him and interact with others.
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses is reminding Israel of their unique calling, emphasizing that God chose them not because of their own merit but out of His sovereign love. He urges them to circumcise their hearts—to turn away from stubbornness and truly love and serve the One who holds ultimate authority over all beings and earthly rulers. This declaration about God's supreme power and impartial justice serves as a powerful incentive for them to live as His chosen people, warning them against any complacency due to their special status.
Ever feel like the world's a chaotic mess, with powerful forces seemingly running the show? Moses reminds Israel, and us, who's really in charge.
The verse opens with a powerful declaration: 'For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords.' This isn't just a poetic flourish; it's a theological earthquake!
Beyond Human Titles
The Ultimate Power Source
Think of it this way: every power, every authority, every created thing finds its origin and its limits in God. He is the ultimate source from which all other 'gods' and 'lords' derive whatever authority they possess. He can elevate, depose, and control them all.
Do you ever worry that some people get special treatment from God, or that justice isn't truly blind? This verse cuts through those doubts.
After establishing His supreme power, Moses pivots to a crucial aspect of God's character: His absolute fairness. 'The great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.'
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No Favorites Allowed
Justice Uncorrupted
This impartiality is good news! It means that everyone has access to God's grace through obedience, and everyone will face His just judgment for rebellion.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The proper name of the God of Israel, revealing His personal, covenant-keeping nature. It signifies His eternal existence, faithfulness to His promises, and the intimate relationship He establishes with His people.
Elohim · Hebrew Noun
An title emphasizing God’s supremacy over all spiritual and temporal powers. It asserts that there is no other deity or authority that compares to Him; He is the ultimate, unrivaled Sovereign of the universe.
Adonim · Hebrew Noun
An title highlighting that God is the supreme Ruler, possessor of all authority, and the One to whom all other rulers are subordinate. It underscores His absolute lordship and the requirement of universal submission to His will.
nasa' panim · Hebrew Phrase
Refers to God’s absolute fairness and impartiality in judgment. He does not show favor to the rich, the powerful, or the elite based on status, but judges everyone according to truth and righteousness without the possibility of being influenced by bribes or personal gain.
This passage describes the promised child who will be called 'Mighty God,' echoing the description of the LORD as 'mighty' in Deuteronomy 10:17 and highlighting God's supreme power.
Daniel 2:47Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges that Daniel's God is 'the God of gods and the Lord of kings,' directly paralleling the statement in Deuteronomy 10:17 and reinforcing the concept of God's ultimate sovereignty over all rulers.
Romans 2:11This New Testament passage states explicitly that 'God shows no partiality,' which is a direct restatement of the attribute of God described in Deuteronomy 10:17, emphasizing His impartial justice towards both Jews and Gentiles.
1 Timothy 6:15This verse refers to Jesus Christ as 'the King of kings and Lord of lords,' reflecting the title 'Lord of lords' given to God in Deuteronomy 10:17 and pointing to the divine authority shared by the Son.
Job 34:19Similar to Deuteronomy 10:17, this verse states that God 'does not show favor to princes and does not regard the rich more than the poor,' underscoring the concept of God's impartiality and just dealings with all people.
calvinDeuteronomy 10:14-17: "Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is."
- Behold the heaven. He again enforces upon them the grace, on account of which we have seen that the people were under obligation to God; because this was the most effectual observation for moving them to submit themselves to their deliverer, to whom they were reminded that they owed altogether themselves and all that they had. First, then, he admonishes them…
clarkeDeuteronomy 10:17: "For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:"
God of gods, and Lord of lords - That is, He is the source whence all being and power proceed; every agent is finite but himself; and he can counteract, suspend, or destroy all the actions of all creatures whensoever he pleases. If he determine to save, none can destroy; if he purpose to destroy, none can save. How absolutely necess…
What's striking here is that after establishing God's ultimate authority over all beings ("God of gods," "Lord of lords"), the verse immediately pivots to His character. This isn't just about His immense power, but His perfect impartiality and incorruptibility, highlighting that His greatness means He is never swayed by favoritism or bribes. This underscores that His divine reign is fundamentally just, a truth that should shape how we approach Him and interact with others.
Moses is reminding Israel of their unique calling, emphasizing that God chose them not because of their own merit but out of His sovereign love. He urges them to circumcise their hearts—to turn away from stubbornness and truly love and serve the One who holds ultimate authority over all beings and earthly rulers. This declaration about God's supreme power and impartial justice serves as a powerful incentive for them to live as His chosen people, warning them against any complacency due to their special status.
Moses is reminding Israel of their unique calling, emphasizing that God chose them not because of their own merit but out of His sovereign love. He urges them to circumcise their hearts—to turn away from stubbornness and truly love and serve the One who holds ultimate authority over all beings and earthly rulers. This declaration about God's supreme power and impartial justice serves as a powerful incentive for them to live as His chosen people, warning them against any complacency due to their special status.
"For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe." — What's striking here is that after establishing God's ultimate authority over all beings ("God of gods," "Lord of lords"), the verse immediately pivots to His character. This isn't just about His imm…
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Last reviewed October 2026
