Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine... (Exodus 19:5)That's pretty much the way most translations I've read state that verse, but (especially if you're reading from the daily Bible Gateway links on this blog) maybe you've seen the variant reading: ...out of all nations you will be my treasured possession, for the whole earth is mine.
Is God saying, I've chosen you because I love you the best.? Or is God saying, I've chosen you because I'm going to use my relationship with you to express my love to the nations.?
Although most translations use the word although, the word for seems to fit best with the context of all Scripture.
How do you read it?
I have a preference for the NASB, and here again I find it seems suitable - "...for all the earth is Mine..." He has all of the world and time to choose from, He is not restricted in the least and He has made a choice with far more wisdom than any of us could guess. Certainly not because they were the prettiest or most obedient!
ReplyDeleteAnother thought on this passage is some of the laws which I'd rather forgotten about - we tend to focus on the 'big ten', but the following ones are an interesting snapshot of values and fairness as well.