Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
23:23-24 The Lord revealed the difference between himself and the Canaanite nature deities. The pagan deities were close at hand, as part of nature. The Lord was close at hand because he created all nature, but he was also far away in his distinction from it. His essence is different from nature, yet he is present in all the heavens and earth.
Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
23:23-24 The Lord revealed the difference between himself and the Canaanite nature deities. The pagan deities were close at hand, as part of nature. The Lord was close at hand because he created all nature, but he was also far away in his distinction from it. His essence is different from nature, yet he is present in all the heavens and earth.
Literal English (Darby)ⓘThe Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.The Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.
Am I a God at hand, saith Jehovah, and not a God afar off?
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)ⓘThe Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.The Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.
King James VersionⓘKing James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
American Standard VersionⓘAmerican Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.American Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.
Am I a God at hand, saith Jehovah, and not a God afar off?
World English BibleⓘWorld English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.World English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.
“Am I a God at hand,” says Yahweh, “and not a God afar off?
Bible in Basic EnglishⓘBible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.Bible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.
Am I only a God who is near, says the Lord, and not a God at a distance?