1 Chronicles 17:21

And what one nation in the earth. — Rather, And who is like Thy people Israel, a single (isolated) race on the earth? (Comp. Numbers 23:9.)

Nation (gôy) — i.e., race; a people considered as united by common blood, speech, country.

People (‘âm) — i.e., a political community, social union, or state, owning one sovereign.

Whom God went ... — Literally, which God went (marched) to redeem to Himself as a people. Samuel has “which gods went.”

To make thee a name. — That is, for Thyself, God. Samuel has “for him,” in the same sense.

A name of greatness and terribleness. — Both nouns are plural, and imply renown for great and terrible deeds.

By driving. — To drive; parallel with “to redeem “and “to make.”

Nations. — Samuel adds, “and his gods.” The text of this verse in Samuel is corrupt (comp. the LXX.), and perhaps the added phrase is spurious. But, on the other hand, the chronicler may have omitted it because, like Isaiah, he regarded the heathen deities as non-entities. In earlier times, foreign gods were spoken of as real beings, subordinate to Jehovah. (Comp. the LXX. rendering of Deuteronomy 32:8.)