Deuteronomy7
English Standard Version
1When the Lord your you into the that you are to of it, and away you, the , the , the , the , the , the , and the , and than you,
2and when the Lord your them over you, and you them, then you them to . You shall no with them and show no to them.
3You shall not with them, your to their or their for your ,
4for they would away your from me, to . Then the of the Lord would be against you, and he would you .
5But shall you with them: you shall down their and dash in their and down their and their with .
6For you are a to the Lord your . The Lord your has you to be a for his , out of the who are on the of the .
7It was because you were in number than any other that the Lord set his on you and you, for you were the of ,
8but it is the Lord you and is the that he to your , that the Lord has you out with a and you from the of , from the of of .
9 therefore that the Lord your is , the who and with those who him and his , to a ,
10and to their those who him, by them. He will not be with one who him. He will him to his .
11You shall therefore be to the and the and the that I you .
12And you to these and and them, the Lord your will with you the and the that he to your .
13He will you, you, and you. He will also the of your and the of your , your and your and your , the of your and the of your , in the that he to your to you.
14You shall be . There shall be or female among you or among your .
15And the Lord will away from you , and of the of , which you , will he on you, but he will them on who you.
16And you shall the that the Lord your will over to you. Your shall not them, shall you their , for that would be a to you.
17 you in your , These are than I. I them?
18you shall not be what the Lord your to and to ,
19the that your , the , the , the , and the , by which the Lord your you out. will the Lord your to the of you are .
20 , the Lord your will among them, those who are and themselves you are .
21You shall not be in , for the Lord your is in your , a and .
22The Lord your will away you by . not make an of them at , lest the too numerous for you.
23But the Lord your will them over to and them into , until they are .
24And he will their into your , and you shall their from under . No shall be able to you until you have them.
25The of their you shall with . You shall not the or the that is on them or it for yourselves, lest you be by it, for it is an to the Lord your .
26And you shall not an into your and become to destruction it. You shall and it, for it is devoted to .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 7.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Intercourse with the Canaanites forbidden. (1–11). Promises if they were obedient. (12–26).
vv1-11
Here is a strict caution against all friendship and fellowship with idols and idolaters. Those who are in communion with God, must have no communication with the unfruitful works of darkness. Limiting the orders to destroy, to the nations here mentioned, plainly shows that after ages were not to draw this into a precedent. A proper understanding of the evil of sin, and of the mystery of a crucified Saviour, will enable us to perceive the justice of God in all his punishments, temporal and eternal. We must deal decidedly with our lusts that war against our souls; let us not show them any mercy, but mortify, and crucify, and utterly destroy them. Thousands in the world that now is, have been undone by ungodly marriages; for there is more likelihood that the good will be perverted, than that the bad will be converted. Those who, in choosing yoke-fellows, keep not within the bounds of a profession of religion, cannot promise themselves helps meet for them.
vv12-26
We are in danger of having fellowship with the works of darkness if we take pleasure in fellowship with those who do such works. Whatever brings us into a snare, brings us under a curse. Let us be constant to our duty, and we cannot question the constancy of God's mercy. Diseases are God's servants; they go where he sends them, and do what he bids them. It is therefore good for the health of our bodies, thoroughly to mortify the sin of our souls; which is our rule of duty. Yet sin is never totally destroyed in this world; and it actually prevails in us much more than it would do, if we were watchful and diligent. In all this the Lord acts according to the counsel of his own will; but that counsel being hid from us, forms no excuse for our sloth and negligence, of which it is in no degree the cause. We must not think, that because the deliverance of the church, and the destruction of the enemies of the soul, are not done immediately, therefore they will never be done. God will do his own work in his own method and time; and we may be sure that they are always the best. Thus corruption is driven out of the hearts of believers by little and little. The work of sanctification is carried on gradually; but at length there will be a complete victory. Pride, security, and other sins that are common effects of prosperity, are enemies more dangerous than beasts of the field, and more apt to increase upon us.
Key Words
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
יָרַשׁ: to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin
נָשַׁל: to pluck off, i.e. divest, eject or drop
רַב: abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
גּוֹי: a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
חִתִּי: a Chittite, or descendant of Cheth
גִּרְגָּשִׁי: a Girgashite, one of the native tribes of Canaan
Cross References
Deuteronomy 7Poole and Calvin emphasize God's sovereign choice and delight in Israel's fathers, not based on numbers.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
The tragic historical realization of foreign marriages turning hearts away to other gods.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Calvin cites this to show the calling of the church to holiness and to show forth God's praises.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Matches the exact logic of driving out the Canaanites 'by little and little' to prevent wild beasts.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The holy seed mixing with the peoples of the lands, citing this forbidden practice directly.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The foundational covenant declaration of Israel as God's peculiar treasure (segullah) among all nations.
Supported by John Calvin
It pleased the Lord to make Israel His people purely for His own name's sake.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The original promise of the land to Abraham, listing the specific Canaanite nations.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Intra-chapter reinforcement emphasizing the burning of images and not desiring their silver or gold.
Parallel promise of blessing on bread, water, and the removal of sickness.
God promises to put none of the diseases of Egypt upon obedient Israel.
Direct historical fulfillment of God sending the hornet to drive out the kings of the Amorites.
The historical danger realized when Achan took the accursed thing, bringing trouble on Israel.
Cited by JFB to illustrate that evil communications corrupt good manners in Canaan.
Supported by JFB
New Testament parallel of Christ redeeming a 'peculiar people' zealous of good works.
Corresponds to the blessings of obedience on the fruit of the body and ground.