Deuteronomy 7
Deuteronomy 7 is part of “Second Address: The Law Expounded” (5–26) in the outline of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 7 summary
Moses in this chapter exhorts Israel, I. In general, to keep God's commandments (Deu 7:11, Deu 7:12). II. In particular, and in order to that, to keep themselves pure from all communion with idolaters. 1.
Read the full introduction
Moses in this chapter exhorts Israel, I. In general, to keep God's commandments (Deu 7:11, Deu 7:12). II. In particular, and in order to that, to keep themselves pure from all communion with idolaters. 1. They must utterly destroy the seven devoted nations, and not spare them, or make leagues with them (Deu 7:1, Deu 7:2, Deu 7:16, Deu 7:24). 2. They must by no means marry with the remainders of them (Deu 7:3, Deu 7:4). 3. They must deface and consume their altars and images, and not so much as take the silver and gold of them to their own use (Deu 7:5, Deu 7:25, Deu 7:26). To enforce this charge, he shows that they were bound to do so, (1.) In duty. Considering [1.] Their election to God (Deu 7:6). [2.] The reason of that election (Deu 7:7, Deu 7:8). [3.] The terms they stood upon with God (Deu 7:9, Deu 7:10). (2.) In interest. It is here promised, [1.] In general, that, if they would serve God, he would bless and prosper them (Deu 7:12-15). [2.] In particular, that if they would drive out the nations, that they might not be a temptation to them, God would drive them out, that they should not be any vexation to them (Deu 7:17, etc.).
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Key verses in Deuteronomy 7
Deuteronomy 7 (ASV)
American Standard Version (public domain)
Destroying the Nations
1When Jehovah thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and shall cast out many nations before thee, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 2and when Jehovah thy God shall deliver them up before thee, and thou shalt smite them; then thou shalt utterly destroy them: thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them; 3neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4For he will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of Jehovah be kindled against you, and he will destroy thee quickly. 5But thus shall ye deal with them: ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire. 6For thou art a holy people unto Jehovah thy God: Jehovah thy God hath chosen thee to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth. 7Jehovah did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all peoples: 8but because Jehovah loveth you, and because he would keep the oath which he sware unto your fathers, hath Jehovah brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9Know therefore that Jehovah thy God, he is God, the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations, 10and repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. 11Thou shalt therefore keep the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command thee this day, to do them.
Blessings for Obedience
12And it shall come to pass, because ye hearken to these ordinances, and keep and do them, that Jehovah thy God will keep with thee the covenant and the lovingkindness which he sware unto thy fathers: 13and he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee; he will also bless the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground, thy grain and thy new wine and thine oil, the increase of thy cattle and the young of thy flock, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 14Thou shalt be blessed above all peoples: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. 15And Jehovah will take away from thee all sickness; and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, will he put upon thee, but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. 16And thou shalt consume all the peoples that Jehovah thy God shall deliver unto thee; thine eye shall not pity them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee. 17If thou shalt say in thy heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? 18thou shalt not be afraid of them: thou shalt well remember what Jehovah thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt; 19the great trials which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, whereby Jehovah thy God brought thee out: so shall Jehovah thy God do unto all the peoples of whom thou art afraid. 20Moreover Jehovah thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves, perish from before thee. 21Thou shalt not be affrighted at them; for Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a great God and a terrible. 22And Jehovah thy God will cast out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. 23But Jehovah thy God will deliver them up before thee, and will discomfit them with a great discomfiture, until they be destroyed. 24And he will deliver their kings into thy hand, and thou shalt make their name to perish from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them. 25The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein; for it is an abomination to Jehovah thy God. 26And thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house, and become a devoted thing like unto it: thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing.