Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 7:1-5

A Holy People Set Apart: Election, Separation, and the Logic of Covenant Love

From the separation and destruction command (vv. 1-5) through the election ground that explains why (vv. 6-11), to the blessing that follows obedience (vv. 12-16), and finally to the fear rebuttal that addresses Israel's likely objection (vv. 17-26) — the chapter moves from command through rationale through promise through confidence-building.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—

2and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.

3Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,

4because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will swiftly destroy you.

5Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Joshua 3:10Classic cross-references Acts 13:19Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 31:3Classic cross-references Exodus 3:8Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 4:38Classic cross-references

Original words

Whenכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֔יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularbringsיְבִֽיאֲךָ֙H935Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularyou intoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe landהָאָ֕רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularthatאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeyouאַתָּ֥הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularare enteringבָא־H935Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular. . .שָׁ֖מָּהH8033Adverb | third person feminine singularto possessלְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּH3423Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singularand He drives outוְנָשַׁ֣לH5394Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularbefore youמִפָּנֶ֡יךָH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singularmanyרַבִּ֣ים׀H7227Adjective - masculine pluralnationsגּֽוֹיִם־H1471Noun - masculine pluralthe Hittitesהַֽחִתִּי֩H2850Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularGirgashitesוְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֨יH1622Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularAmoritesוְהָאֱמֹרִ֜יH567Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularCanaanitesוְהַכְּנַעֲנִ֣יH3669Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularPerizzitesוְהַפְּרִזִּ֗יH6522Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularHivitesוְהַֽחִוִּי֙H2340Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularand Jebusitesוְהַיְבוּסִ֔יH2983Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularsevenשִׁבְעָ֣הH7651Number - masculine singularnationsגוֹיִ֔םH1471Noun - masculine plurallargerרַבִּ֥יםH7227Adjective - masculine pluraland strongerוַעֲצוּמִ֖יםH6099Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine pluralthan youמִמֶּֽךָּ׃H4480Preposition | second person masculine singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

2 Corinthians 6:14Classic cross-references Exodus 23:32Classic cross-references Psalms 106:34Classic cross-references Ezra 10:3Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 7:16Classic cross-references

Original words

and when the LORDיְהוָ֧הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֛יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularhas delivered them overוּנְתָנָ֞םH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralto youלְפָנֶ֖יךָH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singularto defeat themוְהִכִּיתָ֑םH5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralthen you must devote them to complete destructionהַחֲרֵ֤םH2763Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute. . .תַּחֲרִים֙H2763Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular-אֹתָ֔םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralMakeתִכְרֹ֥תH3772Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularnoלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particletreatyבְּרִ֖יתH1285Noun - feminine singularwith themלָהֶ֛םPreposition | third person masculine pluraland show them noוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlemercyתְחָנֵּֽם׃H2603Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural

BSB notes

Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also twice in verse 26.
Forms of the Hebrew berit are translated in most passages as covenant.

Verse 3

Cross-references

Ezra 9:12Classic cross-references 1 Kings 11:2Classic cross-references Joshua 23:12Classic cross-references Exodus 34:15Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 6:14Classic cross-references

Original words

Do notוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleintermarryתִתְחַתֵּ֖ןH2859Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine singularwith themבָּ֑םPreposition | third person masculine pluralDo notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlegiveתִתֵּ֣ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour daughtersבִּתְּךָ֙H1323Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularto their sonsלִבְנ֔וֹH1121Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularorלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particletakeתִקַּ֥חH3947Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singulartheir daughtersוּבִתּ֖וֹH1323Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularfor your sonsלִבְנֶֽךָ׃H1121Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 6:15Classic cross-references Numbers 33:55Classic cross-references 1 Kings 11:9Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 20:18Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 32:16Classic cross-references

Original words

becauseכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthey will turn your sonsבִּנְךָ֙H1121Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularawayיָסִ֤ירH5493Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerfrom following Meמֵֽאַחֲרַ֔יH310Preposition-m | first person common singularto serveוְעָבְד֖וּH5647Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralotherאֲחֵרִ֑יםH312Adjective - masculine pluralgodsאֱלֹהִ֣יםH430Noun - masculine pluralThen the angerאַף־H639Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill burnוְחָרָ֤הH2734Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularagainst youבָּכֶ֔םPreposition | second person masculine pluraland He will swiftlyמַהֵֽר׃H4118Adverbdestroy youוְהִשְׁמִידְךָ֖H8045Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 12:2Classic cross-references Exodus 23:24Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 14:3Classic cross-references Exodus 34:13Classic cross-references 2 Kings 23:14Classic cross-references

Original words

Insteadכִּֽי־H3588Conjunction. . .אִם־H518Conjunctionthis is whatכֹּ֤הH3541Adverbyou are to do to themתַעֲשׂוּ֙H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural. . .לָהֶ֔םPreposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine pluraltear downתִּתֹּ֔צוּH5422Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluraltheir altarsמִזְבְּחֹתֵיהֶ֣םH4196Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralsmashתְּשַׁבֵּ֑רוּH7665Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine pluraltheir sacred pillarsוּמַצֵּבֹתָ֖םH4676Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluralcut downתְּגַדֵּע֔וּןH1438Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nuntheir Asherah polesוַאֲשֵֽׁירֵהֶם֙H842Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluraland burnתִּשְׂרְפ֥וּןH8313Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nuntheir idolsוּפְסִילֵיהֶ֖םH6456Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralin the fireבָּאֵֽשׁ׃H784Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular

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