CHAPTER VII _With the_ seven _nations that God shall cast out_, 1, _they shall make no covenant_, 2, _nor form any matrimonial alliances_, 3; _lest they should be enticed into idolatry_, 4. _All monuments of idolatry to be destroyed_, 5. _The Israelites are to consider themselves a holy people... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Deuteronomy 7:2. _THOU SHALT SMITE THEM, C._] These idolatrous nations were to be utterly destroyed, and all the others also which were contiguous to the boundaries of the promised land, provided they did not renounce their idolatry and receive the true faith: for if they did not, then no cove... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Deuteronomy 7:3. _NEITHER SHALT THOU MAKE MARRIAGES, C._] The heart being naturally inclined to evil, there is more likelihood that the idolatrous wife should draw aside the believing husband, than that the believing husband should be able to bring over his idolatrous wife to the true faith.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Deuteronomy 7:6. _THOU ART A HOLY PEOPLE_] And therefore should have no connection with the workers of iniquity. _A SPECIAL PEOPLE_] סגלה _segullah_, - Septuagint, λαον περιουσιον, - a _peculiar people_, a private property. The words as they stand in the Septuagint are quoted by the apostle,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Deuteronomy 7:8. _BUT BECAUSE THE LORD LOVED YOU_] It was no good in them that induced God to choose them at this time to be his peculiar people: he had his reasons, but these sprang from his infinite goodness. He intended to make a full discovery of his goodness to the world, and this must ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Deuteronomy 7:12. _THE LORD - SHALL KEEP UNTO THEE THE COVENANT_] So we find their continuance in the state of favour was to depend on their _faithfulness_ to the grace of God. If they should rebel, though God had chosen them through his _love_, yet he would cast them off in his _justice_. The... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Deuteronomy 7:22. _PUT OUT THOSE NATIONS - BY LITTLE AND LITTLE_] The Israelites were not as yet sufficiently numerous to fill the whole land occupied by the seven nations mentioned Deuteronomy 7:1. And as wild and ferocious animals might be expected to multiply where either there are no inhab... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Deuteronomy 7:25. _THOU SHALT NOT DESIRE THE SILVER OR GOLD_ THAT IS _ON_ _THEM_] Some of the ancient idols were plated over with gold, and God saw that the value of the metal and the excellence of the workmanship might be an inducement for the Israelites to _preserve_ them; and this might lea... [ Continue Reading ]