Deuteronomy-7-1-26
-hebraicstudies.net-
Please do NOT visit this site on שַׁבָּת - Shabbat or on the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts!
Tanakh versions:
Throughout this site I may use any of the following three
versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication
Society” (JPS-1917), 2. Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF).
Colour coded
details of our beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah =
History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all
other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon,
Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and
Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and
Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and
‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim,
having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
YYYYYYY
Remember the following truth from our beloved
Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2.
However, sadly both the later
priests as well as our rabbis of long ago and of today have, and are shamefully
disobeying this command of אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, בָּרוּךְ
שֵׁם
קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ – ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’
YYYYYYY
With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Deuteronomy 7 is a pivotal discourse on national holiness and the covenantal identity of Israel as they prepare to cross the Jordan. The chapter addresses the tension between the physical conquest of the land and the spiritual preservation of the people. It defines the “Chosen People” (Am Segulah) not through merit or size, but through a unique relationship initiated by אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim (God). The central theme is the total separation from idolatrous influences to ensure the ethical and spiritual integrity of the nation.
YYYYYYY
Let us read Deuteronomy
Chapter 7, verses 1 to 26:
(JPS-1917 version of the Torah).
1. When יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim 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;
2. and when יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim 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;
3. neither shalt thou make marriages with them: thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
4. For he will turn away thy son from following Me, that they may serve other gods; so will the anger of יְהוָה - the LORD be kindled against you, and He will destroy thee quickly.
5. But 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.
6. For thou art a holy people unto יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim: יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim hath chosen thee to be His own treasure, out of all peoples that are upon the face of the earth.
7. יְהוָה - the LORD 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,
8. but because יְהוָה - the LORD loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore unto your fathers, hath יְהוָה - the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9. Know therefore that יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim, He is יְהוָה - Elohim; the faithful אֱלֹהִים, who keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations;
10. and 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.
11. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command thee this day, to do them.
12. And it shall come to pass, because ye hearken to these ordinances, and keep, and do them, that יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim shall keep with thee the covenant and the mercy which He swore unto thy fathers,
13. and He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee; He will also bless the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land, thy corn and thy wine and thine oil, the increase of thy kine and the young of thy flock, in the land which He swore unto thy fathers to give thee.
14. Thou shalt be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.
15. And יְהוָה - the LORD will take away from thee all sickness; and He will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee, but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.
16. And thou shalt consume all the peoples that יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim shall deliver unto thee; thine eye shall not pity them; neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.
17. If thou shalt say in thy heart: ‘These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?’
18. thou shalt not be afraid of them; thou shalt well remember what יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt:
19. the great trials which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, whereby יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim brought thee out; so shall יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim do unto all the peoples of whom thou art afraid.
20. Moreover יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and they that hide themselves, perish from before thee.
21. Thou shalt not be affrighted at them; for יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim is in the midst of thee, a אֱלֹהִים great and awful.
22. And יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim will cast out those nations before thee by little and little; thou mayest not consume them quickly, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
23. But יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim shall deliver them up before thee, and shall discomfit them with a great discomfiture, until they be destroyed.
24. And He shall 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 against thee, until thou have destroyed them.
25. The 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 יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim.
26. And thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house, and be accursed like unto it; thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing.
YYYYYYY
Let us now look at the ‘Verse by Verse’ with good Explanation’s:
Verse 1-2: When יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim shall bring thee into the land ... and shall cast out many nations before thee ... thou shalt utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them.
Explanation: This
mandates a total “Herem” (consecration/destruction) of
the seven Canaanite nations. In a historical-critical context, this represents
the absolute rejection of the prevailing local cults to prevent syncretism.
Verse 3-4: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them ... For he will turn away thy son from following Me, that they may serve other gods ...
Explanation: The prohibition of intermarriage is presented here as a protective measure for survival. The concern is cultural and religious continuity; the “turning away” refers to the erosion of the monotheistic legal framework.
Verse 5: But 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.
Explanation: Israel is commanded to physically dismantle the infrastructure of idolatry. This emphasizes that the land itself must be “cleansed” of symbols that represent ethical systems contrary to the Torah.
Verse 6: For thou art a holy people unto יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim; יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim, hath chosen thee to be a own treasure out of all peoples that are upon the face of the earth.
Explanation: This defines the concept of Am Segulah (a treasured people). “Holiness” (Kadosh) here signifies being “set apart” for a specific function or purpose, rather than an inherent ontological superiority.
Verse 7-8: יְהוָה - the LORD did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people ... but because יְהוָה - the LORD loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore unto your fathers ...
Explanation: This strikes down nationalistic pride. The election of Israel is attributed to Divine "Hesed" (loyalty/love) and the historical memory of the Patriarchs, not the power or size of the population.
Verse 9-11: Know therefore that יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy אֱלֹהִים, He is אֱלֹהִים; the faithful אֱלֹהִים, who keepeth covenant and mercy ... and repayeth them that hate Him to their face ...
Explanation: These verses establish the “Measure for Measure” principle. The Covenant is a legal and moral contract; loyalty is met with protection, while rejection of the Law leads to national consequence.
Verse 12-15: And it shall come to pass, because ye hearken to these ordinances... He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee... there shall not be male or female barren among you ...
Explanation: The text links biological and agricultural prosperity directly to the observance of the Mishpatim (ordinances). In the ancient Near Eastern context, this frames the Divine as the sole source of fertility, countering the Canaanite fertility cults.
Verse 16: And thou shalt consume all the peoples ... neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.
Explanation: The “snare” (Mokesh) is a psychological metaphor. The attraction of local customs is viewed as a trap that leads to the loss of national sovereignty.
Verse 17-19: If thou shalt say in thy heart: ‘These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?’ Thou shalt not be afraid of them; thou shalt well remember what יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim did unto Pharaoh ...
Explanation: This addresses the “inner voice” of doubt. Historical memory (the Exodus) is used as a psychological tool to overcome the fear of superior military force.
Verse 20-22: Moreover יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim will send the hornet among them ... יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy God will cast out those nations before thee by little and little...
Explanation: This provides a pragmatic view of conquest. A sudden vacuum of power would lead to ecological disaster (wild beasts). The “gradualism” of the conquest shows a realistic understanding of land management.
Verse 23-24: But יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Elohim shall deliver them up before thee ... and He shall deliver their kings into thy hand ...
Explanation: The ultimate success is guaranteed by the Covenant, provided the ethical conditions are met.
Verse 25–26: The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire; thou shalt not covet the silver or the gold that is on them... for it is an abomination יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - to the LORD thy Elohim.
Explanation: A final warning against economic gain from idolatry. The prohibition against taking the gold or silver ensures that the conquest is for religious purification, not for material plunder.
YYYYYYY
My Closing Message:
Deuteronomy 7 serves as a manifesto for spiritual sovereignty.
It teaches that the survival of a unique identity depends on the courage to
remain distinct. The message is clear: true strength is not found in numbers or
wealth, but in the adherence to an ethical and legal framework that transcends
the surrounding culture. By removing “abominations”, the nation creates a space
where the Divine Presence can dwell in an environment of justice and holiness.
YYYYYYY
Please Note: “hebraicstudies” links are located down the page!
This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following via several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”.
Mal’a’chi -
Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem; walk in My statutes,
and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall
be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה
- the LORD your Eloheichem”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
YYYYYYY
“Hebraic Studies” motto is as follows;
“The More Torah, the
More Life”
For אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, Blessed be His Sanctified Name,
He is
the one who gave us our Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD
of Hosts. be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat,
as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and
continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s (blessings) before
food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom
Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens,
PhD.
Enter ...
http://www.hebraicstudies.net/Site-Index.htm
Enter ...
https://www.hebraicstudies.net
-hebraicstudies.net-
Email
the Rabbi
If the email link
does not open - You can also copy the link and use it.
Although the author does not believe in having
to copyright “Hebraic Studies” commenced in the mid 1980’,
but there have been occasions where there parts of his
studies have been taken and quoted out of context
under my name, and thus he has been misquoted by those who have
their own reasons for doing so.
Thus, it is only for this reason these
works are fully covered under strict ...
Copyright © 2025 - “Hebraic Studies” - All rights reserved.