Deu 7 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Deut 7:1-26: 7:1-26 Before Israel could occupy the land of promise (cp. Gen 13:14-17 ; 15:18-21 ), the nations already living there had to be removed. The land was the Lord’s, and only he could determine who the inhabitants should be. 7:1 The Hittites were native to Anatolia (now north-central Turkey). They established colonies in far-flung areas such as Syria and were also linked to Canaan in the list of ancient nations (see Gen 10:15 ; 23:3-20 ). The Hittite empire came to a sudden end around 1200 BC , but people known as Hittites continued to live in Israel (e.g., Uriah the Hittite, 2 Sam 11:3 ; 23:39 ). It is impossible to prove that the Hittites of Anatolia were the same as those mentioned in the OT, but some commonality is probable. • Girgashites were an otherwise unknown Canaanite people (Gen 10:16-17 ). • Amorites: See study note on Deut 1:4. • The Canaanites were the native people of Canaan; their habitation there can be traced back to 3000 BC . They descended from Noah’s son Ham (see Gen 9:18-27 ). • The Perizzites are not listed in the Table of Nations (Gen 10:16-17 ), so they might not have been related to the Canaanites. • Many scholars identify the Hivites as the Horites (or Hurrians; see study note on Deut 2:1), a non-Semitic people found throughout the ancient Near East. • The Jebusites were associated with Jerusalem (Judg 1:21 ; 2 Sam 5:6-8 ). David bought a piece of land from Araunah the Jebusite to build an altar (2 Sam 24:15-25 ); this property later became the site of the Temple (2 Chr 3:1 ).

Summary for Deut 7:1-26: 7:1-26 ^a Before Israel could occupy the land of promise (cp. Gen 13:14-17 ^b; 15:18-21 ^c), the nations already living there had to be removed. The land was the Lord’s, and only he could determine who the inhabitants should be. 7:1 ^d The Hittites were native to Anatolia (now north-central Turkey). They established colonies in far-flung areas such as Syria and were also linked to Canaan in the list of ancient nations (see Gen 10:15 ^e; 23:3-20 ^f). The Hittite empire came to a sudden end around 1200 BC, but people known as Hittites continued to live in Israel (e.g., Uriah the Hittite, 2 Sam 11:3 ^g; 23:39 ^h). It is impossible to prove that the Hittites of Anatolia were the same as those mentioned in the OT, but some commonality is probable.

• Girgashites were an otherwise unknown Canaanite people (Gen 10:16-17 ⁱ).

• Amorites: See study note on Deut 1:4.

• The Canaanites were the native people of Canaan; their habitation there can be traced back to 3000 BC. They descended from Noah’s son Ham (see Gen 9:18-27 ^j).

• The Perizzites are not listed in the Table of Nations (Gen 10:16-17 ^k), so they might not have been related to the Canaanites.

• Many scholars identify the Hivites as the Horites (or Hurrians; see study note on Deut 2:1), a non-Semitic people found throughout the ancient Near East.

• The Jebusites were associated with Jerusalem (Judg 1:21 ^l; 2 Sam 5:6-8 ^m). David bought a piece of land from Araunah the Jebusite to build an altar (2 Sam 24:15-25 ⁿ); this property later became the site of the Temple (2 Chr 3:1 ^o).
7:5 ^p Engraved stone pillars called stelae usually represented pagan male deities. These sacred pillars were commonly found at shrines dedicated to Baal.

• Asherah poles, usually made of wood, represented Canaanite fertility goddesses, particularly Asherah, the mother of the gods. These shrines might have developed as stylized sacred trees associated with fertility (see study note on 12:2).
7:6 ^q Of all peoples on earth, God chose Israel as his special treasure. Israel had not done anything commendable; rather, God acted out of grace that was undeserved and freely given.
7:9 ^r A faithful God is absolutely dependable and can be leaned upon. Abraham was commended as being righteous because he believed God; he was wholly dependent upon God’s faithfulness (Gen 15:6 ^s).

• Contrasted with human agents, who often break their pledges, the Lord faithfully keeps his covenant.
7:12 ^t promised with an oath (literally swore): In a covenant or treaty, the parties to the covenant had to swear to keep its terms in order for it to be valid. God’s promises are always guaranteed by his character (7:9 ^u; 32:4 ^v; Heb 6:18 ^w; Jas 1:17 ^x). He fulfilled the requirements of the covenant with Israel by swearing to keep its terms (see Gen 22:16 ^y).
7:15 ^z The terrible diseases ... in Egypt were perhaps illnesses related to the plagues (e.g., Exod 9:9 ^aa) or other serious diseases that regularly afflicted the Egyptians.
7:19 ^ab The familiar word pair signs and wonders signifies the miraculous deeds God performed to induce fear in his enemies and to inspire awe and praise in his people (see 6:22 ^ac).

• strong hand and powerful arm: See study notes on 4:34 and 8:2.
7:20 ^ad terror: Often rendered the hornet. Whether God sent stinging insects or some other source of terror, he would expel surviving Canaanites from the land (Exod 23:28 ^ae; Josh 24:12 ^af).
7:21 ^ag awesome (literally one to be feared): This fear is not the terror induced by a bully who strikes without reason or plan, but the reverential fear of a loving God whose nature is so majestic that it inspires a kind of dread.
7:24 ^ah erase their names: An individual’s name represented that person’s existence as it would be carried into the future through generations of descendants. By destroying an entire nation, God cut off its line of descent and thus also its future. The Canaanites who suffered God’s war against them lost all their descendants and thus their existence and identity.
Summary for Deut 7:25-26: 7:25-26 ^ai Worship of false gods is detestable to the Lord: It denies that God is unique and rejects his demand for exclusive worship (5:7-9 ^aj). The horrific and disgusting rituals typically associated with pagan worship were antithetical to God’s holy nature, but Israel was in danger of being led into similar beliefs and practices (12:31 ^ak; 13:12-17 ^al). An Israelite who acknowledged false gods committed an act of treason. The only remedy was complete and total destruction of these detestable objects.
7:26 ^am set apart for destruction (Hebrew kherem): See study note on 2:34.