Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 7:17
If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations [are] more than I; how can I dispossess them?
17. say in thine heart ] say to thyself, or think, or imagine; but with the force of really think, Deu 9:4, Deu 18:21.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Deu 7:17-18
Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh.
Encouragement for the Christian warrior
To a man about to journey into a strange country nothing gives more comfort or confidence than if there be put into his hand, by way of guide through it, a book written by someone who has travelled that country before him. He will read that book not for entertainment, but instruction; that he may learn beforehand how to make his way, what to take with him, what to beware of, and whither to betake himself for rest and refreshment on the way. In like manner the Bible has been given us to make us acquainted with the way itself, with the difficulties and the dangers of it, with the enemies that we shall meet with in it, and our only way of overcoming them.
I. The spiritual state here represented. The Jewish Church in the wilderness may be here regarded as a type or figure of the Church of Christ in the world, and the case of each member of the one as prefiguring in some particulars the condition of each believer in the other. But like as Israel, though free from Egypt and from all fear of being carried thither again, notwithstanding, had not overcome all enemies, but was to fight his way against them and never give them quarter, but fight on till they were utterly destroyed; so now is the believer in Christ called to fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold upon eternal life. We may perceive, then, that the situation of Israel when Moses addressed them in the words of the text, represents to us the present state of the follower of Christ, and the warfare which he has to war under Christ as his captain against the enemies of his salvation.
II. The fears which commonly attend this state. The strength and number of the enemies whom Israel had to fight was well known to that people; but the Lord Himself had repeatedly put them in mind of it, saying continually, after He had numbered them over, that they were seven nations greater and mightier than Israel. But why did God say so? Was it to make them afraid of these nations? No; but to enliven their faith and exercise their dependence upon God. It was quite true, and a notorious truth, that those nations were in point of strength and number quite an overmatch for Israel; so that it was impossible for him in his own strength to dispossess them. It was also true that, till they were dispossessed, the land of promise could not be enjoyed; so that these two considerations, the strength end number of the enemies of Israel and his own weakness, were the more immediate causes of his fears. The fears often felt by the Christian are much of the same kind. His enemies are of three kinds–the world, the flesh, and the devil: mighty all of them, and many; for the world and the flesh and the devil have marshalled under them whole hosts of enemies, of whom anyone, encountered by the Christian in his own strength, would be too strong. And oh I should he compare himself with them, what painful cause has he for the acknowledgment, These are more than I! It is in such a ease too natural for him to look within himself, and, pausing upon what he finds there, ask, almost in despair, How can I dispossess them? But mark how graciously the Lord anticipates, prevents such fears: If thou shalt say in thine heart (He too well knows His people will say so), These nations am more than I: how can I dispossess them?–this is their–
III. Encouragement. Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember, etc. What God had done to Egypt and her king, Israel had seen and knew: it was because of this that they were then where they were, and that they were not in Egypt now; and God calls upon them to remember, for encouragement, what they had been in time past, Pharaohs bondmen in Egypt; and what had been done for their deliverance, and who had been the doer of it, Himself, the Lord their God: thus every word appears to have an emphasis intended to encourage them against their fears. Now, this encouragement, which God addressed to them, may serve as a figure of that which forms the encouragement of every Christian; for it is now the privilege of every Christian to look, for his encouragement, at the redemption wrought for him by Christ. Under all his fears he should remember what a wretched, lost condition Christ redeemed His people from, and how and why He did it. That state is thus described in Eph 2:1. This was the state of every one of us by nature. And how were they set free from it? By no less an act of love than the death of Gods own Son in His dead peoples stead (Rom 5:6). We see, then, that the encouragement of a true Christian, under all his fears and against all the enemies of his soul, is in that sure covenant and rich provision of all things his soul can need, through that redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Does he find the world too strong for him; does he dread the rage and malice of its children who are set against him, or the snares and perils which the God of this world sets about his path? Or does he tremble at that overwhelming crowd of cares which comes upon him daily with his first waking thought? Let him not be afraid of these things, but let him well remember what Christ did for him when he was dead in trespasses and sins; and thus strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might, let him cast all his care on God. Does he dread the power of his own corruptions, and ask, How can I dispossess them? Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Let him faithfully remember the encouragement suggested by the text, and he shall soon say also with the apostle, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Or lastly, is he troubled by the fear of death, the last enemy that shall be destroyed? Christ, his Redeemer, through His own death, hath abolished death by destroying him that had the power of death–that is, the devil. In short, the Christians life is hid, and so kept safe from every enemy, with Christ in God. (F. F. Clark, B. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
If thou shall say in thine heart,…. Should have secret thoughts arise in the heart, misgivings of heart, fears and doubts there, which, though not outwardly expressed, might be inwardly retained:
these nations are more than I; seven to one, and perhaps anyone of them as powerful as Israel:
how can I dispossess them? of the land they inherit, and take possession of it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17 If thou shalt say in thine heart. Since it was a matter of great difficulty to destroy such a multitude of men, and despair itself would drive them to madness, so that it would be frivolous for the Israelites to cut off all hope of mercy, God anticipates their fear, and exhorts them to the strenuous execution of His sentence. From whence we gather some useful instruction; whenever God commands anything which exceeds our power, we must still obey and boldly break through whatever obstacles present themselves to impede us. In all arduous matters, therefore, let this doctrine come to our aid, that whatever is contrary to God’s will may easily be annihilated by His almighty power. But since terror, presented to our eyes, immediately so lays hold of all our senses that we lie as it were torpid, God recalls to the recollection of the Israelites what abundant grounds of confidence He had supplied them with. For all the miracles He had wrought were so many proofs of His invincible power; and hence they should conclude that nothing was to be dreaded, provided God should go before them, and that, therefore, being assured of victory, they should not descend to any treaties.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
17. How can I dispossess them The people might again become faint-hearted as they had been years before on the return of the spies. They might ask, How is it possible for us to overcome the seven nations of the land? To encourage them they are once more reminded of what Jehovah did for them in their deliverance from Egypt. The same mighty power would aid them in dispossessing and destroying the nations with whom they are soon to wage war.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Here again, as before, Israel is reminded of GOD’S former mercies, as the surest encouragement to the expectation of future favors. Reader! I pray you mark it down in the history of your own life-the mercy I need tomorrow is best ensured in the mercy I received yesterday. Remember what was before said: “Know, therefore, that the LORD thy GOD he is GOD, the faithful GOD. He is, he will be, faithful.” And nothing so sweet, as to look back and trace proofs of it, as we have come along the path of grace. The HOLY GHOST acts in one of his dearest offices, when as the Remembrancer of CHRIST JESUS, he takes of the things of JESUS in his loving kindnesses which are past, and showeth them to the people. Joh 14:26 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Deu 7:17-26
17If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’ 18you shall not be afraid of them; you shall well remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: 19the great trials which your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the LORD your God brought you out. So shall the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. 20Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet against them, until those who are left and hide themselves from you perish. 21You shall not dread them, for the LORD your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God. 22And the LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to put an end to them quickly, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you. 23But the LORD your God shall deliver them before you, and will throw them into great confusion until they are destroyed. 24And He will deliver their kings into your hand so that you shall make their name perish from under heaven; no man will be able to stand before you until you have destroyed them. 25The graven images of their gods you are to burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it, for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. 26And you shall not bring an abomination into your house, and like it come under the ban; you shall utterly detest it and you shall utterly abhor it, for it is something banned.
Deu 7:17 If you should say in your heart This is a Hebrew idiom for if you are thinking or doubting (cf. Deu 7:21; Deu 9:23; Psa 95:8). The whole point of this paragraph is to encourage Israel:
1. by YHWH’s actions against Egypt (i.e., the plagues), Deu 7:18-19
2. by YHWH’s promised actions against Canaan (i.e., hornets), Deu 7:20-24
Deu 7:18 you shall well remember This VERB (BDB 269, KB 269, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and Qal IMPERFECT) is used often for emphasis (cf. Deu 5:15; Deu 7:2[twice]; Deu 8:18; Deu 9:7; Deu 9:27; Deu 15:15; Deu 16:3; Deu 16:12; Deu 24:9; Deu 24:18; Deu 24:22; Deu 25:17; Deu 32:7). Believers must take the backward look to see the present hand of God. As He was in the past, so He will be (to those who love Him and keep His commandments). YHWH has acted and will act in history on behalf of His people!
Deu 7:19 Notice the words to describe YHWH’s redemptive acts in Egypt:
1. the great trials BDB 152 and 650 II, cf. Deu 4:34; Deu 29:3 (this same root [III] is used for Israel testing YHWH during the wilderness wandering period, cf. Deu 6:16; Deu 9:22)
2. the signs BDB 16, cf. Deu 4:34; Deu 7:19; Deu 26:8; Deu 29:2; Deu 34:11; Ps. 28:43; Psa 105:27; Psa 135:9
3. the wonders BDB 68, cf. Deu 4:34; Deu 6:22; Deu 7:19; Deu 26:8; Deu 34:11; Psa 78:43; Psa 105:27; Psa 135:9
4. the mighty hand BDB 305 and 388, cf. Deu 4:34; Deu 5:15; Deu 6:21; Deu 7:8; Deu 7:19; Deu 9:26; Deu 11:2; Deu 26:8; Deu 34:12, see note at Deu 4:34
5. the outstretched arm BDB 283 and 639 (Qal PASSIVE PARTICIPLE), cf. Deu 4:34; Deu 5:15; Deu 7:19; Deu 9:29; Deu 11:2; Deu 26:8
I have just shown the parallels in Deuteronomy. They also appear in Exodus. The redemptive acts of YHWH are Israel’s great hope! They are the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham (cf. Gen 15:12-21). They are the inauguration of the national covenant.
Deu 7:20 God will send the hornet There are two possible meanings for hornets (BDB 864): (1) it is either figurative (cf. Deu 1:44, which described an army as a swarm of bees) or (2) literal (cf. Exo 23:28; Jos 24:12, where hornets were sent by God to defeat foreign armies). God shows His people that He is fighting on their behalf!
Deu 7:21 You shall not dread them This VERB (BDB 791, KB 888, Qal IMPERFECT) is repeated several times (cf. Deu 1:29; Deu 7:21; Deu 20:3; Deu 31:6; Jos 1:9).
the LORD your God is in your midst This is a marvelous truth. The transcendent God, the Holy One, dwells with His people (cf. Exo 29:45; Num 5:3; Num 35:34). This is what Emmanuel means (BDB 769, cf. Isa 7:14; Isa 8:8; Isa 8:10).
a great and awesome God This phrase is made up of:
1. an ADJECTIVE – great BDB 42
2. a Niphal PARTICIPLE – terrible BDB 431, KB 432
This description of YHWH (using Niphal stem) is also found in Deu 10:17; Neh 1:5; Neh 4:14; Neh 9:32; Dan 9:4.
Deu 7:22 This verse shows the balance between the power of YHWH (i.e., clear away BDB 675, KB 730, Qal PERFECT) and human limits:
1. you will not be able to put an end to them quickly
2. lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you
Deu 7:23 God’s actions are described as:
1. the LORD your God will send the hornet against them, Deu 7:20
2. the LORD your God. . .will throw them into great confusion, Deu 7:23 (NOUN and VERB from same root), Deu 7:23, cf. Exo 23:27 (this is the vocabulary of holy war)
3. He will deliver their kings into your hand, Deu 7:24
Deu 7:24 you shall make their name perish from under heaven The VERB (BDB 1, KB 2, Hiphil PERFECT) is used here in an idiom of complete and total destruction and death so that there are no descendants (i.e., holy war).
no man will be able to stand before you This is a Hebrew idiom for military confrontation (i.e., two armies, cf. Deu 11:25; Jos 1:5; Jos 10:8; Jos 23:9).
Deu 7:25-26 These verses describe how Israel was to treat the Canaanite idols (i.e., graven images (BDB 820 CONSTRUCT 43; see fuller note at Deu 12:3):
1. burn with fire – BDB 976, KB 1358, Qal IMPERFECT, cf. Deu 7:5; Deu 7:25; Deu 12:3
2. shall not covet the silver or the gold
a. do not take it into your house, Deu 7:25-26
b. lest you be snared (BDB 430) by it
c. it is an abomination (BDB 1072, cf. Deu 12:3)
d. it is under the ban (i.e., an accursed thing, BDB 214)
e. you shall utterly detest (BDB 1055, both VERB and NOUN), abhor (BDB 1073) it
Deu 7:26 something banned This is related to the word herem, which meant dedicated to God for total destruction. This is usually translated under the ban. Any secular use of an object under the ban would be to profane it, therefore, it was to be totally destroyed.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. Why was God taking one nation’s land and giving it to another nation?
2. Does the Bible say, No! to interracial marriages?
3. What does it mean that God chose Israel as a special people?
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
how . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis (App-6).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
thou shalt: Deu 8:17, Deu 15:9, Deu 18:21, Isa 14:13, Isa 47:8, Isa 49:21, Jer 13:22, Luk 9:47
These nations: Num 13:32, Num 33:53, Jos 17:16-18