What does Deuteronomy 7:2 mean?
“And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:” — Deuteronomy 7:2
Deuteronomy 7:2 (KJV) states "And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them."
This verse comes from the book of Deuteronomy, which is the fifth book of the Old Testament. Deuteronomy is often referred to as the "second law" or a reiteration of the laws given to the Israelites by God. This particular verse is part of a larger passage in which Moses is reminding the Israelites of God's covenant with them and instructing them on how to act as they enter the Promised Land.
The context of this verse is the Israelites' impending conquest of Canaan. God had promised this land to the descendants of Abraham, and now the time had come for them to take possession of it. However, the land was currently inhabited by several pagan nations, and God commanded the Israelites to utterly destroy these nations. The reason for this command was to prevent the Israelites from being influenced by the idolatry and immorality of the Canaanite people. God knew that if the Israelites made covenants or showed mercy to these nations, they would be led astray from their faith and obedience to Him.
The theme of this verse is the importance of unwavering obedience and faithfulness to God. The Israelites were called to trust in God's promise that He would deliver the Canaanites into their hands and to carry out His command without hesitation. The severity of the command to "utterly destroy" the Canaanites reflects the seriousness of maintaining the purity of the Israelites' faith and worship.
This verse also carries a significant symbol of the spiritual battle that the Israelites faced. The physical warfare against the Canaanites can be seen as a representation of the spiritual warfare that believers continue to face today. The call to "utterly destroy" the Canaanites can be understood as a call to rid our own lives of sin and worldly influences that threaten to lead us away from God.
It is important to note that the command to destroy the Canaanites is specific to the historical context of the Israelites entering the Promised Land. This verse should not be used to justify violence or aggression in the modern world. It is important to interpret this verse with the guidance of the broader biblical message of love, mercy, and redemption.
In conclusion, Deuteronomy 7:2 serves as a reminder of the Israelites' call to obedience and faithfulness to God as they entered the Promised Land. It also carries a timeless message about the spiritual battle that believers face and the importance of maintaining purity in our faith and worship. While the command to utterly destroy the Canaanites may seem severe, it was given within a specific historical context and must be understood in light of the broader biblical message of love, mercy, and redemption.
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Artwork for Deuteronomy 7:2
Deuteronomy 7:2 - "And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:" respectful, symbolic bible verse art
"And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:" - Deuteronomy 7:2
Deuteronomy 2:7 - "For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing."
Deuteronomy 3:7 - "But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves."
Deuteronomy 5:7 - "Thou shalt have none other gods before me."
Deuteronomy 2:2 - "And the LORD spake unto me, saying,"
Deuteronomy 19:7 - "Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee."
Deuteronomy 10:7 - "From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters."
Deuteronomy 11:7 - "But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did."
Deuteronomy 27:7 - "And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God."
Deuteronomy 7:21 - "Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible."
Deuteronomy 21:7 - "And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it."
Deuteronomy 7:7 - "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 people:"
Deuteronomy 7:17 - "If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?"
Deuteronomy 7:11 - "Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them."
Deuteronomy 2:17 - "That the LORD spake unto me, saying,"
Deuteronomy 7:14 - "Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle."
Deuteronomy 30:7 - "And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee."
Deuteronomy 7:20 - "Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed."
Deuteronomy 7:23 - "But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed."
Deuteronomy 8:7 - "For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;"
Deuteronomy 18:7 - "Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD."
Deuteronomy 34:7 - "¶ And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated."
"And the LORD spake unto me, saying," - Deuteronomy 2:2
Deuteronomy 5:2 - "The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb."
Deuteronomy 23:7 - "¶ Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land."
Deuteronomy 32:7 - "¶ Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee."
Deuteronomy 7:18 - "Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;"
Deuteronomy 7:10 - "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."
"Thou shalt have none other gods before me." - Deuteronomy 5:7