Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:1-26

The promised land (7:1-8:20)Israel’s responsibility was to destroy the people of Canaan along with everything connected with their religion, so that nothing would remain in the land that might corrupt God’s people (7:1-5). Israel’s favoured place as God’s chosen people was not an excuse for them to do as they liked, but a reason for them to avoid corruption and be holy. If they were disobedient, they would surely be punished (6-11). But if they were obedient, they would enjoy the blessings of... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Deuteronomy 7:5

But = But rather, or, Verily. destroy = break down. Hebrew. nathaz. break down = break into fragments. Hebrew. shabab. burn = burn up. graven images = sculptures. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Deuteronomy 7:5

Ver. 5. Destroy their altars—and cut down their groves— See Exodus 34:13. It is well known, that nothing was more common among idolaters, than consecrated trees and groves: to cut down those groves was reckoned a heinous crime; see Lucan's Pharsalia, book 3: ver. 361 of Rowe's translation. Sir Isaac Newton infers from this passage, that the Canaanites had no temples; for that Moses, in commanding the Israelites to destroy their sacred places, makes no mention of temples, as he would have done... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Deuteronomy 7:5

5. thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, &c.—The removal of the temples, altars, and everything that had been enlisted in the service, or might tend to perpetuate the remembrance, of Canaanite idolatry, was likewise highly expedient for preserving the Israelites from all risk of contamination. It was imitated by the Scottish Reformers, and although many ardent lovers of architecture and the fine arts have anathematized their proceedings as vandalism, yet there was... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Deuteronomy 7:1-11

Moses mentioned seven nations that resided in Canaan here (Deuteronomy 7:1), but as many as 10 appear in other passages (cf. Genesis 15:19-21; Exodus 34:11; Numbers 13:28-29; Judges 3:5). Perhaps Moses named seven here for rhetorical purposes, seven being a number that indicates completion or fullness. One reason for the total extermination of these idolaters was the evil effect their corrupt worship would have on the Israelites and their relationship with Yahweh (Deuteronomy 7:4). [Note: See... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Deuteronomy 7:1-26

3. Examples of the application of the principles chs. 7-11"These clearly are not laws or commandments as such but primarily series of parenetic homilies in which Moses exhorted the people to certain courses of action in light of the upcoming conquest and occupation of Canaan. Within these sections, however, are specific and explicit injunctions based upon the Decalogue and anticipatory of further elaboration in the large section of detailed stipulations that follows (Deuteronomy 12:1 to... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 7:1-26

Practical Exhortations (continued)In this chapter the people are warned against temptations to idolatry and enjoined to avoid contact with their idolatrous neighbours: see on Exodus 23:32-33; Numbers 25:16-18.1. On the tribes inhabiting Canaan see on Numbers 13:21. 5. Images] RV ’pillars,’ or obelisks. Groves] RV ’Asherim’: see on Exodus 34:13. 6. Special people] RV ’peculiar people’: see on Exodus 19:5.13. On the promise of material prosperity as the reward of obedience, see on Exodus... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Deuteronomy 7:5

(5) Ye shall destroy their altars. . . .—This course, if adopted in a conquered territory, would be certain to bring matters to a crisis. The inhabitants must rise in defence of the objects of their worship—a course which would end in their extermination—or they must adopt the worship of Jehovah.Their groves.—Here the grove itself in which the idol was worshipped, and so in Deuteronomy 16:21. Sometimes the word is used for the image.Burn their graven images with fire.—David treated the images... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Deuteronomy 7:1-26

Growing Great Ideas Deuteronomy 7:9 How to begin to teach the supreme ideas of time and space, and God and heaven, and eternity; that is the subject. We are familiar with these great words, so familiar indeed with them that we think nothing about them. We thus ruin ourselves by reading religious books and going to religious services. Nothing so ruinous as going to church, if we do not go in the right spirit and with adequate intelligence of the meaning of the act. I know nothing so really bad... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:1-26

THE BANDeuteronomy 7:1-26As in the previous chapter we have had the Mosaic and Deuteronomic statement of the internal and spiritual means of defending the Israelite character and faith from the temptations which the conquest in Canaan would bring with it, in this we have strenuous provision made against the same evil by external means. The mind first was to be fortified against the temptation to fall away: then the external pressure from the example of the peoples they were to conquer was to be... read more

Group of Brands