Deuteronomy 7:16-21

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:12-26

Here, I. The caution against idolatry is repeated, and against communion with idolaters: ?Thou shalt consume the people, and not serve their gods.? Deut. 7:16. We are in danger of having fellowship with the works of darkness if we take pleasure in fellowship with those that do those works. Here is also a repetition of the charge to destroy the images, Deut. 7:25, 26. The idols which the heathen had worshipped were an abomination to God, and therefore must be so to them: all that truly love God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:16

And thou shall consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee ,.... All the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, which the Lord should deliver into their hands; them they were not to spare, but utterly destroy men, women, and children: thine eye shall have no pity upon them ; See Gill on Deuteronomy 7:2 , neither shall thou serve their gods, for that will be a snare unto thee ; which will bring into utter ruin and destruction; see Exodus 23:33 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:17

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. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:18

Thou shalt not be afraid of them ,.... Neither on account of their number, nor their strength: but shall well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt ; a people more numerous and potent than the Canaanites, among whom the Lord wrought such wonderful things by his power, which obliged them to let Israel go; and his power was now the same, he could do as great things to the Canaanites as he had to the Egyptians; and as he had delivered them out of the hands of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:19

The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders ,.... The miracles wrought in Egypt; see Deuteronomy 4:34 . and the mighty hand, and stretched out arm, whereby the Lord thy God brought thee out ; that is, out of Egypt, which was an instance and proof of his almighty power: so shall the Lord thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid ; not perform the same miraculous operations among them, but exert the same power in the destruction of them,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:20

Moreover, the Lord thy God will send the hornet among them ,.... Not a single one, but several of them, and which may be understood of creatures so called, which resemble wasps, only twice as large, an insect very bold and venomous; see Exodus 23:28 . Aben Ezra interprets it of the leprosy: until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed ; such of the Canaanites who escaped the sword of the Israelites, and hid themselves in holes and caverns of the earth; these... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:21

Thou shall not be affrighted at them ,.... At their numbers, nor at their gigantic stature: for the Lord thy God is among you : in the tabernacle, in the holy of holies, which was in the midst of them, and besides would give proof of his powerful presence among them, in protecting them, and destroying their enemies: a mighty God and terrible ; mighty to save his people, and terrible to others. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 7:16

Verse 16 16.And thou shalt consume all the people. It is plain from the second part of the verse wherefore He commands the people of Canaan to be destroyed, when He forbids their gods to be worshipped. This precept, therefore, corresponds with the others, where He dooms in like manner these nations to utter destruction. I now pass over what I have explained elsewhere, i.e., that the vengeance which God exercised against these obstinate and ten-times lost people cannot be ascribed to cruelty.... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 7:17

Verse 17 17If 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... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 7:20

Verse 20 20.Moreover, the Lord thy God will send the hornet. Since the destruction of their enemies might seem long, if they were only to be slain by their hands and weapons, and again, because it was scarcely credible that, without defending themselves, they would voluntarily stretch forth their own throats, God promises that in another way also He would supply the means of their conquest. Therefore, lest the Israelites, imagining that their enemies would be prompt and vigorous in resistance,... read more

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