Chapter 7

1 All communion with the nations is forbidden, 4 for fear of idolatry, 6 for the holiness of the people, 9 for the nature of God in his mercy and justice, 17 for the assuredness of victory which God will give over them.

1. Many nations. The Hittites are mentioned many times in the Scriptures (see on Gen. 10:15).

Girgashites. A Canaanite tribe of western Palestine (see Gen. 10:16; Joshua 24:11).

Amorites. See on Gen. 10:16. This numerous and widespread people is often mentioned in Scripture (Gen. 14:7, 13; 15:16, 21; 48:22; etc.) Their name appear in 18 books of the OT.

The Perizzites. A people of the central portion of western Palestine (see on Gen. 13:7).

Hivites. See on Gen. 10:17. Little is known of them.

Jebusites. See on Gen. 10:16. This people held the hill-fort Jebus, also called Jerusalem, or Salem (Joshua 15:63; 18:28; Judges 1:21; 2 Sam. 5:6, 8). The name Jerusalem is attested in Egyptian records of the 19th century b.c.

2. No covenant. See Ex. 23:32; 34:12. It was not God’s purpose that Israel should forever remain isolated from other nations. But until they had learned to trust and serve Him with a perfect heart, association with idolaters was fraught with danger. God intended the Hebrew people to be a light to the world, but so long as they were prone to absorb the darkness of others it was best for them to remain apart. With this danger past, Israel would be in a position to bear witness of the true God to the heathen nations about them (see Ex. 24:12; Num. 33:52).

3. Marriages with them. Intimate association with idolaters as in the home would affect not only the individual but the nation (see Ex. 34:15, 16). Solomon violated this principle, with untold personal and national loss as a result (1 Kings 11:1). There is no happiness or safety in making alliances with those who neither love nor serve God (1 Cor. 6:14–17). The tragic experiences of Esau (Gen. 26:34, 35), Samson (Judges 14:1), and others are eloquent in their witness favoring the admonition to remain separate.

4. Turn away. A man’s love for his wife, an idolater, would usually if not always turn his heart from God. This was a distinct danger against which Joshua warned (Joshua 23:11–13).

5. Their groves. These Хasherim were probably carved wooden pillars, consecrated to Asherah, a Canaanite goddess (see Deut. 16:21; Judges 6:25–30).

Burn. For a similar command see Num. 33:52. See also the zeal of David in respect to the images of the Philistines (1 Chron. 14:12).

6. An holy people. See Lev. 11:44, 45; 19:2; 20:7, 26. Holiness to Jehovah was to be the very constitution and norm ofconduct of the people. The primary meaning of the word translated “holy” is that of physical separateness. It then developed the idea of “consecration” or “dedication.” A “holy” people was a “separate” people, separate, that is, from the customs of the nations about them and dedicated exclusively to the service of God (see 1 Peter 2:9).

A special people. Literally, “a people of special possession.” The word translated “special” is from a root meaning “to acquire property.” The noun form here used means “private property,” “a possession.”

7. More in number. Compare the promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3; 15:1, 2). Even 200 years after the promise was given there were but 70 males in the chosen branch of his family (Gen. 46:26, 27).

8. The Lord loved you. Literally, “Jehovah, who is the lover of you.” God’s love may be compared to that of a parent for his children.

A mighty hand. The “mighty hand” of Jehovah is the hand of divine power, used to deliver His people and to strengthen them to fulfill their true destiny. This is seen in the development of Abraham’s seed into a mighty nation. God’s people went down into Egypt a family of 70, yet in due time the Lord made them “as the stars of heaven for multitude” (Deut. 10:22).

9. The faithful God. The word translated “faithful” is a participial form of the verb Хaman, from which, through the Greek, comes our word “amen.” The Hebrew verb means “to stay,” “to support,” “to be firm,” so stressing the idea of utter dependability.

Mercy. From chesed, a word without any exact English equivalent. It reflects the concepts of ardent love, earnest desire, selfless kindness, grace, favor, and mercy. It represents the summit of unselfishness in either God or man. The RSV renders the term by “steadfast love.”

Thousand generations. Equivalent in meaning to the expression “forever.” Reference is to the multitudes throughout history who enter the covenant relationship.

10. Repayeth them. Not in spite but as the One who rewards every man according to his just deserts (Eccl. 11:9; Rom. 2:6–11; Rev. 22:12). God is supremely just and patient, but His mercy (see on v. 9) toward any individual is limited by the welfare of all. Sin has wages, and he who has earned may expect to receive payment in full. Those who obstinately spurn His mercy (v. 9) will eventually and inevitably experience His wrath.

11. Keep the commandments. Literally, “keep the command,” perhaps in reference to the Decalogue as a whole, or to any one of its precepts applicable under the circumstances.

12. If ye hearken. The word translated “if” is actually a noun meaning “consequence.” It is usually used as an adverb meaning “as a consequence of,” “because of.” Accordingly, the translation here would be, not “if,” but, “as a consequence of,” pointing to the rewards for heeding the precepts of the Lord.

13. Bless thee. These rich promises are a reiteration of those made to their forefathers (Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 28:14; Lev. 26:4, 5; Jer. 31:12).

14. Barren. See Ex. 23:26. Fertility was considered the greatest of earthly blessings, as barrenness was the greatest curse.

15. The evil diseases of Egypt. In the Scriptures the most loathsome diseases are spoken of as being identified with Egypt (Ex. 15:26; Deut. 28:27, 35). Had Israel cooperated with the principles of healthful living given them by God, “feebleness and disease would have been unknown among them” (PP 378). They would have become models of health and physical stamina, and of increased mental and moral strength.

16. A snare. Literally, “a bait,” from the verb root, “to lay a bait.” In Amos 3:5 the word translated “snare” is entirely different from the one used here, and the word there translated “gin” is the one here rendered “snare.”

18. Not be afraid. The new generation was to avoid the spirit of fear exhibited by their fathers, as the result of which they perished in the wilderness (Num. 14:35). Fear, the opposite of faith, is unable to cooperate with God. This accounts for the fact that God could not lead the former generation into the land it might otherwise have been their privilege to enjoy (Heb. 3:12, 19).

19. Temptations. Literally, “tests” or “trials” but never in the Bible “temptations,” in the sense of allurements to evil. The reference here is to the evidences of divine power by which God sought to lead Pharaoh to release His people. By these God presented the king with convincing evidence that He was God, thus confronting him with a test that required him to choose between cooperation with God’s will or opposition to it.

20. The hornet. Probably used in a figurative sense (see on Ex. 23:28; see also Joshua 24:12).

21. God is among you. Compare the question of Moses before the rock in Horeb (Ex. 17:6, 7).

22. Little and little. That is, as they were prepared to occupy it (Ex. 23:29). If the land were permitted to revert to a wilderness, the difficulty facing the people of Israel would thereby be greatly increased.

23. Deliver them. Compare the variant expression of the same thought in Ex. 23:27.

24. Deliver their kings. Joshua lists 31 kings subdued during the conquest of Canaan (Joshua 12:7–24).

25. Silver or gold. Metals used to overlay wooden idols and ornaments adorning them (see Isa. 30:22). These would only become a snare to Israel (Joshua 7:21, 22), and were not of permanent value anyway.

26. A cursed thing. That is, devoted to destruction. To touch or harbor that which was destined for destruction was to suffer the same fate. Compare God’s message to Ahab (1 Kings 20:42).

Ellen G. White comments

1-26TM 141, 420

2     PK 570; PP 492

2-4PK 568

3     PP 369; 4T 508; 5T 363

3, 4 5T 328

4     4T 508; 5T 363

6     COL 288; MM 26; PK 18; TM 420; 5T 363; 6T 12

6, 7 1T 283

6-8TM 141; 2T 109; 5T 328

6-11FE 413

6-146T 222

7-9PP 464

9     COL 288; PP 118

9, 10    5T 363; 9T 251

11   TM 141

11-15COL 288

14   MH 283

15   DA 824; MH 114

26   MH 280