For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
Read it in contextDrive Out the Nations
Start reading at Deuteronomy 7:1 (Deuteronomy 7:1 to Deuteronomy 7:11).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
7:1When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
7:2And 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:
7:3Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
7:4For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
7:5But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
7:6For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
7:7The 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:
7:8But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
7:9Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
7:10And 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.
7:11Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Moses is the principal speaker and is expressly credited with writing the law. The account of his death was supplied by a later hand; identifying that final writer as Joshua is traditional, not certain. Biblical references: Deuteronomy 31:9; Deuteronomy 31:24; Deuteronomy 34:5. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). stated in the text
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Deuteronomy 5:1–11:32): Moses addresses Israel about covenant loyalty, recalling Horeb, the wilderness, and God's provisions. Fathers and children are included in the community commanded to learn and obey. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel assembled in Moab before entering Canaan, and their children and later generations who were to hear the law read. Biblical references: Deuteronomy 1:1; Deuteronomy 29:10; Deuteronomy 31:12. stated in the text
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? Drive Out the Nations. Read Deuteronomy 7:1 through Deuteronomy 7:11 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? Moses speaks at the end of the wilderness period, before Israel crosses the Jordan. Deuteronomy 1:3 identifies the fortieth year and gives a month and day. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The speeches are set in Moab east of the Jordan, recalling earlier places and anticipating life in Canaan. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Drive Out the Nations (Deuteronomy 7:1 to Deuteronomy 7:11).
Start reading at Deuteronomy 7:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Acts applies Moses' promise of a prophet to Jesus, and Jesus uses Deuteronomy in His answers during temptation. These are explicit New Testament connections to the book. See Deuteronomy 18:15, Acts 3:22, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 4:7. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Remember what God has done and join hearing with obedience. Preserve the covenant audience and conditions when applying promises about land, blessing, judgment, and return. interpretation
Cited: Deuteronomy 7:1, Deuteronomy 7:11, Deuteronomy 18:15, Acts 3:22, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 4:7
Early traditionJewish tradition (Baba Bathra 14b) and the early church name Moses.
What is debatedChapter 34 records the death of Moses, so even conservative scholars hold that a later hand, often identified as Joshua, added the closing account. Critical scholars date the book much later, to the seventh century B.C.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Deuteronomy 7
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Moses addresses Israel in Moab before the people cross the Jordan. The speeches recall the wilderness, expound covenant obligations, and confront the next generation with choices and consequences. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Deuteronomy
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Moses addresses Israel in Moab before the people cross the Jordan. The speeches recall the wilderness, expound covenant obligations, and confront the next generation with choices and consequences.
Connection to the wholeThe covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
Connection to the wholeDetailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people.
Connection to the wholeThe speeches set out covenant consequences and call Israel to choose life through love and obedience rather than presume upon privilege.