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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834], at sacred-texts.com


Deuteronomy Chapter 7

Deuteronomy 7:1

deu 7:1

See Deu 6:10 note.

Deu 7:5

Their groves - Render, their idols of wood: the reference is to the wooden trunk used as a representation of Ashtaroth; see Deu 7:13 and Exo 34:13 note.

Deu 7:7

The fewest of all people - God chose for Himself Israel, when as yet but a single family, or rather a single person, Abraham; though there were already numerous nations and powerful kingdoms in the earth. Increase Deu 1:10; Deu 10:22 had taken place because of the very blessing of God spoken of in Deu 7:8.

Deu 7:10

Repayeth them that hate him to their face - i. e., punishes His enemies in their own proper persons.

Deuteronomy 7:13

deu 7:13

Flocks of thy sheep - Render it instead: "the ewes of thy sheep." The phrase is unique to Deuteronomy. The Hebrew word for "ewes" is the plural form of Ashtoreth, the well-known name of the "goddess of the Zidonians" Kg1 11:5. This goddess, called by the Classical writers "Astarte," and identified with "Venus," represented the fruitfulness of nature.

Deuteronomy 7:15

deu 7:15

There seems to be here not so much as a reference to the plagues inflicted miraculously by God on Egypt (compare Exo 15:26), as to the terrible diseases with which, above other countries, Egypt was infested. Compare Deu 28:27, Deu 28:35. It is not without significance that Egypt, which represents in Scripture the world as contrasted with the Church, should thus above other lands lie under the power of disease and death.

Deuteronomy 7:25

deu 7:25

The silver or gold that is on them - The silver and gold with which the statues of the gods were overlaid. Paul is probably alluding to this command in Rom 2:22; and his accusation of the Jew thus shows that the prohibition of the text was very necessary.

Lest thou be snared - As by the rich ephod made by Gideon: compare the marginal reference.


Next: Deuteronomy Chapter 8