Keraia
Deuteronomy 7

Deuteronomy 7:1

Drive Out the Nations · Deuteronomy 7:1–11
Read Deuteronomy 7

Translations

Modern
When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—
Traditional
When 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;
Literal
When YHWH your God brings you into the land that you are going in to possess, and He has cast out many nations before you, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite—seven nations greater and mightier than you—
Latin
Cum introduxerit te Dominus Deus tuus in terram, quam possessurus ingrederis, et deleverit gentes multas coram te, Hethæum, et Gergezæum, et Amorrhæum, Chananæum, et Pherezæum, et Hevæum, et Jebusæum, septem gentes multo majoris numeri quam tu es, et robustiores te:

Original

Hebrew
English
When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—

Notes

Deuteronomy 7:1

  • The Hittites were from Anatolia, which is now north-central Turkey. They set up colonies in distant places like Syria and were also linked to Canaan in the list of ancient nations (see Genesis 10:15; 23:3–20). The Hittite empire ended suddenly around 1200 BC. But people called Hittites still lived in Israel, such as "Uriah the Hittite" (2 Samuel 11:3; 23:39).

    It is impossible to prove that the Hittites of Anatolia were the same as those mentioned in the Old Testament, but they were probably similar in some ways.

  • Girgashites were an otherwise unknown Canaanite group (Genesis 10:16–17).

  • For Amorites, see study note on Deuteronomy 1:4.

  • The Canaanites were the original people of Canaan, living there since 3000 BC. They descended from Noah’s son Ham (see Genesis 9:18–27).

  • The Perizzites are not in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10:16–17), so they might not have any connection to the Canaanites.

  • Many scholars think the Hivites were the same as the Horites (or Hurrians; see study note on Deuteronomy 2:1). They were a non-Semitic group found throughout the ancient Near East.

  • The Jebusites had a connection to Jerusalem (Judges 1:21; 2 Samuel 5:6–8). King David bought land from Araunah the Jebusite to build an altar (2 Samuel 24:15–25). This site was where Solomon later built his temple (2 Chronicles 3:1).

Deuteronomy 7:1–26

Before Israel could occupy the promised land, they had to remove the people already living there (compare Genesis 13:14–17; 15:18–21). The land belonged to the Lord, and only God could decide who should live there.

People

Amorites: Canaanite people group, enemies of Israel Girgashites: A Canaanite people group living in the Promised Land Heth: Son of Canaan and ancestor of the Hittites Hivites: A Canaanite people group Jebusites: Canaanite tribe inhabiting Jerusalem before David's conquest Perizzites: Canaanite people group living in the land of Canaan

Places

Canaan: Ancient region; descendants of Ham; promised to Abraham's descendants

Glossary

Ahab (King) Alliance Amorites Archaeology and the Bible Biblical Concept of Law Canaan, Canaanite Conquest and Allotment of the Land Deuteronomy, Book of Elephantine Papyri Genealogy Girgashites Hittites Holy War Holy War Jebus, Jebusite Mixed Marriage Perizzite

Topics

Amorites: Given to Descendants of Abraham Canaanites: Eleven Nations, Descended from Canaan Canaanites: Given to the Israelites Girgashites: Land of, Given to Abraham and his Descendants Hittites: Israel Commanded to Destroy Hittites: One of the Seven Nations of Canaan Hittites: Their Land Given to the Israelites Hivites: Israel Commanded to Destroy Hivites: One of the Seven Nations of Canaan Jebusites: One of the Tribes of Canaan Judgments: Upon the Canaanites Obligation: A Motive of Obedience The Canaanites: Comprised Seven Distinct Nations The Canaanites: Great and Mighty War: God: Frequently Ordered