Chú giải chương
Deuteronomy Chương 7
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繁體中文
bản gốc tiếng anh
Moses in this chapter exhorts Israel, I. In general, to keep God's commandments, De 8:11,12. II. In particular, and in order to that, to keep themselves pure from all communion with idolaters. 1. They must utterly destroy the seven devoted nations, and not spare them, or make leagues with them, De 8:1,2,16,24. 2. They must by no means marry with the remainders of them, De 8:3,4. 3. They must deface and consume their altars and images, and not so much as take the silver and gold of them to their own use, De 8:5,25,26. To enforce this charge, he shows that they were bound to do so, (1.) In duty. Considering [1.] Their election to God, De 8:6. [2.] The reason of that election, De 8:7,8. [3.] The terms they stood upon with God, De 8:9,10. (2.) In interest. It is here promised, [1.] In general, that, if they would serve God, he would bless and prosper them, De 8:12-15. [2.] In particular, that if they would drive out the nations, that they might not be a temptation to them, God would drive them out, that they should not be any vexation to them, De 8:17-26, etc.
1-26
A Caution Against Idolatry (1451 BC)
繁體中文
防備偶像崇拜的警告（主前1451年）
1 「耶和華─你 神領你進入要得為業之地，從你面前趕出許多國民，就是赫人、革迦撒人、亞摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人，共七個比你更強大的國民；
2 耶和華─你的 神將他們交給你擊殺，那時你要把他們盡然滅絕；不可與他們立約，也不可憐恤他們。
3 不可與他們結親。不可將你的女兒嫁給他們的兒子，也不可叫你的兒子娶他們的女兒；
4 因為他必使你兒子轉離不跟從我，去事奉別神，以致耶和華向你們發怒，忽然將你們滅絕。
5 你們卻要這樣待他們：拆毀他們的祭壇，打碎他們的柱像，砍下他們的木偶，用火焚燒他們雕刻的偶像。
6 因為你歸耶和華─你的 神為聖潔的民；耶和華─你的 神從地上的萬民中揀選你，特作自己的子民。
7 「耶和華專愛你們，揀選你們，並非因你們的人數多於別民；原來你們在萬民中是最少的。
8 只因耶和華愛你們，又因要守他向你們列祖所起的誓，就用大能的手領你們出來，從為奴之家救贖你們脫離埃及王法老的手。
9 所以，你要知道耶和華─你的 神，他是 神，是信實的 神；向愛他、守他誡命的人守約，施慈愛，直到千代；
10 向恨他的人當面報應他們，將他們滅絕。凡恨他的人，他必報應他們，決不遲延。
11 所以，你要謹守遵行我今日所吩咐你的誡命、律例、典章。
此處記的是：一、極其嚴格地警告他們不可與偶像和拜偶像者有任何友誼和交往。 凡被帶入與 神相交的，就不可與那「黑暗無果的作為」有分。為防備擺在他們面前的這個網羅，他們受囑咐要注意以下幾件事。
1. 他們不可憐恤他們（申7:1,2）。此處派給他們的是流血的工作，然而這是 神的工作，是善工，在它的時候和場合是必要、可悅、可敬的。
（1） 神在此承諾要盡他的分。此處把 神要「領他們進入應許之地」、要在他們面前趕出那地現今的佔據者——列國——作為理所當然的事，毫不留疑的餘地。他的大能無可抗拒，所以他能作；他的應許不可違背，所以他必作。如今，〔一〕這些被獻上歸滅的列國在此被點名計數（申7:1），共七國，七比一是極大的差距。他們被一一指明，使以色列得以知道他們權限的邊界：他們的嚴厲到此為止，不可再進一步；他們也不可打著這權限的旗號，殺盡一切擋路的人；不，這裏就是浪潮止息之處。把這權限制限於此處所提的列國，明明暗示後世不可把這事當作先例；這也不能用來為那些不留活口的野蠻律法辯護。儘管 神親自吩咐時，這方法與那種宰殺焚燒大量牲畜為祭的安排相符；但如今一切贖罪之祭既已在基督寶血所造成的大挽回祭裏得以完全並被取代，人血或許比從前更為寶貴，那些最有權柄的人也不可揮霍它。〔二〕此處承認他們比以色列更強大。他們早已在這地扎根，而以色列來時是客旅；他們人數更多，身量更魁梧，比以色列更精通戰事；然而這一切都不能阻擋他們在以色列面前被趕出。以色列仇敵的力量越發顯出以色列之 神的大能——他必勝過他們。
（2）他要他們盡自己的分。你要「擊殺他們，把他們盡然滅絕」（申7:2）。 神既把他們趕出，以色列就不可收留他們——即使作租客、作進貢者、作僕人也不可。不可與他們立任何約，不可向他們施憐憫。這嚴厲的命令之所以設立，〔一〕是作為對他們和他們列祖所犯之惡的刑罰。亞摩利人的罪惡如今已經滿溢，越久積存，報復來時便越發慘烈。〔二〕是為了防止他們若被存活下來對 神的以色列所造成的危害。這些可憎之民不可與聖潔的種類混雜，免得他們敗壞他們。寧可這一切性命從地上喪失，不可讓信仰和對 神的真敬拜在以色列中喪失。我們對付那與我們靈魂為敵的私慾也當如此： 神已憑那應許——罪必不能作你們的主——將它們交在我們手中，除非這是我們自己的過失；那麼我們就不可與它們立約，也不可向它們施憐憫，卻要治死它們、釘它們十字架，把它們盡然滅絕。
2. 他們不可與那些逃脫刀劍的人結親（申7:3,4）。迦南人的家族古老，其中大概有些被稱為尊貴的，這可能成為以色列人的試探，尤其是他們當中在支派中最不顯眼的人，去追求與他們聯姻，以提高自己血統的尊貴；又因為他們熟悉那地，在改良那地的事上可能對他們有益：但信仰和對 神的敬畏必須勝過這一切考慮。與他們通婚之所以不合法，是因為這危險；正是這事給古時的世界帶來致命的後果（創6:2），如今這世界中已有千萬人因不敬虔的婚姻而敗亡；因為在信仰不同的婚姻中，善良的一方被帶壞的危險，總比敗壞的一方被挽回的希望更大。後來的事證實了這警告的合理性：「他們必使你的兒子轉離不跟從我。」所羅門在這事上的愚行使他付出慘重代價。我們看到為這與外邦女子結婚的罪有過全國性的悔改，並鄭重地改革（拉9:1–10:44；尼13:1-31）；新約也有告誡，不可與不信的人同負一軛（林後6:14）。那些在擇偶時不至少把信仰上可靠的承認作為範圍的人，不能指望為自己得著合宜的幫助。迦勒底文的意譯本在此加上一句，作為這命令（申7:3）的理由：因為與拜偶像者結婚的，實際上就是與他們的偶像結婚。
3. 他們必須毀滅他們偶像崇拜的一切遺跡（申7:5）。他們的祭壇和柱像、他們的木偶和雕刻的偶像，一切都必須毀掉——既出於對偶像崇拜聖潔的憤恨，也為防止傳染。這命令從前已經給過（出23:24；34:13）。百姓曾以敬虔的熱心作了許多這類善工（代下31:1），約西亞也曾如此行（代下34:3,7）；與此可比較的，是焚燒那些行邪術的書（徒19:19）。
二、 此處有很好的理由來強化這警告。
1. 神揀選這百姓歸他自己（申7:6）。 神與以色列之間所立的約和相交，與他和世上任何別的百姓所立的不同。他們豈可以偶像崇拜羞辱那位這樣尊榮他們的？豈可以輕看待那位這樣向他們證明慈愛的？ 神既這樣把他們高舉在萬民之上，他們豈可把自己與別人放在同等地位？ 神既收納他們特作自己的子民，而不收納別人，他們豈可不收納 神特作自己的 神，而不接納別的？
2. 使這揀選成立的恩典之白免性。（1）他們身上毫無可推薦他們或使他們配得這恩寵之處。帝王榮耀在乎民多（箴14:28）。但他們的人數微不足道；下埃及時不過七十人，在那裏雖然大大增長，卻仍有許多別的國家人數更多：「你們在萬民中是最少的」（申7:7）。耶路撒冷他珥根的作者在翻譯這話時，對本國的恭維過了分：你們在心靈上謙卑，比萬民都溫柔；這恰恰相反：他們寧可說是比萬民更頑梗、性情更惡劣。（2） 神純粹從自己身上取這理由（申7:8）。〔一〕他愛你們，是因為他願意愛你們。「父啊，是的，因為你的美意本是如此。」 神所愛的一切，他都是白白地愛（何14:4）。滅亡的人是因自己的功勞滅亡，得救的人全是因特權得救。〔二〕他作成他的工，是因為他要守他的話。「他領你們出埃及，是為要履行向你列祖所起的誓。」他們身上或他們所行的一切，都不會、也不能使 神欠他們的債；他卻因自己的應許使自己成了欠債的——他必成就這應許，不顧他們的不配。
3. 他們被接入之約的性質；簡言之就是：他們怎樣待 神， 神也必怎樣待他們。他們必發現他：（1）對他的朋友慈愛（申7:9）。「耶和華你的 神不像列國的神明——那些幻想的產物，作輕浮詩歌的題材尚可，卻不是嚴肅敬拜的適當對象；不，他是 神，是真 神，是獨一的 神，是信實的 神——他不僅能並樂意成就自己的應許，也能回應敬拜者一切合理的期望；他必守約施慈愛」——就是「按著約向愛他、守他誡命的人施慈愛」（我們若不認真對待他的誡命，就徒然假裝愛他）；「這」（此處加上以解明第二條誡命中的應許）「不僅是向千人流及，更是向千代流及——那泉源如此不竭，那些溪流如此常流！」（2）對他的仇敵公義：他向恨他的人報應（申7:10）。當注意：〔一〕故意犯罪的人就是恨 神的人；因為肉體的心思是與他為敵的。拜偶像的人更是如此，因為他們與他的對手結盟。〔二〕恨 神的人不能傷害他，卻必定毀滅自己。他必當面報應他們——無視他們和他們無力的惡意。論到他的箭，說是為他們的臉預備好了（詩21:12）。或者，他必把那些審判臨到他們身上，使這些審判在他們自己看來，正是他們拜偶像當受的公正刑罰。可比較伯21:19：他報應他，他自己必知道。 報應看似緩慢，卻不耽延。惡人和罪人必在地上受報（箴11:31）。我不能略過耶路撒冷他珥根對這處的註解，因為它道出了猶太教會對來世的信仰：他把恨他之人的善工的賞賜在今世報應給他們，好叫他在來世可以毀滅他們。
12 「你們若聽從這些典章，謹守遵行，耶和華─你的 神就必照他向你列祖所起的誓，向你守約施慈愛。
13 他必愛你，賜福與你，使你人數增多；他也必在他向你列祖起誓賜給你的地上，賜福與你身所生的、地所產的，並你的五穀、新酒，和油，以及你的牛犢、羊羔。
14 你必蒙福勝過萬民；你們無論男女，都不會不育；你的牲畜也是如此。
15 耶和華必使一切的病症離開你；你所知道埃及各樣的惡疾，他不加在你身上，只加在一切恨你的人身上。
16 耶和華─你的 神所要交給你的一切百姓，你要把他們吞滅；你眼不可顧惜他們。你也不可事奉他們的神，因這必成為你的網羅。
17 「你若心裏說：『這些國的人比我更多，我怎能趕出他們呢？』
18 你不要懼怕他們，只要牢牢記念耶和華─你的 神向法老和全埃及所行的事，
19 就是你親眼所看見的大試驗、神蹟、奇事，和大能的手，伸出來的膀臂——耶和華─你的 神領你出來所憑的；照樣，耶和華─你的 神必向你所懼怕的眾民照樣行。
20 並且耶和華─你的 神必打發黃蜂飛到他們中間，直到那剩下而躲藏的人從你面前滅亡。
21 你不要因他們驚恐，因為耶和華─你的 神在你們中間，是大而可畏的 神。
22 耶和華─你的 神必將這些國的民從你面前漸漸趕出；你不可把他們一時速速滅盡，恐怕野地的獸多起來害你。
23 耶和華─你的 神必將他們交給你，大大的擾亂他們，直到他們滅絕。
24 又要將他們的君王交在你手中；你就使他們的名從天下消滅。必無一人能在你面前站立得住，直到你將他們滅絕了。
25 他們雕刻的神像，你們要用火焚燒。其上的金銀，你不可貪圖，也不可收取，免得你因此陷入網羅；因為這原是耶和華─你的 神所憎惡的。
26 可憎的物，你不可帶進家去；免得你與它一同成了當毀滅的。你要十分厭惡、十分憎嫌，因為這是當毀滅的物。
此處：**一、**重複對偶像崇拜的警告，並重複對與拜偶像者交往的警告：「你要吞滅那些百姓，不可事奉他們的神」（申7:16）。我們若樂意與那行黑暗作為的人交往，就危險會與那些作為有分。此處又重複毀壞偶像的命令（申7:25,26）。外邦人所敬拜的偶像，在 神看是可憎的，所以在以色列看也當如此：凡真心愛 神的，必恨他所恨的。當看這是如何向他們強調的：「你要十分厭惡、十分憎嫌」；我們對罪——那耶和華所恨惡的可憎之物——也當有這樣聖潔的憤慨。他們不可存留這些形像來滿足貪心：「其上的金銀你不可貪圖」，也不可認為把它毀了可惜。亞干因把當滅之物歸己使用而付出了慘重代價。他們也不可存留它們來滿足好奇心：「你也不可帶進家去，作為飾物掛著，或作為古物保存。不，把它丟進火裏——那才是它最合適的去處。」這警告有兩個理由：1. 免得你因此陷入網羅（申7:25），就是「免得你不覺之中被牽引去喜愛它、寶愛它、想像它、對它表示敬意」。2. 免得你與它一同成了當毀滅的（申7:26）。造偶像的人被說成像它們一樣愚頑無知；此處說他們在更壞的意義上像它們——被 神咒詛、歸於毀滅。把這兩個理由並看，便可見凡使我們陷入網羅的，必使我們落在咒詛之下。
**二、**他們若順服， 神必向施恩——這應許以極其動人的豐富和流暢加以擴充，這表明我們作敬虔的人，既是 神所渴望的，也是我們自己的利益所在。此處給他們一切可能的保證：
1. 他們若誠心盡力履行他們在約中當盡的分， 神就必履行他的分。他必向你守向你列祖所起的誓、所立的約、所施的慈愛（申7:12）。我們在本分上恒常，便不能質疑 神慈愛的恒常。
2. 他們若愛 神、事奉他，把自己和自己所有的獻給他，他必愛他們、賜福與他們、使他們大大增多（申7:13,14）。他們還能要求甚麼使他們更為有福呢？（1）「他必愛你。」他先愛我們（約一4:10）；我們若以孝順的本分回報他的愛，那麼、也只有那時，我們才能期望這愛的延續（約14:21）。（2）「他必賜福與你，以他愛的記號賜福你，勝過萬民。」他們若以獨特的事奉使自己與鄰舍有別， 神也必以獨特的福分使他們在鄰舍之上得尊榮。（3）「他必使你增多。」增多是為著充滿世界而設的古老福分，曾一而再地賜下（創1:28；9:1），此處則為充滿迦南——那獨成一小世界之地——而賜下。他們家族和牲畜的增長都蒙應許：他們必不至有產業而無後嗣，也不至有後嗣而無產業，卻要得著完全的滿足——有許多兒女，又有豐富的供應和產業分給他們。
3. 他們若保守自己免受埃及各樣偶像崇拜的污染， 神就必使他們免除埃及的疾病（申7:15）。這看來不僅指他們藉以得釋放的那些埃及災殃，更指他們記得在埃及人中間流行的某種地方性疫症（如我們所稱）， 神曾藉此因他們全國的罪懲罰他們。疾病是 神的僕役；它們去他所差遣之處，行他所吩咐之事。所以治死我們靈魂的罪，對我們身體的健康是有益的。
4. 他們若盡行滅絕那些當滅的列國，他們就必能剪除他們，無人能在以色列面前站立得住。他們在這事上的本分本身就成為他們的益處：「你要吞滅耶和華─你的 神所交付你的一切百姓」——這是誡命（申7:16）；而「耶和華─你的 神必將他們交給你，大大擾亂他們，直到他們滅絕」——這是應許（申7:23）。照樣，我們受命不可容罪作王，不可放縱自己其中，不可給它留地步，卻要恨它並與之爭戰；那麼 神就應許了罪必不能作我們的主（羅6:12,14），我們必勝過它有餘。征服迦南的困難和疑難曾是他們祖先的絆腳石，摩西在此針對那些最可能使他們灰心的事激勵他們，吩咐他們不要怕他們（申7:18，又見申7:21）。（1）不要因仇敵的人數和力量而灰心：「你不要說：他們比我更多，我怎能趕出他們呢？」（申7:17）我們容易以為人數最多的必勝：但為使以色列抵擋這試探，摩西提醒他們法老和埃及全軍的傾覆（申7:18,19）。他們已經看見 神領他們出埃及所行的大試驗（或作神蹟，如迦勒底文所譯）、神蹟奇事——這是為要領他們進入迦南而行的；由此容易推論： 神既能也必趕出迦南人（他們雖然可畏，卻沒有埃及人那樣攻擊以色列的優勢；能作更大的，必能作更小的）；他既已開始，就必成全。「所以你要牢牢記念」（申7:18）。 神的話和作為若被用作我們信心與順服的幫助，便是記念得好。凡在我們需要時隨時可取用的，便是收存得好。（2）不要因自己軍隊的軟弱和不足而灰心；因為 神必差遣黃蜂（或作胡蜂，如某些譯本所譯）（申7:20），大概比尋常的更大，要如此驚嚇和攪擾他們的仇敵（或許還要作許多人的死因），使他們人數最多的軍隊也成為以色列容易的獵物。 神曾用蒼蠅災擊打埃及人，卻用黃蜂擊打迦南人。那些不因別人較輕的審判受警誡的，當為自己預料更大的審判。但以色列最大的鼓勵是： 神在他們中間，是大而可畏的 神（申7:21）。 神若為我們、與我們同在，我們就不必懼怕任何受造之物的能力攻擊我們。（3）不要因軍事進展緩慢而灰心，也不要以為迦南人若頭一年不被趕出便永不能制伏；不，他們必須漸漸被趕出，而非一時被除盡（申7:22）。當注意：我們不可因教會的解救和仇敵的毀滅沒有立即成就，就以為永不能成就。 神必按他自己的方法和時間成就他自己的工作，而我們可以確信這總是最好的。照樣，敗壞也是漸漸從信徒心中被趕出的。成聖之工是逐步進行的；但那審判至終必顯為完全的勝利。此處所給的理由（如前出23:29,30）是：恐怕野地的獸多起來害你。 神已把地賜給世人；所以寧可留下一些迦南人佔據，直到以色列人數增多足以充滿那地，也不可讓它成為野狗的住處和野獸的居所（賽34:13,14）。其實 神本可防止野獸的這一禍患（利26:6）。但驕傲和安逸，以及安定繁榮所常帶來的其他罪惡，是比田間的野獸更危險的仇敵，而這些卻容易在他們中間增多（士3:1,4）。
bản gốc tiếng anh
A Caution Against Idolatry (1451 BC)
¹ 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;
² And 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 show mercy unto them:
³ Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
⁴ For 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.
⁵ But 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.
⁶ For thou art a 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 The 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:
⁸ But 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.
⁹ Know 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;
¹⁰ And 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.
¹¹ Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
Here is, I. A very strict caution against all friendship and fellowship with idols and idolaters. Those that are taken into communion with God must have no communication with the unfruitful works of darkness. These things they are charged about for the preventing of this snare now before them.
1. They must show them no mercy, De 7:1,2. Bloody work is here appointed them, and yet it is God's work, and good work, and in its time and place needful, acceptable, and honourable.
(1.) God here engages to do his part. It is spoken of as a thing taken for granted that God would bring them into the land of promise, that he would cast out the nations before them, who were the present occupants of that land; no room was left to doubt of that. His power is irresistible, and therefore he can do it; his promise is inviolable, and therefore he will do it. Now, [1.] These devoted nations are here named and numbered (De 7:1), seven in all, and seven to one are great odds. They are specified, that Israel might know the bounds and limits of their commission: hitherto their severity must come, but no further; nor must they, under colour of this commission, kill all that came in their way; no, here must its waves be stayed. The confining of this commission to the nations here mentioned plainly intimates that after-ages were not to draw this into a precedent; this will not serve to justify those barbarous laws which give no quarter. How agreeable soever this method might be, when God himself prescribed it, to that dispensation under which such multitudes of beasts were killed and burned in sacrifice, now that all sacrifices of atonement are perfected in, and superseded by, the great propitiation made by the blood of Christ, human blood has become perhaps more precious than it was, and those that have most power yet must not be prodigal of it. [2.] They are here owned to be greater and mightier than Israel. They had been long rooted in this land, to which Israel came strangers; they were more numerous, had men much more bulky and more expert in war than Israel had; yet all this shall not prevent their being cast out before Israel. The strength of Israel's enemies magnifies the power of Israel's God, who will certainly be too hard for them.
(2.) He engages them to do their part. Thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them, De 7:2. If God cast them out, Israel must not take them in, no, not as tenants, nor tributaries, nor servants. Not covenant of any kind must be made with them, no mercy must be shown them. This severity was appointed, [1.] By way of punishment for the wickedness they and their fathers had been guilty of. The iniquity of the Amorites was now full, and the longer it had been in the filling the sorer was the vengeance when it came at last. [2.] In order to prevent the mischiefs they would do to God's Israel if they were left alive. The people of these abominations must not be mingled with the holy seed, lest they corrupt them. Better that all these lives should be lost from the earth than that religion and the true worship of God should be lost in Israel. Thus we must deal with our lusts that was against our souls; God has delivered them into our hands by that promise, Sin shall not have dominion over you, unless it be your own faults; let not us them make covenants with them, nor show them any mercy, but mortify and crucify them, and utterly destroy them.
2. They must make no marriages with those of them that escaped the sword, De 7:3,4. The families of the Canaanites were ancient, and it is probable that some of them were called honourable, which might be a temptation to the Israelites, especially those of them that were of least note in their tribes, to court an alliance with them, to ennoble their blood; and the rather because their acquaintance with the country might be serviceable to them in the improvement of it: but religion, and the fear of God, must overrule all these considerations. To intermarry with them was therefore unlawful, because it was dangerous; this very thing had proved of fatal consequence to the old world (Ge 6:2), and thousands in the world that now is have been undone by irreligious ungodly marriages; for there is more ground of fear in mixed marriages that the good will be perverted than of hope that the bad will be converted. The event proved the reasonableness of this warning: They will turn away thy son from following me. Solomon paid dearly for his folly herein. We find a national repentance for this sin of marrying strange wives, and care taken to reform (Ezr 9:1-10:44, Ne 13:1-31), and a New-Testament caution not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, 2Co 6:14. Those that in choosing yokefellows keep not at least within the bounds of a justifiable profession of religion cannot promise themselves helps meet for them. One of the Chaldee paraphrases adds here, as a reason of this command (De 7:3), For he that marries with idolaters does in effect marry with their idols.
3. They must destroy all the relics of their idolatry, De 7:5. Their altars and pillars, their groves and graven images, all must be destroyed, both in a holy indignation against idolatry and to prevent infection. This command was given before, Ex 23:24,34:13. A great deal of good work of this kind was done by the people, in their pious zeal (2Ch 31:1), and by good Josiah (2Ch 34:3,7), and with this may be compared the burning of the conjuring books, Ac 19:19.
II. Here are very good reasons to enforce this caution.
1. The choice which God had made of this people for his own, De 7:6. There was such a covenant and communion established between God and Israel as was not between him and any other people in the world. Shall they by their idolatries dishonour him who had thus honoured them? Shall they slight him who had thus testified his kindness for them? Shall they put themselves upon the level with other people, when God had thus dignified and advanced them above all people? Had God taken them to be a special people to him, and no other but them, and will not they take God to be a special God to them, and no other but him?
2. The freeness of that grace which made this choice. (1.) There was nothing in them to recommend or entitle them to this favour. In multitude of the people is the king's honour, Pr 14:28. But their number was inconsiderable; they were only seventy souls when they went down into Egypt, and, though greatly increased there, yet there were many other nations more numerous: You were the fewest of all people, De 7:7. The author of the Jerusalem Targum passes too great a compliment upon his nation in his reading this, You were humble in spirit, and meek above all people; quite contrary: they were rather stiff-necked and ill-natured above all people. (2.) God fetched the reason of it purely from himself, De 7:8. [1.] He loved you because he would love you. Even so, Father, because it seemed good in thy eyes. All that God loves he loves freely, Hos 14:4. Those that perish perish by their own merits, but all that are saved are saved by prerogative. [2.] He has done his work because he would keep his word. "He has brought you out of Egypt in pursuance of the oath sworn to your fathers." Nothing in them, or done by them, did or could make God a debtor to them; but he had made himself a debtor to his own promise, which he would perform notwithstanding their unworthiness.
3. The tenour of the covenant into which they were taken; it was in short this, That as they were to God so God would be to them. They should certainly find him, (1.) Kind to his friends, De 7:9. "The Lord thy God is not like the gods of the nations, the creatures of fancy, subjects fit enough for loose poetry, but no proper objects of serious devotion; no, he is God, God indeed, God alone, the faithful God, able and ready not only to fulfil his own promises, but to answer all the just expectations of his worshippers, and he will certainly keep covenant and mercy," that is, "show mercy according to covenant, to those that love him and keep his commandments" (and in vain do we pretend to love him if we do not make conscience of his commandments); "and this" (as is here added for the explication of the promise in the second commandment) "not only to thousands of persons, but to thousands of generations—so inexhaustible is the fountain, so constant are the streams!" (2.) Just to his enemies: He repays those that hate him, De 7:10. Note, [1.] Wilful sinners are haters of God; for the carnal mind is enmity against him. Idolaters are so in a special manner, for they are in league with his rivals. [2.] Those that hate God cannot hurt him, but certainly ruin themselves. He will repay them to their face, in defiance of them and all their impotent malice. His arrows are said to be made ready against the face of them, Ps 21:12. Or, He will bring those judgments upon them which shall appear to themselves to be the just punishment of their idolatry. Compare Job 21:19, He rewardeth him, and he shall know it. Though vengeance seem to be slow, yet it is not slack. The wicked and sinner shall be recompensed in the earth, Pr 11:31. I cannot pass the gloss of the Jerusalem Targum upon this place, because it speaks the faith of the Jewish church concerning a future state: He recompenses to those that hate him the reward of their good works in this world, that he may destroy them in the world to come.
¹² Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:
¹³ And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
¹⁴ Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.
¹⁵ And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.
¹⁶ And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.
¹⁷ If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?
¹⁸ Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;
¹⁹ The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.
²⁰ Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.
²¹ Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.
²² And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
²³ But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.
²⁴ And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.
²⁵ The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.
²⁶ Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.
Here, I. The caution against idolatry is repeated, and against communion with idolaters: "Thou shalt consume the people, and not serve their gods." De 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, De 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 hates what he hates. Observe how this is urged upon them: Thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; such a holy indignation as this must we conceive against sin, that abominable thing which the Lord hates. They must not retain the images to gratify their covetousness: Thou shalt not desire the silver nor gold that is on them, nor think it a pity to have that destroyed. Achan paid dearly for converting that to his own use which was an anathema. Nor must they retain them to gratify their curiosity: "Neither shalt thou bring it into thy house, to be hung up as an ornament, or preserved as a monument of antiquity. No, to the fire with it, that is the fittest place for it." Two reasons are given for this caution:—1. Lest thou be snared therein (De 7:25), that is, "Lest thou be drawn, ere thou art aware, to like it and love it, to fancy it and pay respect to it" 2. Lest thou be a cursed thing like it, De 7:26. Those that make images are said to be like the, stupid and senseless; here they are said to be in a worse sense like them, accursed of God and devoted to destruction. Compare these two reasons together, and observe that whatever brings us into a snare brings us under a curse.
II. The promise of God's favour to them, if they would be obedient, is enlarged upon with a most affecting copiousness and fluency of expression, which intimates how much it is both God's desire and our own interest that we be religious. All possible assurance is here given them,
1. That, if they would sincerely endeavour to do their part of the covenant, God would certainly perform his part. He shall keep the mercy which he swore to thy fathers, De 7:12. Let us be constant in our duty, and we cannot question the constancy of God's mercy.
2. That if they would love God and serve him, and devote themselves and theirs to him, he would love them, and bless them, and multiply them greatly, De 7:13,14. What could they desire more to make them happy? (1.) "He will love thee." He began in love to us (1Jo 4:10), and, if we return his love in filial duty, then, and then only, we may expect the continuance of it, Joh 14:21. (2.) "He will bless thee with the tokens of his love above all people." If they would distinguish themselves from their neighbours by singular services, God would dignify them above their neighbours by singular blessings. (3.) "He will multiply thee." Increase was the ancient blessing for the peopling of the world, once and again (Ge 1:28,9:1), and here for the peopling of Canaan, that little world by itself. The increase both of their families and of their stock is promised: they should neither have estates without heirs nor heirs without estates, but should have the complete satisfaction of having many children and plentiful provisions and portions for them.
3. That, if they would keep themselves pure from the idolatries of Egypt, God would keep them clear from the diseases of Egypt, De 7:15. It seems to refer not only to those plagues of Egypt by the force of which they were delivered, but to some other epidemical country disease (as we call it), which they remembered the prevalency of among the Egyptians, and by which God had chastised them for their national sins. Diseases are God's servants; they go where he sends them, and do what he bids them. It is therefore good for the health of our bodies to mortify the sin of our souls.
4. That, if they would cut off the devoted nations, they should cut them off, and none should be able to stand before them. Their duty in this matter would itself be their advantage: Thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee—this is the precept (De 7:16); and the Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them—this is the promise, De 7:23. Thus we are commanded not to let sin reign, not to indulge ourselves in it nor give countenance to it, but to hate it and strive against it; and then God has promised that sin shall not have dominion over us (Ro 6:12,14), but that we shall be more than conquerors over it. The difficulty and doubtfulness of the conquest of Canaan having been a stone of stumbling to their fathers, Moses here animates them against those things which were most likely to discourage them, bidding them not to be afraid of them, De 7:18, and again, De 7:21. (1.) Let them not be disheartened by the number and strength of their enemies: Say not, They are more than I, how can I dispossess them? De 7:17. We are apt to think that the most numerous must needs be victorious: but, to fortify Israel against this temptation, Moses reminds them of the destruction of Pharaoh and all the power of Egypt, De 7:18,19. They had seen the great temptations, or miracles (so the Chaldee reads it), the signs and wonders, wherewith God had brought them out of Egypt, in order to his bringing them into Canaan, and thence might easily infer that God could dispossess the Canaanites (who, though formidable enough, had not such advantages against Israel as the Egyptians had; he that had done the greater could do the less), and that he would dispossess them, otherwise his bringing Israel out of Egypt had been no kindness to them. He that begun would finish. Thou shalt therefore well remember this, De 7:18. The word and works of God are well remembered when they are improved as helps to our faith and obedience. That is well laid up which is ready to us when we have occasion to use it. (2.) Let them not be disheartened by the weakness and deficiency of their own forces; for God will send them in auxiliary troops of hornets, or wasps, as some read it (De 7:20), probably larger than ordinary, which would so terrify and molest their enemies (and perhaps be the death of many to them) that their most numerous armies would become an easy prey to Israel. God plagued the Egyptians with flies, but the Canaanites with hornets. Those who take not warning by less judgments on others may expect greater on themselves. But the great encouragement of Israel was that they had God among them, a mighty God and terrible, De 7:21. And if God be for us, if God be with us, we need not fear the power of any creature against us. (3.) Let them not be disheartened by the slow progress of their arms, nor think that the Canaanites would never be subdued if they were not expelled the first year; no, they must be put out by little and little, and not all at once, De 7:22. Note, We must not think that, because the deliverance of the church and the destruction of its enemies are not effected immediately, therefore they will never be effected. God will do his own work in his own method and time, and we may be sure that they are always the best. Thus corruption is driven out of the hearts of believers by little and little. The work of sanctification is carried on gradually; but that judgment will at length be brought forth into a complete victory. The reason here given (as before, Ex 23:29,30) is, Lest the beast of the field increase upon thee. The earth God has given to the children of men; and therefore there shall rather be a remainder of Canaanites to keep possession till Israel become numerous enough to replenish it than that it should be a habitation of dragons, and a court for the wild beasts of the desert, Isa 34:13,14. Yet God could have prevented this mischief from the beasts, Le 26:6. But pride and security, and other sins that are the common effects of a settled prosperity, were enemies more dangerous than the beasts of the field, and these would be apt to increase upon them. See Jdg 3:1,4.
摩西在本章勸勉以色列：一、總體上當遵守神的誡命（申七11–12）。二、具體而言，為此當保守自己不受偶像崇拜者一切玷污：1. 他們必須徹底滅絕那七個當滅的國，不可顧惜，也不可與他們立約（申七1–2、16、24）。2. 他們斷不可與那些剩下的人通婚（申七3–4）。3. 他們必須毀壞並消滅那些人的祭壇和偶像，連那些偶像上的金銀也不可取為己用（申七5、25–26）。為加強這勸勉，他指出他們如此行有義務：（1）本於責任，因[1]他們蒙神揀選（申七6），[2]那揀選的原因（申七7–8），[3]他們與神所立的關係（申七9–10）。（2）本於利益。此處應許：[1]總體而言，他們若事奉神，神必賜福使他們亨通（申七12–15）；[2]具體而言，他們若趕出那些國，使那些國不成為他們的試探，神也必為他們趕出那些國，使那些國不再成為他們的煩擾（申七17–26等）。