The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 147

EXPOSITION. scattered, for we find the Hivite in the CHAPTER VIL centre of Palestine (Gen. xxxiv. 2), in the ENT!nlll SEPARATION .FROM IDOLATROUS NA- Shephelah (Josh. ix. 7; xi. 19), in the land TIONS ENJOINED. of Mizpeh under Hennon (Josh. xi. 3), "in Lebanon, from mount Baal-herruon to the Vere. 1-4.-The Israelites were about to entering in of Hamath" (Judg. iii. 3), CLnd enter on a country occupied by idolaters, among tribes in the north of Canaan (Gen. and they are commanded not to spare them or x.17; 1 Chron. i.15). Their principal settle- to allow them to continue in their proximity, ment was probably in that part of the country where the Antilibanus range termi- or to have any friendly relations with them nates iu Mount Hermon. (cf. Lev. xxvii. 28). The Lord would cast out Ver. 3.-N either &halt thou make marriages these nations, and deliver them, though with them. Brought into intimate relations greater and mightier than they, into their with idolaters, they might be seduced in to hands; and they were to smite them and idolatry; and where marriage was contracted with an idolater, the chilchen might be pince them under the ban ; they were to brought up in idolatry. Such llllions were make no covenant with them nor form nny forbidden. alliances with them (cf. Exod. xxiii. 32; Ver.4.-Fromfollowingme; literally,from xx:x.iv. 12-16), lest they should thus be after me, i.e. from being my servant and drawn into idolatry, and so the anger of the worshipper. Suddenly; rather, speedily (,;:!:i, Lord be kindled against them, and his infin. of ici12, to be quick, to h11Bten, used vengeance brought upon them. as an adverb). Vers. 5-8.-They were not only to have Ver. 1.-(Cf. Gen. xv. 19-21.) Of the ten nations named by God in his promise to no fellowship with the idolaters, but they Abraham, only six are mentioned here, were to root out their idobtry, everting their those omitted being the Kcnites, the Ken- altars and destroying their idols; and this nizites, the Kadmonites, and the Rephaim. becuuso they were a holy people, gro.ciously The Rephoim were by this time extinct as chosen of God to be his special possession a tribe, Og, "the last of the Rephaim," _:__a high privilege and honour which they having been conquered, and be and his people destroyed by the Israelites. The three were to be careful not to cCLst away. other tribes lay prob(lb]y beyond the confines Ver. 5.-Cut down their groves; rather, of CanQlln, in thCLt region promised to Abra- cut or heio in pieces their asheralts. 'fheso ham, but which was not included in the wore, npparently, wooden pil1C1r8 of con- tenitory conquered by the people under siderable height, which were firmly planted Joshu(l. This may account for their not in the ground (cowp. Judg. vi. 25-27; being mentioned here. One nation, the oh. xvi. 21), and were conseemted to the a Hivilos, 11ppcC1rs hero wbioh is not in the worship of female deity, the compCLniou enumeration in Geucsis. This nCLme seems of B(ll\l; probubly the same as that after- to hnve been borne by more tribes than cue, wards known as Astarte, the Venus of the or by o. tribe existing in divisions widely Syril\nB (see note on oh. xvi. 21). 13G Tlm nooK OF DEU'l'EHONOMY. ten. VII. 1-20.