Berean Study Bible Drive Out the NationsGod was fulfilling His covenant promise to give Canaan to Abraham’s descendants. Israel’s arrival marked the end of their wilderness wandering and the beginning of life in the land God had appointed for them. Deu 6:10-11 And when the LORD your God brings you into the land… and He drives out before you many nations— Israel’s conquest depended on the LORD’s action, not merely military strength. The removal of Canaan’s peoples brought judgment upon nations whose wickedness had long endured. Exo 23:28-30 I will send the hornet before you to drive the Hivites… the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, These peoples occupied Canaan in cities and territories throughout the land. Many practiced idolatry and customs that Israel was commanded not to adopt, making their removal necessary for Israel’s settlement and spiritual separation. Jos 24:11 After this, you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho.… seven nations larger and stronger than you— Israel faced peoples with greater numbers, stronger defenses, and established cities. Their victory would demonstrate that possession of the land came through God’s faithfulness and power rather than Israel’s natural ability. Deu 11:23 then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you… and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, Israel’s victory in Canaan would come by God’s power and faithfulness to His covenant promises, not by Israel’s military strength. The fortified cities and established peoples of the land could not prevent the LORD from giving His people the inheritance He had promised. Deu 2:33 And the LORD our God delivered him over to us,… then you must devote them to complete destruction. God commanded the removal of the Canaanite nations under His judgment because of their entrenched idolatry and immoral practices. Israel was not authorized to act independently but was carrying out a specific judgment within the conquest of the promised land. Deu 20:17 For you must devote them to complete destruction… Make no treaty with them Political agreements with the Canaanites would have opened the way for Israel to adopt their gods, customs, and worship. Israel was to remain distinct as the people of the LORD and preserve its covenant loyalty. Exo 23:32 You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. and show them no mercy. The command reflects the seriousness of God’s judgment against persistent rebellion and idolatry. It was limited to the Canaanite conquest and intended to prevent the spiritual corruption that later troubled Israel when Canaanite peoples and practices remained among them. Jos 11:20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts… Do not intermarry with them. Israel was forbidden to marry among the Canaanite peoples occupying the land. Such unions would bind Israelite families to nations devoted to false gods and corrupt worship, threatening Israel’s covenant faithfulness and distinct calling. Exo 34:15-16 Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land,… Do not give your daughters to their sons Fathers and households were not to arrange marriages with Canaanite men. Marriage commonly established family bonds, political alliances, and shared religious life; therefore, such arrangements could draw Israelite women and their children into idolatry. Neh 13:25-27 I rebuked them and called down curses on them.… or take their daughters for your sons, Israelite men were likewise not to bring Canaanite wives into their homes. A foreign wife could introduce her household gods and practices into the family, leading sons, future generations, and eventually the nation away from the LORD. Gen 24:3-4 I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven… because they will turn your sons away from following Me Marriage with the Canaanite peoples would draw Israel’s children into the worship and customs of nations devoted to false gods. Israel was called to remain holy and distinct as the Lord’s covenant people. Solomon’s later marriages show how foreign religious influence could turn a king’s heart from wholehearted devotion to God. Exo 34:16 And when you take some of their daughters as brides… to serve other gods. Idolatry directly violated Israel’s covenant obligation to worship the Lord alone. The gods of the surrounding nations were tied to agricultural fertility, prosperity, and social life, making their worship a persistent temptation. Deu 11:16 But be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside… Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, God’s anger was His righteous response to covenant rebellion. Israel’s idolatry was not a minor cultural compromise but a rejection of the God who had redeemed them. Deu 31:17 On that day My anger will burn against them,… and He will swiftly destroy you. Persistent unfaithfulness would bring the covenant judgment God had warned of. Israel’s later defeat, exile, and loss of the land demonstrated the seriousness of turning from the Lord to serve other gods. Jos 23:16 If you transgress the covenant of the LORD,… Instead, this is what you are to do to them: Israel was not to make peace with the Canaanite nations or adopt their religious customs. God had appointed these peoples for judgment because of their entrenched idolatry and wickedness, and Israel’s covenant faithfulness required complete separation from their worship. Exo 34:13 Rather, you must tear down their altars,… tear down their altars, Canaanite altars were centers of sacrifice to false gods. Their destruction removed places where Israel might be drawn into pagan worship and established that the land belonged to the Lord. Jdg 2:2 you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land… smash their sacred pillars, These stone monuments represented Canaanite deities and were used in their religious rites. Breaking them openly rejected the authority of those gods and upheld Israel’s obligation to worship the Lord alone. Exo 23:24 You must not bow down to their gods or serve them… cut down their Asherah poles, Asherah poles were wooden cult objects connected with the worship of the Canaanite goddess Asherah. Removing them destroyed a prominent feature of the fertility religion that had corrupted the land. Jdg 6:25 On that very night the LORD said to Gideon,… and burn their idols in the fire. The idols were to be completely destroyed so that they could not remain as objects of temptation or be reused in Israelite worship. Nothing connected with Canaan’s false religion was to be preserved. Deu 9:21 And I took that sinful thing, the calf you had made… For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Israel belonged to God in a unique covenant relationship. Their holiness meant they were set apart from the nations around them in worship, conduct, and obedience to the commands God had given them. Exo 19:6 And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests… The LORD your God has chosen you God’s choice of Israel rested on His faithfulness, love, and covenant purposes, not on Israel’s greatness or merit. Through this nation, He would preserve His promises and make His ways known among the peoples of the earth. Deu 10:15 Yet the LORD has set His affection on your fathers… to be a people for His prized possession Israel was God’s treasured possession, valued as His own people among the nations. This privilege also carried the responsibility to represent His character through faithful worship and obedience. Exo 19:5 Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant,… out of all peoples on the face of the earth. God rules over every nation, yet He chose Israel for a distinct role in His plan. Through Abraham’s descendants, God would bring blessing to the nations, ultimately fulfilled in Christ. Deu 14:2 for you are a people holy to the LORD your God.… The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you Israel’s election rested on God’s covenant faithfulness and gracious purpose, not on anything the nation had achieved. He chose Abraham’s descendants to be His people and to carry forward His promises. Deu 10:15 Yet the LORD has set His affection on your fathers… because you were more numerous than the other peoples, Israel possessed no military, political, or numerical advantage over the larger nations around it. Its preservation and establishment in the land depended on the LORD’s power rather than human strength. Jdg 7:2-7 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men… for you were the fewest of all peoples. Israel began as a small family descended from Abraham and developed into a nation under God’s care. Their weakness made clear that the LORD alone fulfilled His promises and exalted a people unlikely to succeed by ordinary measures. Psa 105:12-15 When they were few in number, few indeed,… But because the LORD loved you God chose Israel by His own gracious purpose, not because of its size, strength, or merit. His love reflects His faithful character. Deu 10:15 Yet the LORD has set His affection on your fathers… and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He acted in accordance with the covenant promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, including the promise of descendants, nationhood, and land. Gen 50:24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die,… He brought you out with a mighty hand God openly displayed His power in the Exodus, overcoming Egypt’s defenses and leading Israel from bondage. Deu 26:8 Then the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand… and redeemed you from the house of slavery, Israel’s deliverance was a real rescue from severe oppression and established the pattern of God saving His people from captivity. Exo 20:2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out… from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Pharaoh’s authority could not withstand the Lord. Israel’s rescue from Egypt foreshadowed the greater deliverance from sin and death accomplished through Christ. Exo 18:10 Jethro declared, “Blessed be the LORD…”… Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, Israel was to recognize that the LORD alone is the true God, supreme over every false god worshiped by the nations around them. Their deliverance from Egypt and preservation in the wilderness had shown His power and His claim upon them. Deu 4:39 Know therefore this day and take to heart… the faithful God He remains true to His character and to every promise He has made. Unlike the idols of the nations, the LORD acts, speaks, judges, and saves according to His unchanging purpose. Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just.… who keeps His covenant of loving devotion His relationship with Israel rested on the covenant He established with their fathers and renewed through Moses. His steadfast love did not excuse rebellion, but it revealed His commitment to fulfill what He had promised. Neh 1:5 Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great… for a thousand generations God’s covenant faithfulness reaches far beyond one lifetime. The expression emphasizes the enduring certainty of His promises to those who remain within the covenant relationship. Psa 105:8 He remembers His covenant forever, the word… of those who love Him and keep His commandments. Love for God was to be shown through obedience to His revealed will. Israel’s covenant blessings were tied to wholehearted loyalty to the LORD rather than imitation of the surrounding nations. Deu 5:10 showing loving devotion to a thousand generations… But those who hate Him Those who reject the Lord show their hatred through idolatry, rebellion, and refusal to obey His commands. Israel was warned not to follow the gods and practices of the nations in Canaan. Exo 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them;… He repays to their faces with destruction; God’s judgment is direct and personal. The wicked nations of Canaan faced destruction because of their persistent evil and idolatry. Psa 94:1-2 O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth.… He will not hesitate to repay God does not overlook rebellion or forget evil. His judgment comes with certainty at the time He appoints. Deu 32:35 Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time… to his face the one who hates Him. No one can escape personal accountability before God. Those who oppose Him will receive the judgment their rebellion deserves. Lev 26:17 Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee… So keep the commandments and statutes and ordinances Israel was to obey the full body of God’s covenant law, including moral requirements, worship regulations, and judgments governing life in the community. Their obedience marked them as the people God had chosen and redeemed. Deu 6:1 These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances… that I am giving you Moses renewed the laws God had given at Sinai as Israel prepared to enter Canaan. He spoke as God’s appointed mediator, setting before the new generation the covenant responsibilities that would govern them in the land. Exo 24:12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain… to follow God required more than knowledge or agreement with His commands. Israel was to order its worship, conduct, justice, and daily life according to His revealed will. Jos 1:7-8 Above all, be strong and very courageous.… this day. On the eve of entering the Promised Land, the people were called to present obedience. The covenant demanded a decisive response as they began a new chapter under God’s rule. Jos 24:15 But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD,…
The Promises of GodMoses called Israel to hear God’s commands with the intent to obey them as they entered the land promised to their fathers. Deu 4:1 Hear now, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances… and keep them carefully, Their life in the land depended on faithful, deliberate observance of the covenant laws rather than outward acknowledgment alone. Deu 6:25 And if we are careful to observe the commandments… then the LORD your God will keep His covenant God would remain faithful to the covenant promises He had made, blessing Israel as His covenant people. Neh 1:5 Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great… and the loving devotion His steadfast mercy and faithfulness would be shown in His continued care, protection, and provision. Exo 34:6-7 Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out:… that He swore to your fathers. The oath was made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, including the promises of descendants, land, and blessing through their chosen line. Gen 22:16-18 By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, … He will love you and bless you and multiply you. God’s covenant love for Israel would be shown in tangible blessings. Their growth as a people fulfilled His promise to make the descendants of Abraham into a great nation. Children and large households were marks of strength, continuity, and divine favor within Israel. Gen 22:17 I will surely bless you, and I will multiply… He will bless the fruit of your womb and the produce of your land—your grain, new wine, and oil, Children, harvests, and staple crops would prosper in the land God gave them. Grain, wine, and oil sustained daily life, supported the nation’s economy, and supplied material for worship. Fertile fields testified to God’s provision for an obedient people. Jol 2:19 And the LORD answered His people: “Behold, I will send… the young of your herds and the lambs of your flocks— Increased herds and flocks brought food, clothing, labor, and wealth. They also provided animals for the sacrifices God commanded, joining Israel’s material prosperity with its worship and covenant life. Deu 28:4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed… in the land that He swore to your fathers to give you. The blessings belonged specifically to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. After delivering Israel from Egypt and leading them through the wilderness, God was bringing them into Canaan as the inheritance He had pledged to their fathers. Deu 28:11 The LORD will make you prosper abundantly… You will be blessed above all peoples; Israel’s favored position rested on God’s covenant with Abraham and required faithful obedience to the Lord. Their blessing was meant to display God’s holiness and faithfulness before the surrounding nations, not to promote national pride. Deu 26:19 He will set you high in praise and name and honor… among you there will be no barren man or woman In Israel’s world, barrenness brought deep personal sorrow and social reproach. God promised fruitfulness in families as part of His covenant blessing, demonstrating His authority over life and His care for the nation’s future. Exo 23:26 No woman in your land will miscarry or be barren;… or livestock. Healthy, fertile herds were essential to Israel’s food supply, labor, wealth, and sacrificial worship. God’s blessing extended beyond individual households to the land and animals on which the nation depended. Deu 28:11 The LORD will make you prosper abundantly… And the LORD will remove from you all sickness. God promised Israel bodily protection as part of the covenant blessings for obedience in the land. Having delivered them from slavery, He showed Himself to be their healer and sustainer, unlike the powerless gods of Egypt. Exo 23:25 So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless… He will not lay upon you any of the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, Israel had seen Egypt devastated by plagues that revealed the LORD’s judgment on Pharaoh and his nation. Their memory of those afflictions made this assurance especially meaningful as they prepared to enter Canaan. Deu 28:60 He will afflict you again with all the diseases…… but He will inflict them on all who hate you. God would defend His covenant people and judge nations that opposed them. The promise gave Israel confidence that their security depended not on their strength, but on the LORD who had already defeated Egypt and would go before them. 1Sa 5:6-12 Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod… You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God will deliver to you. Israel’s conquest of Canaan was God’s judgment on nations whose wickedness had reached its full measure. Their idolatry, sexual immorality, and child sacrifice had defiled the land. God also intended to preserve Israel from the corrupting influence of Canaanite religion as they entered the land promised to Abraham. Deu 20:16-18 However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God… Do not look on them with pity. Israel was not free to alter God’s command according to human sentiment. Sparing the Canaanites would leave behind influences that could draw the nation into rebellion, as later events in Israel’s history showed. Their task required complete obedience to the Lord who had given them the land. Deu 13:8 you must not yield to him or listen to him.… Do not worship their gods, Israel belonged to the LORD alone. Canaanite gods represented religious systems that opposed Him and required practices He had condemned. To adopt their worship would violate the covenant and turn Israel from the God who had redeemed them from Egypt. Exo 23:24 You must not bow down to their gods or serve them… for that will be a snare to you. Idolatry would become a trap, drawing Israel into spiritual unfaithfulness and the sins connected with pagan worship. What remained of Canaanite religion would repeatedly tempt Israel, bringing discipline and eventually contributing to the nation’s exile. Exo 23:33 They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you… You may say in your heart, Moses anticipates Israel’s private fear as they prepare to enter Canaan. Though God had promised the land, the prospect of war against established peoples could lead them to measure the situation by their own weakness. Deu 8:17 You might say in your heart, “The power and strength”… “These nations are greater than we are; The Canaanite peoples occupied fortified cities and possessed greater military strength than Israel, which had only recently emerged from slavery and wilderness wandering. Their size and resources had already intimidated the earlier generation. Deu 1:28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt,… how can we drive them out?” Israel’s success would not rest on superior numbers or skill but on the Lord’s faithfulness to defeat the nations before them. Moses directs them to remember God’s deliverance from Egypt and to trust Him for the conquest He had promised. Deu 9:3 But understand that today the LORD your God goes across… But do not be afraid of them. Israel was approaching nations with strong armies and fortified cities, but their power could not stand against the LORD. Fear would cause the people to lose sight of God’s covenant faithfulness and the promise of the land given to their fathers. Deu 1:29-30 So I said to you: “Do not be terrified or afraid of them!… Be sure to remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt: The defeat of Pharaoh and Egypt showed that the LORD rules over kings, armies, and nations. He had delivered Israel from slavery through mighty judgments and brought them safely through the sea. What He had done in Egypt was assurance that He would also overcome the peoples of Canaan. Deu 29:2-3 Moses summoned all Israel and proclaimed to them,… the great trials that you saw, Israel had witnessed Egypt’s devastating plagues, the Passover, the division of the Red Sea, and God’s provision during the early wilderness journey. These events exposed Egypt’s false gods and demonstrated that the LORD alone rules over nature, nations, and kings. Deu 29:3 You saw with your own eyes the great trials,… the signs and wonders, God’s miraculous acts confirmed His judgment on Pharaoh and His purpose to redeem Israel from slavery. What Israel had seen was not distant history but firsthand evidence of God’s faithfulness to His covenant. Exo 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I will… and the mighty hand and outstretched arm God had acted openly and decisively on Israel’s behalf, overthrowing Egypt’s power when Israel could not save itself. His deliverance came through His strength rather than Israel’s military ability or merit. Deu 26:8 Then the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand… by which the LORD your God brought you out. The exodus established Israel as the LORD’s redeemed people and fulfilled His promise to bring Abraham’s descendants out of bondage. Their identity and future in the land rested on the God who had delivered them. Exo 13:14 In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’… The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. The nations in Canaan appeared formidable, but they were no greater than Egypt. Israel was to remember God’s past deliverance and trust Him to remove the peoples opposing His purpose for the land. Deu 1:30 The LORD your God, who goes before you, will fight for you,… Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet against them God promised to drive out the Canaanite peoples by means beyond Israel’s own military strength. Hornets may refer to actual swarms sent by God, bringing terror, confusion, and flight among Israel’s enemies. Their presence would demonstrate that the conquest depended on the LORD’s power and faithfulness to His covenant promises. Exo 23:28 I will send the hornet before you to drive the Hivites… until even the survivors hiding from you have perished. No Canaanite resistance, including those who fled or concealed themselves in fortified places, could escape the judgment God had decreed. Israel’s victories would be complete because the LORD Himself was acting against the nations occupying the land. Jos 10:16-26 Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave… Do not be terrified by them, Israel was not to fear the Canaanite nations, despite their fortified cities, established armies, and greater numbers. The coming conquest would not rest on Israel’s military strength. Deu 20:3 “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle…”… for the LORD your God, Israel belonged to the covenant God who had delivered them from Egypt and pledged to give them the land promised to their fathers. His faithfulness, not Israel’s ability, secured their future. Jos 1:9 Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous?… who is among you, God’s presence with Israel set them apart from every surrounding nation. He guided them, protected them, and would drive out their enemies as they obeyed Him. Zep 3:17 The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save.… is a great and awesome God. The God of Israel was supreme over the false gods of Canaan and over every human power. His greatness gave Israel reason for confidence as they entered the land. Neh 1:5 Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great… The LORD your God will drive out these nations before you God would give Israel victory over the Canaanite peoples occupying the land promised to Abraham. Their removal was the work of the LORD, not the result of Israel’s strength alone, and it came in judgment on nations whose idolatry and wickedness had filled the land. Jos 3:10 He continued, “This is how you will know that the living God… little by little. The conquest would unfold gradually as Israel entered, occupied, and cultivated the land. This protected the settled areas from becoming deserted before Israel had sufficient people to inhabit them. Exo 23:30 Little by little I will drive them out ahead of you,… You will not be enabled to eliminate them all at once, Israel would not possess the whole land in a single campaign. Their progress depended on God’s direction and provision rather than military confidence or haste. Jos 15:63 But the descendants of Judah could not drive out… or the wild animals would multiply around you. Empty fields, towns, and forests would allow dangerous animals to increase and threaten the people. God’s gradual provision secured both the land and Israel’s safety within it. Lev 26:22 I will send wild animals against you… But the LORD your God Israel’s victory would come from the covenant God who had bound Himself to His people and remained faithful to His promises. Jos 23:3 and you have seen everything that the LORD your God has done… will give them over to you The conquest of Canaan was not to rest on Israel’s military strength. God would place the nations opposing them under Israel’s power as He carried out His judgment and fulfilled His promise to give the land to Israel. Exo 23:31 And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea…… and throw them into great confusion, God would disrupt the enemy’s plans and courage, turning their resistance into disorder and making clear that Israel’s success came by His intervention. Jos 10:10 And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel,… until they are destroyed. The removal of these nations was necessary to prevent their idolatry and corrupt practices from taking root among Israel. Their defeat completed God’s judgment and protected the land set apart for His people. Jos 11:20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts… He will hand their kings over to you, God would deliver the rulers of the Canaanite nations into Israel’s power, removing the leadership that organized resistance against the conquest. Their defeat demonstrated that the land was being given to Israel by God’s judgment, not merely by military strength. Jos 10:24-25 When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned… and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. Israel was to leave no surviving remembrance or continuing identity for the nations placed under the ban. Their cities, religious sites, and ruling houses were not to remain as sources of idolatry or future opposition. Deu 25:19 When the LORD your God gives you rest from the enemies… No one will be able to stand against you; The Canaanite armies, fortified cities, and alliances could not overturn God’s purpose. Israel’s success depended on His presence and on their obedience to His command. Deu 11:25 No man will be able to stand against you;… you will annihilate them. The command required the complete destruction of the peoples appointed for judgment because of their entrenched idolatry and moral corruption. Israel was not authorized to adopt their worship or make lasting peace with them, but to carry out God’s judgment and preserve the land from their influence. Deu 20:17 For you must devote them to complete destruction… You must burn up the images of their gods; Israel was to destroy the carved images used in Canaanite worship rather than preserve them as trophies or religious artifacts. The command removed the objects associated with the gods of the land and guarded Israel from adopting the worship practices of the nations they displaced. Exo 32:20 Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire,… do not covet the silver and gold that is on them Idols were often covered or decorated with precious metals, making them tempting to keep for their material value. Israel was not to separate the gold and silver from the idolatrous objects, since desire for such wealth could weaken obedience to God. Jos 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar… or take it for yourselves, Keeping any part of an idol for personal gain would bring pagan objects into Israelite homes and communities. God had set Israel apart from the surrounding nations, and their possessions were not to become part of Israel’s life or worship. Deu 13:17 Nothing devoted to destruction shall cling to your hands,… or you will be ensnared by it; What appeared valuable could become a trap, drawing Israel into compromise with idolatry. The danger was not merely the object itself but the divided loyalty and disobedience it could produce. Exo 23:33 They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you… for it is detestable to the LORD your God. The idols and the worship connected with them were offensive to the Lord because they denied His unique authority and holiness. Israel’s destruction of them demonstrated that the gods of Canaan had no place among the people who belonged to the Lord. Deu 27:15 Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—… And you must not bring any detestable thing into your house, Israel was not to keep idols or anything connected with Canaanite worship. Such objects represented rebellion against the Lord and could draw a household into the practices God had condemned. Covenant faithfulness required a clear separation from pagan religion. 2Ki 21:7 Manasseh even took the carved Asherah pole he had made… or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. What belonged to idolatry stood under God’s judgment. Keeping what He had devoted to destruction made the offender liable to the same judgment, as Achan’s sin later demonstrated when forbidden spoil was brought into Israel’s camp. Jos 6:18 But keep away from the things devoted to destruction,… You are to utterly detest and abhor it, Idolatry was not to be treated as harmless, valuable, or culturally acceptable. Israel was to reject it completely because it opposed the worship of the one true God. Rom 12:9 Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil;… because it is set apart for destruction. The objects of pagan worship had been assigned to destruction under God’s righteous judgment. Their removal protected Israel from corruption and upheld the holiness required of a people belonging to the Lord. Jos 7:1 The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully… This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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