How does Joshua 10:37 connect to God's command in Deuteronomy 7:2? The Original Command—Deuteronomy 7:2 “and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.” • Spoken before Israel entered Canaan • Key verbs: “devote … to complete destruction” (ḥērem) and “show them no mercy” • Purpose: protect Israel from idolatry and execute divine judgment on Canaanite sin (cf. Genesis 15:16; Leviticus 18:24-25) The Battlefield Scene—Joshua 10:37 “They captured it and struck it with the sword, along with its king, all its cities, and everyone in it. They left no survivors, just as they had done at Eglon, and they devoted it to destruction—along with everyone in it.” • Describes the fall of Hebron during Joshua’s southern campaign • Uses the same ḥērem vocabulary found in Deuteronomy 7:2 • Emphasizes “no survivors,” highlighting total compliance How the Two Passages Interlock 1. Word-for-word obedience – “Devote to destruction … no survivors” in Joshua mirrors Deuteronomy 7:2. 2. Covenant faithfulness displayed – Joshua fulfills the charge given in Deuteronomy 7, aligning with Joshua 1:7-8 (“be careful to do according to all the law”). 3. Divine judgment executed – The conquest is God’s righteous response to entrenched wickedness (Deuteronomy 9:4-5). 4. Spiritual protection secured – Eliminating Canaanite influence prevents Israel’s corruption (Deuteronomy 7:4). 5. Promise fulfillment in real time – Deuteronomy 7:24 promised victory over Canaanite kings; Joshua 10:37 records it happening. Supporting Passages That Reinforce the Link • Deuteronomy 20:16-18 – Expands the ḥērem command • Joshua 6:17-21 – Jericho placed under the ban • Joshua 8:24-26; 10:28-40 – Repeated pattern of “no survivors” • Joshua 11:20 – The LORD hardened Canaanite hearts “to destroy them completely” • Judges 2:1-3 – Later failure to maintain ḥērem brings trouble, underscoring why Joshua’s obedience mattered Key Takeaways for Believers • God’s instructions are precise and trustworthy—He expects full obedience, not partial (Numbers 23:19). • Holiness involves decisive separation from influences that oppose God (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). • Joshua’s faithfulness models how obedience unlocks God’s promised victories (Joshua 23:6-10). • The consistency between Deuteronomy 7:2 and Joshua 10:37 assures us that the Lord keeps every word He speaks and judges sin righteously (Psalm 19:9). |
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