What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 7:7?

The LORD did not set His affection on you

- The verse begins by reminding Israel that God’s love rests on them because He chose to love them. Deuteronomy 10:15 says, “Yet the LORD has set His affection on your fathers and loved them.”

- This affection is rooted in God’s own character, not in Israel’s merit (Jeremiah 31:3; 1 John 4:19).

- God’s love is deliberate and personal; He is not obligated, yet He delights to love (Psalm 147:11).

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and choose you

- Love is followed by choice. Exodus 19:5–6 shows God calling Israel His “treasured possession.”

- Election is purposeful: through Israel would come blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:3).

- Jesus affirms the same principle for believers: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (John 15:16).

- Paul echoes it: “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).

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because you were more numerous than the other peoples

- God’s choice was not motivated by impressive statistics. Numbers, strength, or fame never sway the Lord (1 Samuel 16:7).

- In Judges 7:2 the LORD reduces Gideon’s army so Israel cannot claim credit. Likewise, Psalm 20:7 warns against trusting in chariots and horses.

- Zechariah 4:6 drives the point home: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.”

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for you were the fewest of all peoples

- Israel’s smallness magnified God’s greatness. He delights to use the weak to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

- The pattern runs through Scripture:

• A childless couple becomes a nation (Genesis 15).

• A shepherd boy defeats a giant (1 Samuel 17).

• A baby in Bethlehem becomes King of kings (Micah 5:2; Luke 1:52).

- When God works through the least likely, His glory stands out (2 Corinthians 12:9).

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summary

Deuteronomy 7:7 underscores that God’s relationship with Israel originates in His sovereign love, not in their size, strength, or achievements. He loved, He chose, and He acted precisely because they were small, ensuring that every victory and blessing would spotlight His grace alone. The same principle encourages believers today: our security rests not in our resources but in the steadfast, electing love of the LORD who delights to display His power through those who know they are powerless without Him.