Deuteronomy 7

Deuteronomy 7:1

Seven Nations] So many are here reckoned. And so, Iosh. III. 10. Six in Exod. XXXIII. 2. Deut. XX. 17. Iudg. III. 5. In many places fewer. In Gen. XV. 19, 20, 21. ten Nations are reckoned. And among them the Philistines are never mentioned. Yet all the inhabitants of the whole Land go many times under the names of Canaanites, and Amorites; as Gen. XXIV. 3. and Ch. XV. 16.

Deuteronomy 7:2

Utterly destroy them] Such is Gods Command; 2 And such his Promise of assistance, v. 16. See Exod. XXXIV. 11, 12. Deut. IX. 3. and XX. 16, 17. Yet this was not a thing to be done in one year, or in Ioshuah’s Life-time, Iosh. XXIII. 4, 5, 13. Iudg. l. 9, 21, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34. But by little and little, Exod. XXIII. 29, 30. Deut. VII. 22. Yet God justly threatens and blames them for their neglect in Conquering and Expelling them, Num. XXXIII. 55, 56. Josh. XXIII. 13. Judg. II. 3, 21, 22, 23. And he never gave them the possession of their full Bounds, as of Tyre, Sidon, and of all the Land of the Philistines, because they kept not for their part the Condition of their Covenant with him, Judg. II. 20, 21.

Deuteronomy 7:3

Neither shalt thou] Marriage forbid with the Canaanites strictly. Yea also forbid with the Ammonites, Moabites, and Egyptians, Ezra IX. 1, 2. Neh. XIII. 23. A reason is given, Deut. VII. 4.

Neh. XIII. 26. Exod. XXXIV. 16. The mischief of that marriage between Jehoram the sonne of Iehoshaphat King of Iudah, and Athaliah the daughter of Ahab King of Israel, is recorded, 2 King. VIII. 18.

Yet in case they became Proselytes, Converts to the true Religion; the marriage with all of them seemes lawful: as in that case, Deut. XXI. 10, 13. And in the case of Rahab, and Ruth; of the wife of Ioseph in Egypt: of the wife of Moses; of Maacah the daughter of the King of Geshur with David; and of Pharaohs daughter with Solomon. And this made Iacobs sonnes propound or pretend the condition of Circumcision to Shechem, and the Shechemites, Gen, XXXIV. 14, 15, 16. In the New Testament, we read the prohibition, 2 Cor. VI. 14.

And the precept, 1 Cor. VII. 12—16. which rules touching Infidels seeme to serve for the case of grosse Hereticks, and Apostates. Against unlawful marriages see more, Iudg. III. 6, 7. and XIV. 2, 3. 1 King. XI. 2. Ezra IX. and X.

Chapters, Neh. X. 30. and XIII. 3, 30.