Deuteronomy 7

“When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt…” Naming Neither keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were…” The line’s distinctive content terms include people, choose, fewest. Its relationship to verses 6 shows what work it does in this passage.

“But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD…” Naming Egypt and Pharaoh keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will…” The line’s distinctive content terms include face, destroy, hate. Its relationship to verses 9 and 11 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do…” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou…” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be…” Naming Moreover keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly…” Naming Neither keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.