Synopsis of the Chapter
He commands the Hebrews to destroy the Canaanites and their idols: first, because they are a people chosen by God; second, verse 9, because their God is mighty, faithful, and an avenger of evil. Third, verse 12, He promises them many good things if they keep God's law. Fourth, verse 18, He warns them not to fear the Canaanites, though they are more numerous and stronger, because God will fight against them on the Hebrews' behalf.
Verse 1: Seven Nations ¶
1. "Seven nations." -- In Genesis 15:19, ten nations of the Canaanites are counted, which the Hebrews expelled: therefore the remaining three had either perished beforehand or had been absorbed into the other seven, as I said at Genesis 15.
Tropologically, the seven hostile nations signify the seven capital vices; Cassian treats this subject at length in Collation V, chapter 16 and following.
2. AND SHALL HAVE DELIVERED THEM TO YOU -- in Hebrew, "before you," that is, into your power.
Verse 3: Nor Shall You Make Marriages with Them ¶
3. "Nor shall you make marriages with them." -- Note: What is forbidden here is only that they not intermarry with Canaanites so long as they remain idolaters. For if they convert and are gathered into the people of God, they are now Jews, not Canaanites; and so it is lawful to marry them. For then the reason for the law given in verse 4 ceases: "because she will turn your son away, that he may not follow Me, and that he may rather serve foreign gods." Thus Salmon married Rahab of Jericho, who had received the spies sent by Joshua, Matthew 1:5; for Rahab became a proselyte and embraced the Jewish sacred rites.
Verse 6: For You Are a Holy People to the Lord ¶
6. FOR YOU ARE A HOLY PEOPLE TO THE LORD. -- "Holy," that is, set apart from those nations and devoted to the religion of the true God.
THAT YOU MAY BE HIS SPECIAL PEOPLE. -- In Hebrew, that you may be to Him a people segulla, that is, like a treasure or a thing most dear and precious. See what was said at Exodus chapter 19, verse 5.
Verse 10: And Repaying Those Who Hate Him Immediately ¶
10. AND REPAYING THOSE WHO HATE HIM IMMEDIATELY. -- For "immediately," the Hebrew has "to their faces," that is, while they are still alive, meaning: God does not defer the punishment owed for the parents' sins to their children, but inflicts it upon the parents themselves while they live. The Chaldean paraphrast does not take this as referring to punishment, but to goods and rewards for certain virtues that the wicked possess; for he translates: "rendering good to His enemies for the good things they do before Him in their life, so as to destroy them (in the future life), and He does not delay doing good to His enemies for the good things they do before Him, but renders it to them in their lifetime." But this interpretation is refuted by what follows: "So as to destroy them, and delay no further, forthwith rendering to them what they deserve." The genuine sense therefore concerns the punishment of the wicked, meaning: Beware, O Hebrews, lest you offend God, because just as God bestows good things on those who love Him for a thousand, that is, very many generations, so He immediately punishes those who hate Him, as was evident in the punishment of those who worshiped the golden calf, Exodus 32, and of those who craved meat, Numbers 11, and in the punishment of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Numbers 16, and the punishment of Miriam's murmuring, Numbers 12.
Verse 13: And He Will Bless the Fruit of Your Womb ¶
13. "And He will bless the fruit of your womb" -- that is, your children; an abundance of children was a blessing among those ancients, as for Rebecca, Genesis 24:60, and Abraham, Genesis 22:17, and Leah, Genesis 30:13; and this both for its own sake -- for fruitfulness is a great good both for parents and for the commonwealth -- and because of the hope of the Messiah, who was to be born from their descendants. Hence it was a mark of shame among the Hebrews to be barren and childless; for there was a suspicion that such a person had committed some crime, on account of which he or she was deprived of this common blessing, as it were belonging to the whole nation, as is gathered from Hosea 9:14 and Genesis 20:18. So Maldonatus on Luke 1:25.
Verse 16: You Shall Devour All the Peoples ¶
16. YOU SHALL DEVOUR ALL THE PEOPLES (consuming them with the sword and seizing their wealth so) THAT YOUR EYE SHALL NOT SPARE THEM -- that is, you shall spare none of the Canaanite enemies in the land promised to you, but shall slay them all; and this first, on account of their enormous crimes, especially their debaucheries, as I said at Leviticus 18:27; second, lest they be a scandal to the Jews, as is said here, and draw them into great debauchery.
Verse 20: And Hornets ¶
20. AND HORNETS. -- About these hornets I spoke at Exodus 23:28 and Joshua, last chapter, verse 12.
21. YOUR GOD IS IN YOUR MIDST -- He is with you, He aids you. A similar phrase is at Exodus 17:7.
22. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DESTROY THEM ALL AT ONCE -- that is, together, at the same time. See what was said at Exodus chapter 23, verse 29.
Verse 24: You Shall Destroy Their Names ¶
24. YOU SHALL DESTROY THEIR NAMES -- you shall destroy them along with their entire lineage, so that their names may not survive in their children, but their entire memory may be obliterated.
Verse 25: The Silver and Gold with Which They Are Made ¶
25. THE SILVER AND GOLD WITH WHICH THEY ARE MADE. -- In Hebrew it reads: "which is upon them," that is, with which they are covered or overlaid. For it was customary to gild wooden or bronze idols and coat them with gold or silver, for their adornment and to command reverence for them.
BECAUSE IT IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD YOUR GOD -- it is abominable before your God.
Verse 26: Lest You Become an Accursed Thing ¶
26. LEST YOU BECOME AN ACCURSED THING LIKE IT. -- In Hebrew: lest you become cherem, that is, a thing devoted to destruction, which must be cut down and reduced to nothing, as is the idol itself; for it must be cut down and annihilated. On cherem see what was said at Leviticus, last chapter, verse 28.