Deuteronomy 7:16 kjv
And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.
Deuteronomy 7:16 nkjv
Also you shall destroy all the peoples whom the LORD your God delivers over to you; your eye shall have no pity on them; nor shall you serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
Deuteronomy 7:16 niv
You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
Deuteronomy 7:16 esv
And you shall consume all the peoples that the LORD your God will give over to you. Your eye shall not pity them, neither shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.
Deuteronomy 7:16 nlt
"You must destroy all the nations the LORD your God hands over to you. Show them no mercy, and do not worship their gods, or they will trap you.
Deuteronomy 7 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 23:32-33 | You shall make no covenant with them or their gods. They shall not dwell in your land... | Prohibits alliances and presence of Canaanites to avoid a snare. |
| Exod 34:15-16 | ...you worship their gods... your sons take their daughters... | Warns against idolatry through intermarriage, a spiritual snare. |
| Deut 7:1-2 | ...destroy them completely... make no treaty... show them no mercy. | Reiterates the command for total destruction and no covenant. |
| Deut 7:5 | ...tear down their altars and smash their sacred stones... | Specific instructions for physical destruction of idolatrous elements. |
| Deut 12:2-3 | ...utterly destroy all the places... on the high mountains and on the hills... | Commands destruction of places of worship to prevent syncretism. |
| Lev 18:24-25 | Do not defile yourselves by any of these things... the land became defiled. | Explains the moral depravity of the Canaanites, justifying divine judgment. |
| Num 33:55-56 | But if you do not drive out the inhabitants... they will be pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides... | Warning of dire consequences if the command is not fully obeyed. |
| Judg 2:1-3 | ...you have not obeyed me. Why have you done this?... | God's rebuke to Israel for failing to drive out nations, leading to snares. |
| Judg 3:5-6 | So the Israelites lived among the Canaanites... and they took their daughters for themselves as wives... | Demonstrates the consequence of not showing 'no pity' and succumbing to snares. |
| Ps 106:34-39 | They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them... They mingled with the nations... | Chronicles Israel's historical failure to obey, leading to idolatry and apostasy. |
| 1 Ki 11:4 | For when Solomon was old... his wives turned away his heart after other gods... | Shows how failure to separate leads even a wise king astray. |
| Ezra 9:1-2 | The people of Israel... have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands... | Reminds Israel of the ongoing danger of spiritual mixing after exile. |
| Neh 13:26 | Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by such things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him... | Reinforces the severe consequences of forbidden marriages and idolatry. |
| Prov 29:6 | In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare... | General principle: Sin and transgression act as a trap. |
| Jer 6:21 | Therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I am laying stumbling blocks before this people... | God's judgment can act as a snare to the disobedient. |
| Rom 11:9 | ...let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them... | The consequences of rejecting God can be a snare. |
| 2 Cor 6:14-17 | Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?... | New Covenant application of spiritual separation and purity. |
| Gal 5:1 | For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. | Echoes the concept of being caught in a spiritual snare (slavery to sin or legalism). |
| 1 Tim 6:9 | But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare... | Material desires can also act as spiritual snares. |
| 2 Tim 2:26 | and that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil... | Highlights spiritual bondage as a snare set by the adversary. |
| Jas 1:14-15 | But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire... brings forth death. | Explains the internal mechanism of being "snared" by sin. |
| Rev 18:4 | Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins..." | Call for separation from corrupted world systems, akin to avoiding Canaanite snares. |
Deuteronomy 7 verses
Deuteronomy 7 16 Meaning
Deuteronomy 7:16 commands Israel to utterly destroy the Canaanite nations in the Promised Land and warns against showing them mercy or adopting their idolatrous practices. The purpose is to prevent spiritual corruption and maintain the purity of their covenant relationship with the LORD, as mingling with foreign gods would lead to a destructive "snare."
Deuteronomy 7 16 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 7 falls within Moses' second discourse to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, before entering the Promised Land. This chapter focuses on the sacred separation and holiness of Israel as God's chosen people, setting out the reasons for and the implications of this election. God reiterates the command to drive out the idolatrous inhabitants of Canaan. Verse 16 emphasizes the total and uncompromising nature of this eradication and outlines the spiritual danger (the "snare") if Israel fails to complete this task by showing mercy or adopting their polytheistic worship. The broader historical context includes the long-standing wickedness of the Canaanite nations, whose iniquity had reached its full measure (Gen 15:16), making them ripe for divine judgment executed through Israel. This command is presented as an essential step to preserve Israel's covenant purity and avoid spiritual syncretism, which would lead them away from their singular devotion to Yahweh.
Deuteronomy 7 16 Word analysis
You shall devour all the peoples:
- Devour (תֹּאכַל - tō’ḵal): From the verb אָכַל (’āḵal), meaning to eat, consume, or destroy. In this context, it signifies a complete military destruction, overwhelming and making an end of the pagan nations, not literal cannibalism. It implies the utter removal of their presence from the land, crucial for Israel's distinct identity.
- All the peoples: Refers to the seven specific nations mentioned in Deut 7:1: Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. This emphasizes the scope and thoroughness required; no nation was to be spared within the bounds of this divine command.
whom the LORD your God will give over to you:
- This phrase highlights that the conquest is not by Israel's might alone, but by divine intervention and enablement. It assures Israel of Yahweh's active participation and commitment to delivering the land to them, underscoring that the success is from God, not human prowess.
Your eye shall not pity them:
- Pity (תָחֹס - ṯāḥōs): From חָסַס (ḥāsas), meaning to spare, have compassion, show mercy, or feel sorrow. This is a powerful prohibition against any humanitarian impulse to spare the idolaters. It demands a rigorous obedience, overriding natural human sentimentality. The sternness reflects God's complete judgment against deeply entrenched sin and idolatry, which if allowed to persist, would corrupt His chosen nation. It is about spiritual survival, not cruelty for its own sake.
nor shall you serve their gods:
- Serve (תַעֲבֹד - taʿăḇōḏ): From עָבַד (’āḇaḏ), meaning to work, serve, worship, or perform service. This directly prohibits any form of religious veneration or allegiance to the deities of the Canaanites. It addresses the spiritual aspect, recognizing that sparing the people would inevitably lead to exposure and eventual adoption of their false worship.
for that would be a snare to you:
- Snare (מוֹקֵשׁ - môqêš): Literally, a bird trap, or metaphorically, a bait, net, or spiritual pitfall. This key term explains the why behind the severe command. Engaging with or showing mercy to these idolatrous peoples, especially by failing to eradicate their worship, would become a dangerous trap for Israel. It signifies spiritual entanglement leading to destruction, drawing Israel away from their covenant with Yahweh into sin, judgment, and ultimately, ruin. This is not just a warning about religious syncretism, but about the systemic spiritual danger that failure to obey brings.
Deuteronomy 7 16 Bonus section
The "no pity" command, though difficult for modern readers, is integral to understanding the severity of God's judgment on pervasive evil and the requirement for Israel's holiness. It speaks to a necessary spiritual surgery, severing the source of infection before it spread throughout the covenant community. This was not about random cruelty but about the radical separation required for God's chosen people to remain pure and effectively bear witness to His name in a hostile, idolatrous world. The "snare" ultimately serves as a divine mercy, warning Israel of self-inflicted spiritual harm. It reminds us that God's boundaries are for our good and protection, even when they seem harsh. In the New Covenant, the principle transforms from physical warfare to spiritual separation from the "gods" of this world and from ungodly systems, emphasizing inward purity and non-conformity to worldly values as a safeguard against spiritual "snares."
Deuteronomy 7 16 Commentary
Deuteronomy 7:16 articulates a non-negotiable command central to Israel's covenant purity: the complete destruction of the idolatrous Canaanite nations and the absolute prohibition against adopting their worship. This seemingly harsh instruction is not a universal ethic for all peoples at all times, but a specific divine judgment on cultures steeped in extreme moral depravity and idolatry. God, in His holiness and justice, was judging nations whose wickedness had "come to full measure."
The command to "devour" implies a decisive and total military victory, aiming for their complete removal, rather than assimilation. The prohibition "your eye shall not pity them" reinforces the uncompromised nature of this judgment; human compassion was not to override divine mandate where the sanctity of the covenant and the purity of God's people were at stake. The heart of the verse, however, lies in the reason for this severity: "nor shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you." This highlights the insidious and dangerous nature of idolatry. If Israel allowed these peoples to remain or adopted their practices, it would act as a spiritual trap (moqesh), inevitably luring them away from their singular devotion to Yahweh and leading to spiritual defilement and judgment.
This verse therefore underscores God's intolerance for syncretism and His demand for exclusive loyalty. For Israel, this meant maintaining a radical distinction from the pagan cultures around them. While the specific military context is unique to ancient Israel, the underlying principles of uncompromising spiritual purity, avoiding entanglement with ungodly influences, and absolute devotion to God remain profoundly relevant for believers.
Practical usage:
- Identify and ruthlessly cut off influences that "snare" us away from God (e.g., certain entertainment, relationships, or desires).
- Be decisive in spiritual battles against practices that compromise faith or lead to idolatry in modern forms (e.g., worshipping success, wealth, or self).
- Cultivate uncompromising devotion to Christ, recognizing that even subtle forms of compromise can lead to spiritual entanglement.