Deuteronomy 7 17

Deuteronomy 7:17 kjv

If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?

Deuteronomy 7:17 nkjv

"If you should say in your heart, 'These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?'?

Deuteronomy 7:17 niv

You may say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?"

Deuteronomy 7:17 esv

"If you say in your heart, 'These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?'

Deuteronomy 7:17 nlt

Perhaps you will think to yourselves, 'How can we ever conquer these nations that are so much more powerful than we are?'

Deuteronomy 7 verses

Deuteronomy 7 17 Meaning

Deuteronomy 7:17 encapsulates the foreseen human fear and doubt within the Israelites as they stood poised to enter the land of Canaan. It identifies a specific internal struggle: the recognition of the numerous and powerful Canaanite nations, which, from a human perspective, would appear insurmountable. This verse verbalizes the private question or concern that arises from assessing overwhelming odds, specifically the perceived numerical inferiority of Israel in comparison to the indigenous inhabitants, leading to doubt regarding their ability to fulfill God’s command to dispossess them. It sets the stage for God's subsequent reassurance and instruction to overcome such fear through faith in His power and faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 7 17 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 7 begins with a clear divine command for Israel to dispossess the seven nations dwelling in Canaan (Deut 7:1). God specifically charges them to make no covenant with these peoples and to utterly destroy them and their idols, explaining that this is because Israel is a holy people, chosen by the Lord not because of their numbers but because of His love and faithfulness to His covenant (Deut 7:6-8). This foundational understanding of God's unilateral love and choice is crucial to counter the human doubts that are subsequently addressed.

Verse 17 immediately follows the blessings promised for obedience (Deut 7:12-16). Moses, in his farewell discourse on the plains of Moab, anticipates the very human fear and pragmatic concern the Israelites might harbor as they contemplate the task of conquest. They were facing powerful, well-established kingdoms, likely with fortified cities and formidable armies. Historically, Israel had already faced similar fears at Kadesh-Barnea (Num 13-14), leading to forty years of wilderness wandering. Moses' instruction here preempts a repeat of that failure, directly confronting the potential internal skepticism about the viability of dispossessing the militarily superior Canaanites. It sets up God's explicit answer in the following verses (Deut 7:18-26), where He reassures Israel, recalling past victories against Egypt and promising future divine assistance against their enemies.

Deuteronomy 7 17 Word analysis

• If (כִּי - ki): This serves as a conditional particle, introducing a hypothetical or anticipated situation. It signifies that God (through Moses) foresees this exact thought process arising in their hearts. It's not a suggestion but a recognition of a likely human reaction.
• you say (תֹאמַר - to'mar): From the verb אָמַר (amar), meaning "to say" or "to think." Here, especially with "in your heart," it emphasizes an internal dialogue or conviction rather than necessarily an outward utterance. It points to a deep-seated mental formation or settled judgment.
• in your heart (בִּלְבָבֶךָ - bilvavekha): Levav (לֵבָב) or lev (לֵב) in Hebrew refers to the core of one's being, the seat of thought, intellect, will, emotions, and memory, not just feelings. To "say in one's heart" means to ponder, reason, believe, or inwardly resolve something. It signifies the true inclination or conviction that underlies action or inaction. It indicates that the doubt is deeply rooted, an inner challenge to God's command and promise.
• These nations (הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה - ha'goyim ha'elleh): Goyim (nations, often gentile nations). This specific phrase points back to the seven nations listed in Deut 7:1 (Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites). These were significant and strong polities of the ancient Near East, culturally distinct and known for their martial capabilities and pagan practices.
• are more numerous (רַבִּים - rabbim): From the root rav, meaning "much," "many," "numerous," "great." This highlights the perceived demographic and perhaps military advantage of the Canaanites from Israel's human viewpoint. It's an observation based on external, tangible realities.
• than I (מִמֶּנִּי - mimmeni): Expresses a comparison, emphasizing Israel's perceived numerical inferiority. The singular "I" (referring to Israel corporately) stresses the contrast of Israel's individual strength (or lack thereof) against the combined might of multiple large nations.
• how can I (אֵיכָה אוּכַל - eikha ukhal): Eikha (how, or alas, how), an interrogative particle often expressing distress or incredulity. Ukhal (from yakol, to be able, to overcome). This rhetorical question expresses doubt, a sense of impossibility, or deep uncertainty about their capacity to achieve the given task. It reveals a human assessment of overwhelming odds.
• dispossess them? (לְהוֹרִישָׁם - l'horisham): From the verb יָרַשׁ (yarash), "to inherit," "to take possession of," "to dispossess," "to drive out." This is the core command God gave them. The doubt expressed in the verse is directly linked to their ability to fulfill this specific, divinely mandated task.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "If you say in your heart": This phrase pinpoints the origin of the doubt as internal, intellectual, and volitional. It's a fundamental challenge to the Israelites' resolve and faith, operating beneath the surface, even if not openly vocalized. This internal assessment becomes a battleground for trust in God.
• "'These nations are more numerous than I'": This group of words states the perceived external reality that fuels the doubt. It reflects a purely human, tactical evaluation of the situation, prioritizing visible strength and numbers over the invisible power of God's promise. It implies a "logic" that contradicts divine assurance.
• "'how can I dispossess them?'": This phrase encapsulates the natural outcome of the internal doubt and the external assessment. It's a question of human capability in the face of daunting odds, highlighting the crucial moment where faith in God's ability must override one's own perceived inability. This question essentially challenges God's wisdom or power to deliver on His command.

Deuteronomy 7 17 Bonus section

• This verse represents a vital pivot point in Moses' discourse, moving from the commandments and blessings to directly confronting the practical spiritual obstacle of fear. It shows that God does not expect blind obedience without addressing the real-world anxieties of His people.
• The rhetorical question, "how can I dispossess them?", perfectly echoes the historical failure at Kadesh-Barnea where fear and disbelief over "great and tall" enemies led to Israel's forty-year wilderness judgment (Num 13-14). God's re-emphasis here is a lesson drawn from past failures to ensure future success.
• The phrasing "in your heart" (bilvavekha) links this verse to other core instructions in Deuteronomy, such as "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart" (Deut 6:5) and "these words... shall be on your heart" (Deut 6:6). This connection highlights that faith and obedience are matters of the innermost being, and doubt arising from the heart must be actively countered with divine truth lodged in the same place.
• From a polemical standpoint, the passage subtly critiques pagan views where a god's power was often linked to the physical strength and size of its army. YHWH demonstrates that His power transcends human might and is not dictated by conventional military metrics, challenging any trust in the idols or armies of the Canaanites.

Deuteronomy 7 17 Commentary

Deuteronomy 7:17 is a profound example of God's foreknowledge of the human heart and His grace in proactively addressing potential weaknesses in His people's faith. Moses, speaking on behalf of God, anticipates the precise moment of fear and doubt that Israel would face. This verse is not a condemnation of their potential fear but an acknowledgement of a natural human response to overwhelming odds. The nations in Canaan were indeed militarily superior and numerically dominant from a worldly perspective.

However, the verse reveals the root of the problem: when "you say in your heart," you engage in an internal reasoning that discounts God's power and promise. The Israelites were prone to forgetting the "great and awesome deeds" of the Lord (Deut 7:19) and fixating on their visible weakness. This reliance on human perception of strength versus weakness is a recurrent theme in the Bible. God consistently demonstrates His ability to save not by human strength or numbers but by His sovereign power, often through seemingly inadequate means, to ensure that the glory belongs to Him alone (e.g., Gideon's 300 men, David vs. Goliath).

Therefore, this verse sets the stage for God's crucial reminder that their victory would not depend on their strength or numbers but on His faithfulness, love, and omnipotence (Deut 7:18-26). It serves as a vital lesson: believers are often called to undertake tasks that are impossible from a human viewpoint, precisely so that God's power might be made manifest. The pathway to dispossessing the "unconquerable" involves acknowledging the challenge but ultimately placing faith in the Almighty God who fights for His people, regardless of the odds.