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16 You will consume all the peoples that the Lord your God is giving to you. Your eye is not to look with compassion on them. You are not to serve their gods, because that would be a snare to you.

17 If you say in your heart, “These nations are more numerous than we are. How are we able to take possession of their land?” 18 do not be afraid of them. Be sure to remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all the Egyptians. 19 The great test which your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the strong hand and the outstretched arm by which the Lord your God brought you out—that is what the Lord your God will do to all the peoples that you fear.

20 The Lord your God will also send the hornet against them until those who are left and are hiding from you have been destroyed. 21 Do not be overwhelmed before them, because the Lord your God is right among you, a great and awe-inspiring God.

22 The Lord your God, the God before you, will clear away the nations little by little. You will not succeed in finishing them off too quickly, so that the wild animals do not become too numerous for you. 23 But the Lord your God will give them over to you, and he will throw these peoples into complete confusion until they are destroyed. 24 He will give their kings into your hands, and he will cause their names to die out under the heavens, because none of them will be able to hold their ground against you until you have destroyed them. 25 Burn the images of their gods with fire, and do not covet the silver and gold on them or take it for yourself, so that you are not snared by it, because it is an abomination to the Lord your God. 26 Do not bring a detestable thing to your house and in that way become devoted to destruction just like it. Detest it and regard it as an utterly disgusting thing, because it is devoted to destruction.

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16 And you shall devour all of the peoples that Yahweh your God is giving to you; you shall not pity them,[a] and you shall not serve their gods, which will be a snare for you.

17 “If you think in your heart, ‘These nations are more numerous than I, so how can I dispossess them?’ 18 then remember you must not be afraid of them; you must well remember what Yahweh your God did to Pharaoh and to all of Egypt: 19 the great trials that your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the workings of the strong hand and the outstretched arm by which Yahweh your God brought you out; so Yahweh your God will do to all of the peoples because of whom[b] you are in fear before them.[c] 20 And, moreover, Yahweh your God will send the hornets[d] among them until both the survivors and the fugitives are destroyed[e] before you.[f] 21 You must not be in dread from the presence of them, because Yahweh your God, who is in your midst, is a great and awesome God. 22 And Yahweh your God will clear away these nations from before you[g] little by little; you will not be able to finish them off quickly, lest[h] the wild animals[i] multiply[j] against you.[k] 23 But Yahweh your God will give them to you,[l] and he will throw them into great panic until they are destroyed.[m] 24 And he will give their kings into your hand, and you shall blot out their names[n] from under the heaven; anyone will not be able to stand against you[o] until you destroy them.[p] 25 You shall burn the images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, and so you take it for yourself, so that you are not ensnared by it, for it is a detestable thing to Yahweh your God. 26 And you must not bring a detestable thing into your house, or you will become a thing devoted to destruction like it; you must utterly detest it, and you must utterly abhor it, for it is an object devoted to destruction.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 7:16 Literally “your eye shall not take pity on them”
  2. Deuteronomy 7:19 Literally “from them”
  3. Deuteronomy 7:19 Literally “from their presence”
  4. Deuteronomy 7:20 Hebrew “hornet”
  5. Deuteronomy 7:20 Literally “the destroying of”
  6. Deuteronomy 7:20 Literally “from your faces”
  7. Deuteronomy 7:22 Literally “from your faces”
  8. Deuteronomy 7:22 Literally “so that not”
  9. Deuteronomy 7:22 Literally “animals of the field”
  10. Deuteronomy 7:22 Literally “will become numerous”
  11. Deuteronomy 7:22 Literally “on you”
  12. Deuteronomy 7:23 Literally “give them to your face”
  13. Deuteronomy 7:23 Literally “until their destroying”
  14. Deuteronomy 7:24 Hebrew “name”
  15. Deuteronomy 7:24 Literally “in your faces”
  16. Deuteronomy 7:24 Literally “until your destroying them”