Themes: Israel charged with destroying the 7 idolatrous Canaanite nations; no intermarrying; holiness leads away from idolatry; the Lord loved Israel because of His promise to their forefathers; the Lord keeps His covenant to those who keep His Word; the Lord destroys idolaters who do not keep His Word; the Lord blesses those who keep His Word with life – fruitful wombs, lands and herds; He will remove all sickness and protect you from the diseases of Egypt; the Lord will give you the land incrementally.
Verses 1 -2: the seven nations: Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. The clears these away from Israel and Israel is to destroy them wholly because they are idolatrous.
Verses 3 – 4: Idolatry prohibits marriage amongst Israel’s children because they will turn the children away from the Lord.
Verses 5 – Israel is charged with tearing down their altars because they, the seven nations, are idolators.
Verses 6 – 11: the Lord chose Israel to be His people on the earth and loves them because He covenanted with Israel’s forefathers. Therefore He led them out of Egypt and keeps His covenant with those who keep His Word (commandments) but will repay those who do not keep His Word. Thus keep His Word which He gives to you Israel.
Verses 12 – 21: the Lord will bless Israel with health – He will not place upon you the diseases of Egypt – and life – fruitful wombs, lands and herds. You will defeat all opposing nations the Lord delivers to you: remember what He did to Egypt.
Verses 22 – 26: the Lord will clear away the nations before you little by little, instead of all at once, and He will deliver them into your hands. Their kings will be forgotten and their idols destroyed by fire. Do not covet their idols nor bring them into your homes.
Views from an Evangelist 