Deuteronomy 19:1
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 19:1
1 When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 19 is a sermonic and legal chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of creation, sacrifice, grace. Written during the end of the wilderness wandering (c. 1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Moses delivered these speeches as Israel prepared to enter a land filled with different Canaanite city-states.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-21: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it foreshadows Christ's work through typology and prophetic elements. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Deuteronomy and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Deuteronomy 19:1
1 When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
Analysis
When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses. God's sovereignty in displacing Canaanite nations and granting their land to Israel demonstrates both divine judgment on wicked peoples and divine grace in giving undeserved inheritance to redeemed people.
The phrase the LORD thy God hath cut off indicates God actively judges and removes the Canaanites. Their displacement results from accumulated iniquity (Genesis 15:16) - God uses Israel as instrument of judgment on peoples whose wickedness has reached fullness.
That Israel succeedest them and dwells in their cities and houses shows they inherit what others built. This unearned possession typifies grace - believers inherit spiritual blessings in Christ that they did not earn or construct.
This inheritance carries responsibility - Israel must not imitate the sins that brought judgment on the previous inhabitants lest they too be displaced for wickedness.
Historical Context
Joshua led Israel's conquest of Canaan, dispossessing various Canaanite peoples. The conquest was not complete ethnic cleansing but divine judgment on cultures characterized by idolatry, sexual perversion, and child sacrifice.
Israel's later exile proved they were not immune to judgment - when they adopted the abominations of the nations, God similarly expelled them from the land.
Reflection
- What does God's judgment of Canaanite nations teach about His righteousness and holiness?
- How does Israel's unearned inheritance typify grace in receiving spiritual blessings?
- Why must those who receive inheritance avoid the sins that brought judgment on previous occupants?
- What does Israel's later exile teach about God's impartiality in judgment?
- How should understanding grace as unearned inheritance affect our stewardship of spiritual blessings?
Word Studies
- God: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) H430 - God (plural of majesty)
Cross-References
- References God: Deuteronomy 6:10, 12:29, 17:14