What did God make very plain about Israel's relationship to the nations they would encounter?
God made it very plain that Israel was to have nothing to do with the nations they would encounter in Canaan. They were to make no covenant or treaty, show no mercy, and make no marriages with them, utterly destroying them, because such alliances would turn Israel's sons away from following the Lord.
Les explains that as Israel was about to go in and occupy the land of Canaan, Moses gave strict commands from God about how they were to accomplish it. God said He would cast out many nations before them—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than Israel. When the Lord delivered them, Israel was to smite and utterly destroy them, make no covenant or treaty, show no mercy, and not intermarry. Les notes people should not get shook up at God as cruel, because He gives the reason: these peoples would turn Israel's sons away from following Him. Israel had already been guilty of some of this, so God made it very plain they were to have nothing to do with these Moabites or Canaanites they would run into.
And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
What did God make plain about Israel's relationship with the Moabites and Canaanites?
God made plain that Israel was to have nothing to do with the Moabites or Canaanites. They were to make no covenant or treaty with them, show them no mercy, and not intermarry, because such marriages would turn Israel's sons away from following Him.
Did God allow Israel to make a covenant or show mercy to the Canaanite nations?
No. Through Moses, God commanded Israel that when He delivered the seven nations—Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—into their hands, they were to utterly destroy them and make no covenant, treaty, or show mercy to them. Intermarriage was also forbidden.
More Questions
How specific was God's prohibition of intermarriage with the Canaanites?
God commanded Israel not to intermarry with the Canaanites—they were not to give their daughters to Canaanite sons or take Canaanite daughters for their sons.
What did God prohibit about marriage with the Canaanites?
God told Israel not to make marriages with the Canaanites—they were not to give their daughters to Canaanite sons, nor take Canaanite daughters for their sons.
What did God command Israel to do with the seven nations that were living in Canaan?
When God brought Israel into the land of Canaan and delivered the nations before them, He commanded them to smite and utterly destroy those seven specific nations: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.