Deuteronomy 7:7 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 7:7 Commentary: Why God Chose the Few
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
This verse explains that God's choice of Israel was not due to their size but to His free love and covenant oath.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God's election of Israel was based on His free love, not their numbers or merit.
- Key words: chashaq (set his love), to bind with affection; also 'chose' (H0977) and 'fewest' (H4592).
- Main debate: Is this national election (covenant people) or does it imply unconditional individual election? Both views find support; the verse itself focuses on national calling.
- Theological theme: Grace, covenant love, humility before God's sovereign choice.
- Best use: Teaching on the nature of God's grace; antidote to religious pride; basis for worship and obedience.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Yahweh didn’t set his love on you nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all peoples;
KJV King James Version 1769
The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Jehovah did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all peoples:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`Not because of your being more numerous than any of the peoples hath Jehovah delighted in you, and fixeth on you, for ye are the least of all the peoples,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Not because ye were more in number than all the peoples, hath Jehovah been attached to you and chosen you, for ye are the fewest of all the peoples;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Not because you surpass all nations in number, is the Lord joined unto you, and hath chosen you, for you are the fewest of any people:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
No por ser vosotros más que todos los pueblos os ha querido Jehová, y os ha escogido; porque vosotros erais los más pocos de todos los pueblos:
Não por ser vós mais que todos os povos vos quis o SENHOR, e vos escolheu; porque vós éreis os menores de todos os povos:
Ce n’ est point parce que vous surpassez en nombre tous les peuples, que l’ Éternel s’ est attaché à vous et qu’ il vous a choisis, car vous êtes le moindre de tous les peuples.
Nicht hat euch der HERR angenommen und euch erwählt, darum daß euer mehr wäre als alle Völker, denn du bist das kleinste unter allen Völkern;
De HEERE heeft geen lust tot u gehad, noch u verkoren, om uw veelheid boven alle andere volken; want gij waart het weinigste van alle volken.
L’Eterno ha riposto in voi la sua affezione e vi ha scelti, non perché foste più numerosi di tutti gli altri popoli, ché anzi siete meno numerosi d’ogni altro popolo;
Nie przeto, że was więcej nad inne narody, przyłączył się Pan do was, i obrał was, gdyż was było najmniej ze wszystkich narodów;
Не потому, чтобы вы были многочисленнее всех народов, принял вас Господь и избрал вас, — ибо вы малочисленнее всех народов, —
「耶和華 專愛 你們，揀選 你們，並非 因你們的人數多於 別民，原來 你們 的人數在萬 民 中是最少的。
The Lord did not give you his love or take you for himself because you were more in number than any other people; for you were the smallest of the nations:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 7:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the plain sense of this verse: God's election of Israel was not motivated by their numbers or any natural superiority. Calvin calls it 'gratuitous favor,' noting that God passed over all other nations to embrace Israel alone. Gill adds that love preceded choice, 'he loved them, and therefore he chose them', and that Israel was not better than others. Keil and Delitzsch stress that the verb chashaq (set his love) means to bind oneself with love, and that the exodus was the practical outworking of God's election. Barnes notes the historical fact: when God chose Abraham, he was but one person, while nations already existed. The consensus is clear: God's love is the source, not Israel's attributes. This shared reading anchors the passage in grace.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God's choice of Israel did not depend on their size or strength; it was an act of free, gracious love.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Basis of election | God's choice was not based on Israel's numbers or any human greatness. | Some traditions (e.g., Reformed) see this as teaching unconditional individual election; others (e.g., Arminian or covenant theologians) read it as corporate election of a nation for service, not individual salvation. |
| Meaning of 'set his love' (chashaq) | The verb denotes deep personal attachment, as between a man and a woman. | Whether this emphasizes God's emotional affection or a covenantal commitment (or both); the word often carries a sense of binding, but its exact nuance in context is debated. |
| Referent of 'you' | It refers to Israel as a nation at the time of the exodus and wilderness. | Whether the verse addresses individual Israelites' eternal election or their role as a covenant community chosen for a mission. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Deuteronomy 7 is part of Moses's farewell speeches to the new generation on the plains of Moab, just before entering Canaan. The context: God commands Israel to destroy the seven nations and their idols, because Israel is a holy people chosen by God. Verse 7 anticipates a possible pride: they might think God chose them because they were great. Moses refutes that.
The verb chashaq (חָשַׁק) is used for a man falling in love with a woman (Deut 21:11; Gen 34:8), indicating deep emotional attachment; the Cambridge Bible notes this. Israel was indeed the smallest of peoples, when God called Abraham, he was one man (Isa 51:2). Even later, Israel's growth was God's blessing (Deut 10:22). The historical setting underscores that Israel had nothing to boast about.
The verse also prepares for v8: God's love is tied to His covenant oath to the patriarchs. In the ancient Near East, gods were often chosen for political power; here, Yahweh chooses the powerless. This upsets human expectations. The command to destroy the nations is not ethnic cleansing but a judgment on their sin (Gen 15:16) and a protection against idolatry. So the historical context shows that Israel's election was wholly gratuitous.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. The main variations across English translations are in rendering the verb chashaq ('set his love,' 'delighted in,' 'was attached to') and the phrase 'the fewest of all peoples.'
Reception History
This verse has been significant in Christian theology of election. Calvin and the Reformed tradition draw on it to argue that God's choice is unconditional and not based on human worth. In contrast, Arminian interpreters read it as referring to national election for a specific mission, not individual salvation. Jewish tradition highlights God's love for Israel despite their smallness, celebrating the covenant with Abraham. The verse has also been used in hymns about grace and in sermons warning against spiritual pride.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God's love is uncaused by human merit. The verse negates the idea that Israel's numbers or strength earned God's favor. Moses makes this explicit: 'not because you were more in number.'
- God's choice is anchored in His own character and promise. Verse 8 points to His love and His oath to the fathers. God's election flows from who He is, not from who we are.
- This election creates a people called to holiness and gratitude. The surrounding context (vv.6-11) shows that being chosen is for a purpose, to be a holy people who keep the covenant.
Five-point outline
- The negation: 'not because you were more in number' strips away false pride.
- The affirmation: love and oath as the foundation (v.8).
- The historical proof: the exodus as evidence of God's election already accomplished.
- The call to respond: keep the commandments faithfully (v.11).
- The warning: do not drift into idolatry (vv.9-10, the verses following).
Illustration hooks
- A child chosen for a team even though not the strongest, pure kindness of the coach.
- A person chosen for a job not because of qualifications but because of the employer's favor and existing relationship.
- Adoption: a child chosen not because of merit but because the parents wanted to love them.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God choose Israel and not another nation?
- Does this mean God loves some people more than others?
- Does this verse teach unconditional individual election to salvation, or is it about national calling?
Leading a Discussion
This verse confronts our natural belief that we must earn God's favor. As you discuss, consider what this tells us about God's character and our response.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What does the verse directly say about why God chose Israel? What does it say the reason is not?
- Observation: Look at the Hebrew verb chashaq (set his love). How does knowing it means 'to bind with affection' deepen the meaning?
- Interpretation: Why do you think Moses included this specific reason? What false assumptions was he countering?
- Interpretation: How does verse 8 (God's love and oath to the fathers) connect to verse 7? What does this reveal about the foundation of God's choice?
- Interpretation: This passage is set within commands to destroy nations and avoid idolatry. How does God's free choice of Israel relate to the call for holiness?
- Application: How should this verse shape our view of God's love for us? Does it change how you see your own standing before God?
- Application: In what ways might we be tempted to think God chose us because of something in us? How can we guard against that pride?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 10:22 | Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude. |
| Psalms 115:1 | Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your loving kindness, and for your truth’s sake. |
| Isaiah 51:2 | Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for when he was but one I called him, I blessed him, and made him many. |
| Matthew 7:14 | How narrow is the gate and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are few who find it. |
| Luke 12:32 | “Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. |
| Romans 9:11 | For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, |
| Romans 9:15 | For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” |
| Romans 9:18 | So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the "groves" commanded to be destroyed are not trees but wooden idols of Ashtaroth. He notes God deliberately chose Israel when they were just one man, Abraham, amid many powerful nations, and their later growth came from the very blessing that fulfilled His promise. He interprets "repaying enemies to their face" as God punishing them in their own persons.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that God chose Israel purely out of His free favor, not because they were better or more numerous. He notes that common blessings often go unappreciated, but God’s unique love for this people makes His grace stand out: their election rests entirely on His sovereign choice, not their merit.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible points out that the principles behind the commands to destroy other nations are more enduring than the commands themselves. God's love and choice of Israel remain essential, even when the specific practices are no longer required. The commentator also notes textual variation, suggesting verses 7-8 may be a later insertion.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators stress that God's choosing Israel had nothing to do with their numbers or importance. On the contrary, they were the smallest of all peoples, so their election was purely an act of God's free love, not a reward for any advantage they possessed.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that God did not choose Israel for their numbers or worth; they were the smallest of all peoples. He draws a parallel to election more broadly: those God chooses are few, and they are not inherently better than others, being by nature children of wrath like everyone else.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stresses that God did not choose and deliver Israel because of their greatness; they were the smallest of nations. The driving motive was simply God's love for them and his faithfulness to his oath to the patriarchs. God freed them from Egypt to draw them into a loving response to his grace.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the seven Canaanite nations as a deliberate caricature of Israel: seven against one. The command to destroy them is not national hatred but a theocratic principle—hatred for God’s sake that flows from love for Him, not selfish enmity. He warns against misapplying this as carnal hatred, noting the New Covenant’s spirit of grace.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry focuses on the motive behind God's harsh command: Israel's separation from the Canaanites was not about ethnic hatred but about holiness. God chose this people purely out of His own love and covenant faithfulness, not their worth, so they must reflect His character by rejecting every form of idolatry.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley traces the tiny beginnings of God's chosen people, showing that the promise started with Abraham's single son Isaac, then Isaac's two children, and Jacob's twelve sons. He notes there was no great increase until after Joseph's death, emphasizing how gradually Israel grew from the fewest possible start.