Deuteronomy 7:24 - Divine victory over enemies guaranteed

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Hebrew Text

וְנָתַן מַלְכֵיהֶם בְּיָדֶךָ וְהַאֲבַדְתָּ אֶת־שְׁמָם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם לֹא־יִתְיַצֵּב אִישׁ בְּפָנֶיךָ עַד הִשְׁמִדְךָ אֹתָם׃

English Translation

And he shall deliver their kings into thy hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou hast destroyed them.

Transliteration

Venatan malkehem beyadekha veha'avadta et-shemam mitachat hashamayim lo-yityatzev ish bifaneikha ad hishmidkha otam.

Hebrew Leining Text

וְנָתַ֤ן מַלְכֵיהֶם֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ וְהַאֲבַדְתָּ֣ אֶת־שְׁמָ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לֹֽא־יִתְיַצֵּ֥ב אִישׁ֙ בְּפָנֶ֔יךָ עַ֥ד הִשְׁמִֽדְךָ֖ אֹתָֽם׃

Parasha Commentary

Context and General Meaning

The verse (Devarim 7:24) is part of Moshe's exhortation to Bnei Yisrael as they prepare to enter Eretz Yisrael. It assures them of Hashem's assistance in conquering the land and defeating its inhabitants. The promise includes the utter destruction of the Canaanite nations, ensuring that no enemy will withstand them.

Rashi's Commentary

Rashi explains that "וְנָתַן מַלְכֵיהֶם בְּיָדֶךָ" ("He shall deliver their kings into thy hand") refers to the miraculous victories Hashem will grant, where even powerful kings will fall before Israel. He emphasizes that this is not due to Israel's military strength but Divine intervention. Rashi also notes that "וְהַאֲבַדְתָּ אֶת־שְׁמָם" ("thou shalt destroy their name") means erasing all memory of these nations, ensuring they do not return to reclaim the land.

Rambam's Perspective

In Mishneh Torah (Hilchot Melachim 5:4), Rambam discusses the obligation to annihilate the seven Canaanite nations, deriving from this verse. He explains that the Torah commands complete eradication to prevent their idolatrous influence from corrupting Bnei Yisrael. The phrase "לֹא־יִתְיַצֵּב אִישׁ בְּפָנֶיךָ" ("no man shall stand before you") underscores that resistance is futile when fulfilling a Divine mandate.

Midrashic Interpretation

The Sifrei (Devarim 53) links this verse to the broader theme of zechut Avot (merit of the forefathers). It teaches that Israel's success in battle is contingent on their faithfulness to the covenant—when they uphold the Torah, Hashem ensures their enemies' defeat. The phrase "עַד הִשְׁמִדְךָ אֹתָם" ("until thou hast destroyed them") implies that partial compliance invites lingering threats.

Halachic Implications

Irrevocable Destruction: The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 20a) derives from this verse that any surviving Canaanite nations must be treated as perpetual enemies, with no possibility of peaceful coexistence.
Divine Assistance: The Chizkuni highlights that victory is assured only when Israel trusts in Hashem, as implied by "לֹא־יִתְיַצֵּב אִישׁ בְּפָנֶיךָ"—human effort alone cannot achieve such outcomes.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is not quoted in the Talmud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does Deuteronomy 7:24 mean in simple terms?
A: This verse is part of Hashem's promise to the Jewish people that when they enter the Land of Israel, He will help them defeat their enemies completely. The kings of the Canaanite nations will be delivered into their hands, and no enemy will be able to withstand them, as long as they fulfill Hashem's commandments to remove these nations from the land.

Q: Why does the Torah say to destroy the names of these nations?
A: Rashi explains that this means the memory of these nations should be completely erased, so that no one would even say 'This was the custom of that nation.' The Rambam (Hilchot Avodah Zarah 7:1) teaches this was necessary because these nations practiced severe idolatry and immoral behaviors that could influence the Jewish people if they remained.

Q: How does this verse apply to Jews today?
A: While this specific commandment applied to the conquest of Canaan, the Sages teach we learn from this the importance of completely removing negative spiritual influences from our lives. Just as the Israelites had to remove idolatrous influences from the land, we must distance ourselves from things that pull us away from Torah values (based on Talmud Sotah 44a).

Q: Does 'no man standing before you' mean the Jews would never face enemies again?
A: No, the Talmud (Berachot 4a) explains this promise was specifically about the initial conquest of the land. Later generations would face enemies when they strayed from Torah, as seen throughout Nevi'im (Prophets). The verse emphasizes that during Joshua's conquest, no enemy could withstand them as long as they followed Hashem's command.