Verses 1-20

The promised land (7:1-8:20)

Israel's responsibility was to destroy the people of Canaan along with everything connected with their religion, so that nothing would remain in the land that might corrupt God's people (7:1-5). Israel's favoured place as God's chosen people was not an excuse for them to do as they liked, but a reason for them to avoid corruption and be holy. If they were disobedient, they would surely be punished (6-11). But if they were obedient, they would enjoy the blessings of national growth, agricultural prosperity and good health (12-16).

God would lead his people to victory over enemies in the future as he had in the past (17-21), but for the present he would give them only that amount of territory that they could capably control. As their numbers and needs increased, he would lead them to further conquest and expansion. But at all times they had to conduct their wars according to God's laws of holiness (22-26).

The varied experiences of life in the wilderness had taught Israel that life depends on more than the food people eat. It depends upon spiritual forces that are found only in God (8:1-4). The Israelites were to keep this in mind when they settled in Canaan, a land they would find to be rich in natural resources. They were to fear God and thank him for his gifts, not take everything for granted (5-10). If in their prosperity they forgot God and ignored his law, he would punish them as he had punished the Canaanites before them (11-20).