New American Standard Bible 1995

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Deuteronomy

7

:

1

"When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you,

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
"When that, for, when Conjunction H3588 כִּ֤י ki
the LORD the proper name of the God of Israel Noun H3068 יְהוָ֣ה Yah·weh
your God God, god Noun H430 אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ e·lo·hei·cha,
brings to come in, come, go in, go Verb H935 יְבִֽיאֲךָ֙ ye·vi·'a·cha
you into the land earth, land Noun H776 הָאָ֕רֶץ ha·'a·retz
where who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁר־ a·sher-
you are entering to come in, come, go in, go Verb H935 בָא־ va-
to possess to take possession of, inherit, dispossess Verb H3423 לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ le·rish·tah;
it, and clears away to slip or drop off, draw off, clear away Verb H5394 וְנָשַׁ֣ל ve·na·shal
many much, many, great Adjective H7227 רַבִּ֣ים rab·bim
nations nation, people Noun H1471 גֹּֽויִם־ go·v·yim-
before from Prepostion H4480 מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ mim·mek·ka.
you, the Hittites desc. of Heth Noun H2850 הַֽחִתִּי֩ ha·chit·ti
and the Girgashites a native tribe of Canaan Adjective H1622 וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֨י ve·hag·gir·ga·shi
and the Amorites perhaps "mountain dwellers," a Canaanite tribe Noun H567 וְהָאֱמֹרִ֜י ve·ha·'e·mo·ri
and the Canaanites inhab. of Canaan Adjective H3669 וְהַכְּנַעֲנִ֣י ve·hak·ke·na·'a·ni
and the Perizzites a people in the land of Canaan Adjective H6522 וְהַפְּרִזִּ֗י ve·hap·pe·riz·zi
and the Hivites probably "villagers," a Canaanite tribe Noun H2340 וְהַֽחִוִּי֙ ve·ha·chiv·vi
and the Jebusites, inhab. of Jebus Noun H2983 וְהַיְבוּסִ֔י ve·hay·vu·si,
seven seven Noun H7651 שִׁבְעָ֣ה shiv·'ah
Analysis:

Seven: Holiness, sanctification, purpose, and being set apart for a purpose (whether good or evil)

Christianity frequently teaches that the meaning of the number seven is completion. This is not correct. The number seven relates to "rest" and "holiness". The best example of this is the many places that the number seven is used in regard to the Shabbat (the Sabbath day). The primary idea of the Shabbat is rest and holiness. Please note that there is also an etymological connection between the concept of holiness and sanctification. In several passages of Scripture, one reads that HaShem has sanctified the seventh day or He has made it holy. In addition to this, work is forbidden on the Shabbat. In fact, both Biblically and traditionally, the Shabbat is seen as a day of rest. 
Finally, the number seven can relate to perfection. Obviously there is an association between holiness and perfection.

What is the Scriptural basis for those who teach that the number seven relates to completion? These scholars also refer to the Shabbat. In the book of Genesis, one reads, 

"The heavens and the earth were finished (completed) and all their hosts. And God completed on the seventh day His work which He did and He ceased on the seventh day from all His work which He did." Genesis 2:1-2

There certainly seems to be a Biblical basis for associating the number seven with completion. However, in the next verse it is stated,

"And God blessed the seventh day and He sanctified it (literally made it Holy) for in it, He ceased (rested) from all His work which God created to do." Genesis 2:3

Now we have two concepts related to seven, completion and holiness. When one examines the number seven in additional passages, the concept of holiness (sanctification) and perfection appear much more frequently. Before looking at a few such passages, let us refer to an additional verse that relates the number to completion. In Revelation 10:7, one reads that in the days of the seventh angel, the mystery of God should be finished (completed). The word which is translated finished or completed is the Greek word τελέω which has great theological significance. There are two well-known passages where this word appears. One is found in Romans chapter 10. Here the word in question is in the form of a noun. Although it is frequently translated as the "end", it is important for the reader to know that within this word there is the idea of "goal", "purpose", or "objective". The verse from Romans reads literally, 

"For an end of Torah (is) Messiah for righteousness, for everyone who believes.” Romans 10:4

It is significant that there is no definite article (the) prior to the word "end". If the proper interpretation is that Yeshua brings an end to the Law, then the verse should state, "For the end of the Torah is Messiah…." Most English translations insert the definite article which the Greek text does not have.  It is awkward to state, "an end". In actuality, Messiah did not bring an end to the Law; the Torah commandments continued to be practiced by the followers of Messiah (see Paul in Acts 21:20-24). The proper translation for this verse when understanding the fuller meaning of the word τελos is,

"For an objective of the Law is Messiah; for righteousness for everyone who believes."

The objective or purpose of the Law is not solely that people would turn to faith in Messiah. Naturally there are many purposes contained in the Torah. However, the Law reveals our unrighteousness and causes us to seek redemption by means of the Messiah. Although the Torah defines what is righteous (and unrighteous), it is only Yeshua Who can bring about righteousness in a person. Of course as the end of the verse states, Messiah only mediates righteousness for the one who believes.   
The other passage that contains the word τελέω is John 19:30. In this verse,Yeshua is on the tree and knowing all things have been accomplished, He said, "It is finished". The emphasis of this statement is not that His work of redemption is complete, although this is true. Rather, this work was done in a perfect manner. Holiness is also related to purpose. It is very important for the Biblical student to understand that Holiness is always related to a purpose. As was briefly mentioned earlier, there is a strong relationship between the terms holiness and sanctification. In fact, both in Greek and in Hebrew the word sanctification is derived from the word holy. Hence, when Yeshua cried out, "It is finished”, He is referring to the work that God the Father had set Him apart (sanctified Him) to do.

When considering another verse which has the number seven, the matter becomes clearer. Yeshua fed a multitude of 4,000 people from the seven loaves and few fishes. This is of course different from the feeding of the five thousand. After the multitude had eaten and were satisfied, the reader is told that seven full baskets were taken up.  What is the meaning of the number seven in this passage? First, the number 4,000 (the number four, a thousand times) relates to the world. In examining the passage, perhaps a case could be made for asserting that Yeshua had come for the whole (complete) world. However, when taking into account the context of this section, another interpretation seems to fit better. Yeshua, in the previous paragraph, had healed the lame, deaf, blind, and the maimed. The emphasis is not simply that He had made them whole, but these are said to have glorified the God of Israel. In other words, these who were incapable of worshiping God, were now able to do so. The point is that Yeshua did not come to simply minister to the entire (complete) world, but to make the world holy, that is to sanctify the world according to His purposes. Likewise, when in the book of Revelation the seven spirits are mentioned or the seven menorahs, the idea is not completion, but holiness and sanctification. 

When the number ten is studied, it will be demonstrated that the concept of completion is much better applied to this number, rather than seven.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

nations nation, people Noun H1471 גֹויִ֔ם go·v·yim,
greater much, many, great Adjective H7227 רַבִּ֥ים rab·bim
and stronger mighty, numerous Adjective H6099 וַעֲצוּמִ֖ים va·'a·tzu·mim
than from Prepostion H4480    
you,      

People

Lord

Lord [N] [B] [S] There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.    Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retained only in  Exodus 6:3 ;  Psalms 83:18 ;  Isaiah 12:2 ;  26:4 , both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.&nb... View Details

Lord

Lord [N] [B] [S] There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.    Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retained only in  Exodus 6:3 ;  Psalms 83:18 ;  Isaiah 12:2 ;  26:4 , both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.&nb... View Details

Lord

Lord [N] [B] [S] There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.    Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retained only in  Exodus 6:3 ;  Psalms 83:18 ;  Isaiah 12:2 ;  26:4 , both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.&nb... View Details

Lord

Lord [N] [B] [S] There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.    Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retained only in  Exodus 6:3 ;  Psalms 83:18 ;  Isaiah 12:2 ;  26:4 , both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.&nb... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you,
King James Bible "When When the LORD your thy God brings you shall bring thee into the land where you are entering whither thou goest to possess it, and clears away hath cast out many nations before you, thee, the Hittites Hittites, and the Girgashites Girgashites, and the Amorites Amorites, and the Canaanites Canaanites, and the Perizzites Perizzites, and the Hivites Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger mightier than you,thou;
Hebrew Greek English "When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you,