The Meaning of Deuteronomy 7:9 Explained

Deuteronomy 7:9

KJV: Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

YLT: And thou hast known that Jehovah thy God He is God, the faithful God, keeping the covenant, and the kindness, to those loving Him, and to those keeping His commands -- to a thousand generations,

Darby: And thou shalt know that Jehovah thy God, he is God, the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and mercy to a thousand generations with them that love him and keep his commandments;

ASV: Know therefore that Jehovah thy God, he is God, the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Know  therefore that the LORD  thy God,  he [is] God,  the faithful  God,  which keepeth  covenant  and mercy  with them that love  him and keep  his commandments  to a thousand  generations; 

What does Deuteronomy 7:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 7:1-11 - No Compromise With Idolatry
The great Lawgiver had His eye constantly on the coming generation. It is good when the children are so arrested by our religious life, that they come to ask us to tell them the reasons that account for it. Seek to live so purely and devoutly, and yet so attractively, that the young people around will be compelled to inquire after your secret, Luke 11:1.
We are not only to teach the children, but to guard them against forming friendships and making marriage alliances with those who might divert them from God. In the New Testament, Christians are forbidden to marry except "in the Lord," and equally stringent are prohibitions against worldly intercourse, 1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 6:14.
God can break the seven-fold power of sin in the heart of those who are absolutely given over to Him and are willing to surrender their evil ways. This is pledged to us by His fidelity and love, Deuteronomy 7:8-9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 7

1  All communion with the nations is forbidden
5  for fear of idolatry,
6  for the holiness of the people,
9  for the nature of God in his mercy and justice,
17  and for the assuredness of victory which God will give over them

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 7:9 mean?

Therefore know that Yahweh your God He [is] God God the faithful who keeps covenant and mercy with those who love Him and keep - His commandments for thousand a generations
וְיָ֣דַעְתָּ֔ כִּֽי־ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ ה֣וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים הָאֵל֙ הַֽנֶּאֱמָ֔ן שֹׁמֵ֧ר הַבְּרִ֣ית וְהַחֶ֗סֶד לְאֹהֲבָ֛יו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י [מצותו] (מִצְוֺתָ֖יו) לְאֶ֥לֶף דּֽוֹר

וְיָ֣דַעְתָּ֔  Therefore  know 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים  [is]  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הָאֵל֙  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
הַֽנֶּאֱמָ֔ן  the  faithful 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
שֹׁמֵ֧ר  who  keeps 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
הַבְּרִ֣ית  covenant 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
וְהַחֶ֗סֶד  and  mercy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
לְאֹהֲבָ֛יו  with  those  who  love  Him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י  and  keep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
[מצותו]  - 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
(מִצְוֺתָ֖יו)  His  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
לְאֶ֥לֶף  for  thousand 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, masculine singular construct
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
דּֽוֹר  a  generations 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.