The Meaning of Deuteronomy 7:21 Explained

Deuteronomy 7:21

KJV: Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.

YLT: thou art not terrified by their presence, for Jehovah thy God is in thy midst, a God great and fearful.

Darby: Thou shalt not be afraid of them; for Jehovah thy God is in thy midst, a God great and terrible.

ASV: Thou shalt not be affrighted at them; for Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a great God and a terrible.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou shalt not be affrighted  at  them: for the LORD  thy God  [is] among  you, a mighty  God  and terrible. 

What does Deuteronomy 7:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 7:12-26 - What The Lord Does For His People
The promises to obedience are enlarged upon with touching copiousness. Love, blessing, keeping, peace, multiplication, fruit and health lie along the narrow pathway entered by the strait gate of the Cross. However forbidding its entrance, it "leadeth unto life." May Christ secure in us this obedience which He, too, demands and achieves by His Spirit! John 14:15.
Whatever be the strength of the Amalekites and Hittites of the heart, let us not fear. We have been "reconciled by His death" and shall be "saved by His life," Romans 5:10. "Little by little" is the law of progressive sanctification. The Holy Spirit shows us the next portion to be taken and the enemies that resist our prayers. But as we advance, they are driven out, Isaiah 54:17.
We resemble what we admire. Let us set our affections above. To abhor the evil and pursue the good casts a glory on our face. Compare Deuteronomy 7:26; Psalms 115:8; 2 Corinthians 3:18. [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 7:21 mean?

Not You shall be terrified of them for Yahweh your God [is] among you the God great and awesome
לֹ֥א תַעֲרֹ֖ץ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־ יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ בְּקִרְבֶּ֔ךָ אֵ֥ל גָּד֖וֹל וְנוֹרָֽא

תַעֲרֹ֖ץ  You  shall  be  terrified 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מַעֲרָץ 
Sense: to tremble, dread, fear, oppress, prevail, break, be terrified, cause to tremble.
מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם  of  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֤ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙  your  God  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּקִרְבֶּ֔ךָ  among  you 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
אֵ֥ל  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
גָּד֖וֹל  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וְנוֹרָֽא  and  awesome 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.