The Meaning of Deuteronomy 7:7 Explained

Deuteronomy 7:7

KJV: The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

YLT: Not because of your being more numerous than any of the peoples hath Jehovah delighted in you, and fixeth on you, for ye are the least of all the peoples,

Darby: Not because ye were more in number than all the peoples, hath Jehovah been attached to you and chosen you, for ye are the fewest of all the peoples;

ASV: Jehovah did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all peoples:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  did not set his love  upon you, nor choose  you, because ye were more  in number than any people;  for ye [were] the fewest  of all people: 

What does Deuteronomy 7:7 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 7:7 mean?

Not because you were more in number than any other people did set His love Yahweh on you nor choose you for you [were] the least of all peoples
לֹ֣א מֵֽרֻבְּכֶ֞ם מִכָּל־ הָֽעַמִּ֗ים חָשַׁ֧ק יְהוָ֛ה בָּכֶ֖ם וַיִּבְחַ֣ר בָּכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־ אַתֶּ֥ם הַמְעַ֖ט מִכָּל־ הָעַמִּֽים

מֵֽרֻבְּכֶ֞ם  because  you  were  more  in  number 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: רֹב  
Sense: multitude, abundance, greatness.
מִכָּל־  than  any  other 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָֽעַמִּ֗ים  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
חָשַׁ֧ק  did  set  His  love 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָשַׁק 
Sense: (Qal) to love, be attached to, long for.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בָּכֶ֖ם  on  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
וַיִּבְחַ֣ר  nor  choose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
אַתֶּ֥ם  you  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
הַמְעַ֖ט  the  least 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מְעַט  
Sense: littleness, few, a little, fewness.
מִכָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעַמִּֽים  peoples 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.