Deuteronomy 7:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The ancient law cautioned against forming any partnerships, sales, or bonds with these groups, lest familial ties lead them into moral decay and fellowship with evildoers.

The instruction was clear: even in proximity, the Jews were to maintain a lifestyle distinct from the Canaanites, refraining from shared contracts, trades, and marriages to avoid the risk of wickedness. The law mandated a separation that would ensure their identity remained intact, instructing them to avoid all exchanges, including gold, silver, and children, and instead to uphold a life set apart. By being distinct in actions and words, the law served as a protective boundary for the Israelites, akin to a hedge surrounding precious grapes, preventing any mingling with the Canaanite populace.

The Canaanites were characterized by their abhorrent practices: unlawful unions, violations of natural law, idol worship, child sacrifices, and dishonor toward parents, which resulted in a morally corrupted existence. Consequently, the Jews refrained from any form of interaction or agreement with them; the law strictly prohibited marriages, partnerships, and matchmaking with these nations, imposing severe consequences for those who transgressed. This divine ordinance was established to prevent any association that might lead to wrongdoing.

The law functioned as a barrier for the Israelites, echoing the statement, "The vineyard," said the Lord, "I have planted it, and have enclosed it with a hedge" (Isaiah 5:2). This hedge represented commandments designed to protect and distinguish them from the surrounding wickedness. The Canaanites were regarded as a people deserving of rejection and contempt due to their lewd and sinful behavior, and thus the Israelites, in their obedience to the law, remained resolute in their separation from them.

The Lord provides comprehensive protection for His people and, as revealed in the holy Scriptures, has given them His commandments for their guidance. However, neglecting these noble directives, they recklessly pursued actions that opposed His commands, drawn to superstitions and false prophecies from those dedicated to idol worship. They sought knowledge of the future while deriding the true prophets, urging them, “Speak not unto us right things, but speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits” (Isaiah 30:10).

They allied themselves with the daughters of surrounding nations, disregarding the law's prohibitions. Defying divine instructions, they introduced into their households women steeped in corruption and idolatry, resulting in offspring raised in ways that reflected their mothers’ beliefs, thereby exhibiting a lack of knowledge of the law of Moses.