1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Deuteronomy 7:2

And the Lord thy God shall have delivered them to thee, thou shalt utterly destroy them. *Thou shalt make no league with them, nor shew mercy to them:

Exodus 23:32.; Exodus 34:15-16.

League. Yet Josue 9:3, by mistake, entered into one with the Gabaonites, and observed it; (Haydock) whence we may conclude, that only such leagues are forbidden as would leave these nations in possession of their lands and idols, chap. 20:10., and 23:6. With foreign nations it was lawful to make leagues defensive and offensive, as David, Asa, and the Machabees did with Hiram, Benadad, and the Romans, 3 Kings 15:18, etc. If the Hebrews were so hostile to the nations of Chanaan, it was in execution of God's decree, who had sentenced them to die; and Tacitus hence unjustly inferred, that they hated all but their own nation. See Grotius, Jur. 2:15. --- Them. This was ill executed. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] 13:13.) (Judges 1.) (Menochius)