Deuteronomy 7:7-8

The Basis of Israel’s Election

7:7 It is not because you were more numerous than all the other peoples that the Lord favored and chose you – for in fact you were the least numerous of all peoples. 7:8 Rather it is because of his 1  love 2  for you and his faithfulness to the promise 3  he solemnly vowed 4  to your ancestors 5  that the Lord brought you out with great power, 6  redeeming 7  you from the place of slavery, from the power 8  of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

1 tn Heb “the Lord’s.” See note on “He” in 7:6.

2 tn For the verb אָהַב (’ahav, “to love”) as a term of choice or election, see note on the word “loved” in Deut 4:37.

3 tn Heb “oath.” This is a reference to the promises of the so-called “Abrahamic Covenant” (cf. Gen 15:13-16).

4 tn Heb “swore on oath.”

5 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 12, 13).

6 tn Heb “by a strong hand” (NAB similar); NLT “with such amazing power.”

7 sn Redeeming you from the place of slavery. The Hebrew verb translated “redeeming” (from the root פָּדָה, padah) has the idea of redemption by the payment of a ransom. The initial symbol of this was the Passover lamb, offered by Israel to the Lord as ransom in exchange for deliverance from bondage and death (Exod 12:1-14). Later, the firstborn sons of Israel, represented by the Levites, became the ransom (Num 3:11-13). These were all types of the redemption effected by the death of Christ who described his atoning work as “a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28; cf. 1 Pet 1:18).

8 tn Heb “hand” (so KJV, NRSV), a metaphor for power or domination.