The Meaning of Deuteronomy 7:10 Explained

Deuteronomy 7:10

KJV: And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

YLT: and repaying to those hating Him, unto their face, to destroy them; He delayeth not to him who is hating Him -- unto his face, He repayeth to him --

Darby: and repayeth them that hate him each to his face, to cause them to perish: he delayeth not with him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

ASV: and repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And repayeth  them that hate  him to their face,  to destroy  them: he will not be slack  to him that hateth  him, he will repay  him to his face. 

What does Deuteronomy 7:10 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 7:10 mean?

and He repays those who hate Him to their face to destroy them not He will be slack with him who hates Him his face He will repay him
וּמְשַׁלֵּ֧ם לְשֹׂנְאָ֛יו אֶל־ פָּנָ֖יו לְהַאֲבִיד֑וֹ לֹ֤א יְאַחֵר֙ לְשֹׂ֣נְא֔וֹ פָּנָ֖יו יְשַׁלֶּם־ לֽוֹ

וּמְשַׁלֵּ֧ם  and  He  repays 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .
לְשֹׂנְאָ֛יו  those  who  hate  Him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.
פָּנָ֖יו  their  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
לְהַאֲבִיד֑וֹ  to  destroy  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
יְאַחֵר֙  He  will  be  slack 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָחַר  
Sense: to delay, hesitate, tarry, defer, remain behind.
לְשֹׂ֣נְא֔וֹ  with  him  who  hates  Him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.
פָּנָ֖יו  his  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְשַׁלֶּם־  He  will  repay 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .