Deuteronomy 7:1

ALL COMMUNION WITH THE NATIONS FORBIDDEN. (Deu. 7:1-26)

the Hittites—This people were descended from Heth, the second son of Canaan (Genesis 10:15), and occupied the mountainous region about Hebron, in the south of Palestine.

the Girgashites—supposed by some to be the same as the Gergesenes (Matthew 8:28), who lay to the east of Lake Gennesareth; but they are placed on the west of Jordan (Joshua 24:11), and others take them for a branch of the large family of the Hivites, as they are omitted in nine out of ten places where the tribes of Canaan are enumerated; in the tenth they are mentioned, while the Hivites are not.

the Amorites—descended from the fourth son of Canaan. They occupied, besides their conquest on the Moabite territory, extensive settlements west of the Dead Sea, in the mountains.

the Canaanites—located in Phœnicia, particularly about Tyre and Sidon, and being sprung from the oldest branch of the family of Canaan, bore his name.

the Perizzites—that is, villagers, a tribe who were dispersed throughout the country and lived in unwalled towns.

the Hivites—who dwelt about Ebal and Gerizim, extending towards Hermon. They are supposed to be the same as the Avims.

the Jebusites—resided about Jerusalem and the adjacent country.

seven nations greater and mightier than thou—Ten were formerly mentioned (Genesis 15:19-21). But in the lapse of near five hundred years, it cannot be surprising that some of them had been extinguished in the many intestine feuds that prevailed among those warlike tribes. It is more than probable that some, stationed on the east of Jordan, had fallen under the victorious arms of the Israelites.