For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy
God
Set apart by him from all other people, and devoted to his
worship and service, and many of them were sanctified and made
holy in a special and spiritual sense; and therefore should not
conform to the customs of Gentiles, whether in their extravagant
mourning for the dead, or in their religious services; see (
Deuteronomy 7:6 ) ,
and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people,
above all the
nations that [are] upon the earth;
to be his peculiar treasure, to be his peculiar servants and
worshippers, to enjoy peculiar blessings and privileges, and
behave in a peculiar manner different from all other people; and
have no connection with them, especially in things sacred; and,
in order to keep them a distinct peculiar people from all others,
a peculiar diet was appointed them, that so being prohibited to
eat such things as others did, they might be kept out of their
company and conversation, and so from being drawn into their
idolatrous practices; the rules concerning which follow; see (
Deuteronomy 7:6 ) .