Exodus 23:27

27 " 'I will release my terror before you, and I will throw into confusion all the people against whom you come, and I will {make all your enemies turn their back to you}.

Exodus 23:27 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 23:27

And I will send my fear before thee
What should cause fear among the nations of the land of Canaan; either the hornets mentioned in the next verse as the explanative of this; or the fame of his mighty works, which he had done for Israel in Egypt, at the Red sea, and in the wilderness; which struck the inhabitants of Canaan with such a panic, that they were ready to faint and melt away, and lost all courage, ( Joshua 2:9-11 )

and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come;
that is, the greatest part of them:

and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee;
flee away, not being able to face them and stand a battle, or, however, not stand it long, but run and make their escape: "or I will give thee the neck of them" ^F16; cause them to submit, to lay down their necks and be trampled upon; an expression denoting their subjection, and an entire conquest of them, see ( Psalms 18:39 Psalms 18:40 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (Pre-yttn) "et dabo-cervicem", Pagninus, Montanus; "exponam tibi cervicem", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "ponam ad te cervicem", Drusius.

Exodus 23:27 In-Context

25 And you will serve Yahweh your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will remove sickness from among you.

26 There will be no one suffering miscarriage or infertile in your land. I will make full the number of your days.

27 " 'I will release my terror before you, and I will throw into confusion all the people against whom you come, and I will {make all your enemies turn their back to you}.

28 And I will send the hornet before you, and it will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you.

29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become a desolation and {the wild animals} multiply against you.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "give all your enemies to you back"