Shemot 23:22

22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his [bat] kol, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

Shemot 23:22 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 23:22

But, if thou shall indeed obey his voice
Or "hearkening hearken", ^F14 to it attentively, listen to it, and diligently and constantly observe and obey in whatever he shall direct and order:

and do all that I speak;
by him; or whatsoever he had spoke, or was about to speak; for as yet all the laws and statutes were not delivered, especially those of the ceremonial kind:

then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine
adversaries;
which they should either meet with in their passage through the wilderness, or when they came into the land of Canaan; signifying hereby that he would protect them from them, subdue them under them, and give them victory over them, as that they should be utterly destroyed, and so way made for their possession of their land, as in the following words.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F14 (emvt ewmv) "audiendo audieris", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, Piscator.

Shemot 23:22 In-Context

20 Hinei, I send Malach before thee, to be shomer over thee in the derech, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

21 Pay heed to him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your peysha’im; for My Shem is in him.

22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his [bat] kol, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

23 For My Malach shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Emori, and the Chitti, and the Perizzi, and the Kena’ani, the Chivi, and the Yevusi; I will cut them off.

24 Thou shalt not bow down to their elohim, nor serve them, nor follow after their works; but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and completely break down their matztzvot (memorial columns dedicated to idols).