Exodus 23:20-22

God’s Angel to Prepare the Way

20 “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.

21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him.

22 If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.

Exodus 23:20-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 23

This chapter contains several laws, chiefly judicial, relating to the civil polity of Israel, as concerning witness borne and judgment made of cases in courts of judicature, without any respect to poor or rich, and without the influence of a bribe, Ex 23:1-3,6-8, concerning doing good to an enemy in case any of his cattle go astray, or fall under their burden, Ex 23:4,5, and of the oppression of a stranger, Ex 23:9, and then follow others concerning the sabbath of the seventh year, and of the seventh day, with a caution against the use of the names of idols, Ex 23:10-13, next are laws concerning the appearance of all their males at the three feasts, Ex 23:14-17, and concerning the slaying of the sacrifice of the passover, and bringing the first of the firstfruits of the land, Ex 23:18,19 and then a promise is made of sending an angel to them to bring them into the land of Canaan, where they should carefully avoid all idolatry, and show a just indignation against it, and serve the Lord, and then it would be well with them, Ex 23:20-26, and particularly it is promised, that the Lord would send his fear, and his hornets, before them, to destroy the inhabitants of the land, and drive out the rest by little and little, until they should possess the utmost borders of it, which are fixed, Ex 23:27-31, and the chapter is concluded with a direction not to make a covenant with these people, or their gods, nor suffer them to dwell among them, lest they should be a snare unto them, Ex 23:32,33.

Cross References

• 1. S Genesis 16:7; Exodus 14:19; Exodus 32:34
• 2. Exodus 15:17
• 3. Numbers 14:11; Deuteronomy 18:19; Jeremiah 13:15
• 4. Deuteronomy 29:20; 2 Kings 24:4; Lamentations 1:17
• 5. Numbers 17:10; Deuteronomy 9:7; Deuteronomy 31:27; Joshua 24:19; Psalms 25:7; Psalms 78:8,40,56; Psalms 106:33; Psalms 107:11; 1 John 5:16
• 6. S Exodus 3:15
• 7. S Exodus 15:26
• 8. S Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 41:11; Jeremiah 30:20; Deuteronomy 30:7