Exodus 23:23

For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

For mine Angel {H4397} shall go {H3212} before {H6440} thee, and bring {H935} thee in unto the Amorites {H567}, and the Hittites {H2850}, and the Perizzites {H6522}, and the Canaanites {H3669}, the Hivites {H2340}, and the Jebusites {H2983}: and I will cut them off {H3582}.

When my angel goes ahead of you and brings you to the Emori, Hitti, P'rizi, Kena'ani, Hivi and Y'vusi, I will make an end of them.

For My angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will annihilate them.

For mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: and I will cut them off.

Commentary

Commentary on Exodus 23:23 (KJV)

Exodus 23:23 is a powerful declaration of God's commitment to His covenant with Israel, assuring them of divine assistance in conquering the Promised Land. This verse emphasizes God's active role in fulfilling His promises to His people.

Context

This verse is part of the "Book of the Covenant" (Exodus 20:22โ€“23:33), a collection of laws and promises given by God to Moses after the Ten Commandments. It outlines the social, moral, and religious regulations for the nascent Israelite nation as they prepare to enter Canaan. Specifically, Exodus 23:20-33 details God's promises of protection, guidance, and victory, contingent upon Israel's obedience. God had previously promised to send an Angel to lead them (Exodus 23:20), and here He specifies the ultimate outcome of that guidance: the expulsion of the native inhabitants.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Guidance and Presence: The phrase "mine Angel shall go before thee" highlights God's personal involvement and leadership. This Angel is often understood as a special divine manifestation, perhaps even the pre-incarnate Christ, signifying God's direct presence and protection.
  • Conquest and Inheritance: God explicitly names the six primary nations inhabiting Canaanโ€”the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites. This serves as a clear statement of the formidable task ahead for Israel, but also God's absolute assurance that He will enable them to inherit the land.
  • God's Sovereignty and Power: The declarative "and I will cut them off" underscores God's ultimate authority and ability to achieve His purposes. It is not by Israel's strength, but by God's power, that these nations will be dispossessed. This promise instills confidence and reminds Israel of their dependence on Him.
  • Fulfillment of Covenant: This promise is a direct continuation of the Abrahamic covenant, where God vowed to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "Angel" is mal'akh (ืžึทืœึฐืึธืšึฐ), which literally means "messenger." While it can refer to human messengers, in this context, especially with the possessive "mine Angel" and the divine actions attributed to him, it refers to a divine being or a direct manifestation of God's presence.
  • The phrase "cut them off" comes from the Hebrew verb karat (ื›ึธึผืจึทืช), meaning to cut, cut off, or destroy. It implies a decisive and complete removal or extermination, ensuring that the pagan influences would not corrupt Israel (Exodus 23:32-33).

Practical Application

For believers today, Exodus 23:23 offers profound lessons:

  1. God's Enduring Presence: Just as God sent His Angel to lead Israel, He promises His presence and guidance to His people through the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). We are not left to navigate life's challenges alone.
  2. Victory Over Obstacles: While our battles are not typically physical conquests of land, we face spiritual "enemies" such as sin, temptation, and the schemes of the adversary. This verse assures us that with God going before us, we can overcome these obstacles (Ephesians 6:11-12).
  3. Trust in God's Promises: God is faithful to His word. Just as He fulfilled His promise to Israel to give them the land, He will fulfill His promises to us, including our spiritual inheritance and ultimate victory in Christ.
  4. The Call to Purity: The removal of the pagan nations also served to protect Israel from idolatry and corrupt practices. Similarly, believers are called to separate themselves from worldly influences that detract from their devotion to God (2 Corinthians 6:17).
Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Exodus 23:20 (8 votes)

    ยถ Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

  • Isaiah 5:13 (4 votes)

    Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because [they have] no knowledge: and their honourable men [are] famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.

  • Genesis 15:19 (3 votes)

    The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,

  • Genesis 15:21 (3 votes)

    And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

  • Genesis 34:2 (3 votes)

    And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

  • Exodus 32:2 (3 votes)

    And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which [are] in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring [them] unto me.

  • Exodus 3:17 (2 votes)

    And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.