Exodus 23:30

KJV

By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

KJV (with Strong's)

By little {H4592} and little {H4592} I will drive them out {H1644} from before {H6440} thee, until thou be increased {H6509}, and inherit {H5157} the land {H776}.

Complete Jewish Bible

I will drive them out from before you gradually, until you have grown in number and can take possession of the land.

Berean Standard Bible

Little by little I will drive them out ahead of you, until you become fruitful and possess the land.

American Standard Version

By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Exodus 23:30 presents a pivotal divine promise to the Israelites, outlining God's strategic and gradual plan for their successful conquest and full inheritance of the Promised Land. This verse assures them that the process of dispossessing the existing inhabitants will unfold incrementally, precisely timed to correspond with Israel's population growth and their increasing capacity to occupy and manage the vast territory. It profoundly illustrates God's sovereign wisdom, patience, and unwavering faithfulness in bringing His covenantal promises to fruition, ensuring a sustainable and complete possession for His people.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is deeply embedded within the "Book of the Covenant" (Exodus 20:22-23:33), a foundational legal and covenantal text delivered by Yahweh to Israel at Mount Sinai immediately following the Ten Commandments. Specifically, [Exodus 23:30](/exodus/23-30 "Exodus 23:30 - God's Gradual Conquest Plan") serves as a crucial clarification and expansion of God's promises regarding the conquest of Canaan. It directly follows and explains the rationale behind the divine strategy articulated in [Exodus 23:28](/exodus/23-28 "Exodus 23:28 - God's Promise of Hornets") and [Exodus 23:29](/exodus/23-29 "Exodus 23:29 - Preventing Desolation"). While God promises to send terror and hornets to drive out the inhabitants, [Exodus 23:29](/exodus/23-29 "Exodus 23:29 - The Practical Reason for Gradual Conquest") explicitly states, "I will not drive them out before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee." This sets the immediate stage for the "little by little" approach of verse 30, underscoring God's foresight in preventing the land from becoming wild and unmanageable. The "them" refers to the various nations listed earlier in [Exodus 23:23](/exodus/23-23 "Exodus 23:23 - Nations to be Dispossessed"), including the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting for the giving of the Book of the Covenant is Mount Sinai, a pivotal juncture where Israel transitioned from a recently liberated slave population into a nascent nation formally covenanted with Yahweh. At this point, though numerous, their population was not yet sufficient to immediately occupy and govern the entire expanse of the Promised Land, which was already inhabited by well-established city-states and various tribal groups. In the ancient Near East, conquest narratives often depicted swift, total annihilation or subjugation. However, God's strategy for Israel, as revealed here, was distinct: a method of divine assistance coupled with a gradual, population-driven expansion. This approach was profoundly practical, preventing the land from reverting to wilderness and becoming overrun by wild animals. More deeply, it was pedagogical, designed to teach Israel deep reliance on God's timing, provision, and faithfulness. The promise of the land itself was foundational to God's covenant with Abraham (cf. [Genesis 15:18](/genesis/15-18 "Genesis 15:18 - God's Covenant with Abraham Regarding the Land")), and its fulfillment, even if incremental, highlighted God's unwavering commitment to His covenant people across generations.
* **Key Themes:** Exodus 23:30 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the Book of Exodus and the Pentateuch. It powerfully illustrates the theme of **Divine Sovereignty and Providence**, demonstrating God's meticulous control over the historical process and His foresight in orchestrating events for His people's good. The verse also highlights **God's Faithfulness to His Covenant Promises**, particularly the land promise made to Abraham, showing that God will indeed fulfill His word, even if His methods and timing differ from human expectations. Furthermore, it introduces the theme of **Divine Gradualism**, revealing that God often works progressively, aligning His powerful interventions with the growth and readiness of His people. This concept is intrinsically linked to the theme of **Israel's Growth and Readiness**, emphasizing that their demographic increase is a necessary prerequisite for fully inhabiting and stewarding the promised inheritance, as clearly articulated in [Exodus 23:29](/exodus/23-29 "Exodus 23:29 - The Practical Reason for Gradual Conquest"). Ultimately, the verse underscores **God's Wisdom and Care** for His people, ensuring their sustainable well-being and successful establishment in the land.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **By little and little (Hebrew, _mᵉʻaṭ mᵉʻaṭ'_):** This phrase, a repetition of H4592 (מְעָט), literally means "a little, a little." As an emphatic adverbial repetition, it profoundly underscores the gradual, incremental, and progressive nature of God's action. It signifies a measured, consistent advancement rather than a sudden, overwhelming expulsion. This divine pacing is not indicative of weakness, but rather of profound wisdom, ensuring Israel's capacity aligns perfectly with the pace of the conquest, preventing desolation.
* **Drive them out (Hebrew, _gârash'_):** Derived from H1644 (גָּרַשׁ), a primitive root meaning "to drive out from a possession; especially to expatriate or divorce; cast up (out), divorced (woman), drive away (forth, out), expel, [idiom] surely put away, trouble, thrust out." In this context, it denotes God's active, decisive, and forceful expulsion of the Canaanite inhabitants from the land. It emphasizes God's direct agency and power in clearing the way for Israel's inheritance, highlighting that this is a divine work, not merely a human military endeavor.
* **Increased (Hebrew, _pârâh'_):** From H6509 (פָּרָה), a primitive root meaning "to bear fruit (literally or figuratively); bear, bring forth (fruit), (be, cause to be, make) fruitful, grow, increase." This word directly refers to the growth and expansion of Israel's population. It highlights the direct correlation between Israel's demographic increase and their ability to fully inhabit and manage the vast territory. God's strategic plan is intrinsically linked to the flourishing and numerical expansion of His people, ensuring they can sustainably possess the land.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"By little and little I will drive them out from before thee":** This opening clause reveals both God's active agency and His chosen methodology for the conquest. The strong declaration, "I will drive them out," is a divine promise of direct intervention, assuring Israel that the ultimate victory and dispossession of the Canaanite nations are God's work. The repeated phrase "by little and little" specifies the *pace* of this divine action, emphasizing a controlled, progressive expulsion rather than an immediate, overwhelming one. This gradualism is a deliberate, wise strategy, not a limitation of divine power, designed for Israel's benefit.
* **"until thou be increased":** This segment highlights the crucial condition and underlying purpose of the gradual conquest. The temporal conjunction "until" indicates a direct link between the pace of God's action and Israel's demographic growth. God will only dispossess the inhabitants at a rate that allows Israel to multiply sufficiently to occupy the land without it becoming desolate and overrun by wild animals, a practical concern explicitly detailed in [Exodus 23:29](/exodus/23-29 "Exodus 23:29 - The Practical Reason for Gradual Conquest"). This demonstrates God's profound practical wisdom and His tender care for His people's well-being and the long-term sustainability of their inheritance.
* **"and inherit the land":** This final phrase articulates the ultimate goal and glorious outcome of God's strategic plan. The "land" refers specifically to the Promised Land of Canaan, which was the central and foundational promise of the Abrahamic covenant. To "inherit" signifies taking full, rightful possession and secure ownership. This is the culmination of God's promise, a complete and secure possession of the territory, achieved through the synergistic interplay of divine power and human readiness, ensuring Israel's lasting dwelling.

#### Literary Devices
Exodus 23:30 masterfully employs several impactful literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is **Divine Accommodation**, where God's omnipotent plan for conquest is wisely tailored to Israel's practical capacity and demographic growth. This strategy, explicitly explained in [Exodus 23:29](/exodus/23-29 "Exodus 23:29 - Preventing Desolation"), prevents the land from becoming desolate and unmanageable, showcasing God's profound wisdom in adapting His powerful intervention to the limitations and developmental needs of His people. The **Repetition** of "little and little" (מְעַט מְעַט, _mᵉʻaṭ mᵉʻaṭ_) serves as an emphatic adverbial phrase, powerfully highlighting the deliberate, gradual, and incremental nature of the process. This repetition reinforces the idea of divine patience and strategic timing, assuring Israel that while the process might be slow, it is certain and purposeful. Furthermore, the verse functions as a direct **Promise** within the broader framework of **Covenant Language** found throughout the Book of the Covenant. It is a divine assurance, a declaration of Yahweh's unwavering commitment to His covenant with Israel, guaranteeing the ultimate fulfillment of the land promise, albeit on His terms and timing. The logical progression within the verse, moving from God's active intervention ("I will drive them out") to a necessary human condition ("until thou be increased") and culminating in the promised outcome ("and inherit the land"), creates a clear and purposeful narrative flow that underscores God's methodical and intentional work.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 23:30 beautifully illustrates God's sovereign wisdom, profound patience, and unwavering faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. It reveals that divine providence often operates not through instantaneous, overwhelming acts, but through a process of gradual unfolding, meticulously aligning God's mighty acts with His people's growth, readiness, and capacity. This principle of "divine gradualism" prevents chaos, ensures sustainable blessing, and teaches that God's timing is perfect, even when it differs from human desires for immediate results. It underscores a symbiotic relationship between God's action and human responsibility: God sovereignly drives out, but Israel must grow and expand to effectively occupy and steward the land. This dynamic teaches reliance on God's power while fostering human development and cooperation.

* [Deuteronomy 7:22](/deuteronomy/7-22 "Deuteronomy 7:22 - Gradual Dispossession Reiterated")
* [Joshua 1:3-5](/joshua/1-3-5 "Joshua 1:3-5 - God's Promise of Land and Presence")
* [Psalm 37:7](/psalms/37-7 "Psalm 37:7 - Rest in the Lord and Wait Patiently")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Exodus 23:30 offers profound and enduring lessons for the contemporary believer, reminding us that God's transformative work in our lives, both individually and corporately, often unfolds "by little and little." We frequently yearn for instant solutions, immediate sanctification, and swift breakthroughs, yet God, in His infinite wisdom and perfect love, often orchestrates a process of gradual growth, patient refinement, and progressive spiritual maturity. This verse calls us to cultivate a deep well of patience and an unwavering trust in God's perfect timing, even when progress seems painstakingly slow, challenges persist, or the full realization of His promises appears distant. It encourages us to embrace the process of becoming, recognizing that God is actively equipping us, expanding our spiritual capacity, and meticulously preparing us for the full inheritance of His blessings and the complete fulfillment of His purposes. Just as ancient Israel needed to increase in number and strength to fully occupy the physical land, we too must grow in faith, deepen in character, and expand in our knowledge of Christ to fully step into the spiritual territory and abundant life God has prepared for us. This journey requires perseverance, an abiding reliance on divine strength, and a humble willingness to cooperate with God's patient, redemptive work, confident that He is faithfully driving out spiritual obstacles and preparing the way for our ultimate flourishing in Him.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific areas of your life are you currently experiencing a "by little and little" process, and how does this verse encourage you to trust God's timing and wisdom in that journey?**
* **How does the concept of "until thou be increased" apply to your personal spiritual growth, character development, and readiness for the unique purposes God has for you?**
* **What "obstacles," "strongholds," or "spiritual inhabitants" in your life might God be gradually driving out, and how can you actively cooperate with His patient, sanctifying work?**

### FAQ

**Why didn't God just drive out all the inhabitants of Canaan at once?**

Answer: God explicitly provides a practical and compassionate reason for His gradual approach in [Exodus 23:29](/exodus/23-29 "Exodus 23:29 - The Practical Reason for Gradual Conquest"): "I will not drive them out before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee." This reveals God's profound practical wisdom and His careful consideration for Israel's well-being. If the land were cleared too quickly, Israel's population would not be large enough to effectively occupy, cultivate, and manage the entire territory. This would lead to the land becoming wild, uncultivated, and potentially overrun by dangerous wild animals, making it exceedingly difficult for Israel to establish a stable and thriving society. God's "by little and little" approach ensured a sustainable and manageable inheritance, perfectly aligning His divine power with Israel's capacity to grow and flourish over time.

**Does this verse imply that God's promises are conditional on human effort or growth?**

Answer: God's promise to give Israel the land was fundamentally unconditional, rooted in His sovereign covenant with Abraham ([Genesis 15:18](/genesis/15-18 "Genesis 15:18 - God's Covenant with Abraham Regarding the Land")). However, the *pace* and *method* of the fulfillment of that promise were indeed tied to Israel's growth and readiness. The declaration "I will drive them out" is a testament to God's sovereign and unfailing action, but the subsequent phrase "until thou be increased" indicates a divine accommodation to human reality and capacity. It is not that Israel's growth *earns* the land, but rather that their growth *enables* them to fully receive, occupy, and steward the land that God is graciously giving them. This highlights God's profound wisdom in how He brings His promises to fruition, often involving a partnership where His omnipotent power works in conjunction with our development, maturity, and increasing capacity to receive and steward His blessings.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Exodus 23:30, with its profound promise of gradual conquest and the ultimate inheritance of a physical land, finds its most glorious and ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ and His work. The physical inheritance of Canaan by Israel serves as a powerful type and shadow of the spiritual inheritance offered to all believers in Christ. Just as ancient Israel was commanded to "increase" in number and strength to fully occupy their promised land, so too are believers in the New Covenant called to grow in Christ, progressively inheriting the fullness of His kingdom and the immeasurable spiritual blessings that are eternally ours in Him ([Ephesians 1:3](/ephesians/1-3 "Ephesians 1:3 - Spiritual Blessings in Christ")). Christ, as the true and greater Joshua, leads His people not into a physical territory, but into the expansive spiritual dominion of God's kingdom. He accomplishes the "driving out" of spiritual enemies—sin, death, and the powers of darkness—not in one swift moment for our experience, but "by little and little" through the ongoing, progressive work of sanctification in the believer's life and the global expansion of His church throughout the world ([Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Powers")). Our growth in Christ, our "increase" in faith, knowledge, and Christlikeness, allows us to more fully experience, comprehend, and steward the vast spiritual territory of grace, truth, and divine purpose that God has prepared for us. This spiritual inheritance culminates not merely in a land, but in the eternal possession of the new heavens and new earth, where Christ reigns supreme and believers inherit all things as co-heirs with Him ([Revelation 21:7](/revelation/21-7 "Revelation 21:7 - Inheriting All Things")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.