Exodus 23:20-33
Christian Standard Bible
Promises and Warnings
20 “I am going to send an angel(A) before you to protect you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Be attentive to him and listen to him. Do not defy him, because he will not forgive your acts of rebellion, for my name is in him.(B) 22 But if you will carefully obey him and do everything I say, then I will be an enemy(C) to your enemies and a foe to your foes. 23 For my angel will go before you and bring you to the land of the Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.(D) 24 Do not bow in worship to their gods, and do not serve them. Do not imitate their practices. Instead, demolish them[a] and smash their sacred pillars to pieces.(E) 25 Serve the Lord your God, and he[b] will bless your bread and your water. I will remove illnesses from you.(F) 26 No woman will miscarry or be childless in your land. I will give you the full number of your days.(G)
27 “I will cause the people ahead of you to feel terror[c] and will throw into confusion(H) all the nations you come to. I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you in retreat.[d] 28 I will send hornets[e](I) in front of you, and they will drive the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hethites away from you. 29 I will not drive them out ahead of you in a single year; otherwise, the land would become desolate, and wild animals would multiply against you. 30 I will drive them out little by little ahead of you until you have become numerous[f] and take possession of the land. 31 I will set your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea,[g] and from the wilderness to the Euphrates River.[h] For I will place the inhabitants of the land under your control, and you will drive them out ahead of you.(J) 32 You must not make a covenant(K) with them or their gods. 33 They must not remain in your land, or else they will make you sin against me. If you serve their gods, it will be a snare for you.”(L)
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Exodus 23:20-33
Common English Bible
God’s promise: messenger and land
20 I’m about to send a messenger in front of you to guard you on your way and to bring you to the place that I’ve made ready. 21 Pay attention to him and do as he says. Don’t rebel against him. He won’t forgive the things you do wrong because I[a] am with him. 22 But if you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, then I’ll be an enemy to your enemies and fight those fighting you.
23 When my messenger goes in front of you and brings you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I wipe them out, 24 don’t bow down to their gods, worship them, or do what they do. Instead, you should completely destroy them and smash their sacred stone pillars to bits. 25 If you worship the Lord your God, the Lord will bless your bread and your water. I’ll take sickness away from you, 26 and no woman will miscarry or be infertile in your land. I’ll let you live a full, long life. 27 My terrifying reputation will precede you, and I’ll throw all the people that you meet into a panic. I’ll make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 I’ll send insect swarms in front of you and drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you. 29 I won’t drive them out before you in a single year so the land won’t be abandoned and the wild animals won’t multiply around you. 30 I’ll drive them out before you little by little, until your numbers grow and you eventually possess the land. 31 I’ll set your borders from the Reed Sea[b] to the Philistine Sea and from the desert to the River. I’ll hand the inhabitants of the land over to you, and you will drive them out before you. 32 Don’t make any covenants with them or their gods. 33 Don’t allow them to live in your land, or else they will lead you to sin against me. If you worship their gods, it will become a dangerous trap for you.
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- Exodus 23:21 Or my name
- Exodus 23:31 Or Red Sea
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