“When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out,
English Standard Version (ESV)
God promises to destroy the nations, but the Hebrew word used doesn't necessarily mean complete annihilation. Instead, it implies cutting them down, signifying the end of their national power and influence, not necessarily the extermination of every single person.
“When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse comes as God is giving instructions to the Israelites about entering the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt. He assures them that His angel will go before them to guide and protect them, specifically promising to drive out the various Canaanite nations that occupy the land. This promise is part of a larger covenant context where God is detailing the blessings and judgments associated with Israel's obedience and disobedience as they settle into their new home.
Who is this Angel God sends before you? It's not just any messenger, but a divine representative carrying God's authority.
This 'Angel' is no ordinary being. The text strongly suggests this is the Angel of the Lord, often understood as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ.
A Divine Guide
This Angel is tasked with protecting Israel and ensuring their arrival in the promised land. This isn't just about physical guidance; it's about God actively working to fulfill His promises.
Divine Authority
Notice how the Angel 'brings them in.' This isn't a suggestion; it's a divine action. The Angel operates with God's full power and intent, paving the way for Israel's destiny.
God promises to 'cut off' the Canaanites. What does that really mean? It's more nuanced than simply extermination.
The phrase 'I will cut them off' (or 'cut them down') doesn't necessarily mean every single person was to be annihilated. Instead, it signifies the end of their national existence and their idolatrous influence.
Political and Spiritual End
God's judgment was aimed at eradicating the corrupt systems and pervasive idolatry that characterized these nations. Their ability to rule, worship their false gods, and spread their sin was to be ended.
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Not Total Annihilation
It's important to note that not every individual Canaanite was destroyed. Some were absorbed, and the history shows individuals from these nations interacting with and even joining Israel. The primary focus was on ending their pagan nations and their corrupting power.
Why did God promise to bring Israel into this land and confront these nations? It was about protecting Israel and preserving His covenant.
This confrontation with the Canaanite nations wasn't just about territorial expansion; it was a critical act of divine preservation and purification.
Preventing Spiritual Contamination
The nations of Canaan were deeply entrenched in idolatry and immoral practices that were an affront to God and a danger to His people. God knew that the continued presence of these nations as independent, powerful entities would inevitably lead Israel astray.
Upholding Covenant Faithfulness
By clearing the land, God was creating a space where Israel could exclusively worship Him and maintain the covenant relationship He established. This was essential for the ongoing redemptive plan that would ultimately lead to the Messiah.
Understand the original words
mal'ak · Hebrew Noun
A supernatural messenger sent by God to act on His behalf; in this context, it refers to a divine figure possessing the authority of God Himself.
This passage directly quotes the Lord's statement from Exodus 23:23, emphasizing the divine action that drove out the nations before Israel.
Deuteronomy 7:1This verse reiterates the promise of the Lord driving out nations before Israel, providing context for the gradual conquest and the reasons behind it.
Judges 1:4This verse shows the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise, with Judah going up and the Lord delivering the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hand.
1 Corinthians 10:4Paul refers to Christ (the Angel of Jehovah) as the one who guided Israel and struck the spiritual rock, drawing a parallel between the Exodus Angel and Christ's leadership.
Exodus 3:8This earlier verse introduces the same concept of God coming down to deliver His people from the Egyptians and bring them to the land of the Canaanites, setting the stage for the promise in Exodus 23.
pooleExodus 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, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off."
No text from Poole on this verse.
pulpitExodus 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, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off."
Verse 23. - The Amorites, and the Hittites, etc. The nations of Canaan proper, to whom the Gergashites are sometimes added. See the comment on 2 Samuel 3:8. I will cut them off. Or "cut them down," i.e., destroy them from being any longer nations, but not exterminate them, as is generally…
God promises to destroy the nations, but the Hebrew word used doesn't necessarily mean complete annihilation. Instead, it implies cutting them down, signifying the end of their national power and influence, not necessarily the extermination of every single person.
This verse comes as God is giving instructions to the Israelites about entering the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt. He assures them that His angel will go before them to guide and protect them, specifically promising to drive out the various Canaanite nations that occupy the land. This promise is part of a larger covenant context where God is detailing the blessings and judgments associated with Israel's obedience and disobedience as they settle into their new home.
This verse comes as God is giving instructions to the Israelites about entering the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt. He assures them that His angel will go before them to guide and protect them, specifically promising to drive out the various Canaanite nations that occupy the land. This promise is part of a larger covenant context where God is detailing the blessings and judgments associated with Israel's obedience and disobedience as they settle into their new home.
"“When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out," — God promises to destroy the nations, but the Hebrew word used doesn't necessarily mean complete annihilation. Instead, it implies cutting them down, signifying the end of their national power and inf…
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Last reviewed October 2026