Exodus 23:27
I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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God promises not just to defeat enemies, but to send a supernatural "terror" beforehand, paralyzing them with fear. This divine panic is the true weapon, ensuring that when the Israelites arrive, their foes are already broken and ready to flee, not through the Israelites' might alone, but by God's overwhelming power.
This promise comes as God is laying out the terms for Israel's inheritance of the promised land, emphasizing His divine power to secure it for them. It follows instructions on how to deal with the inhabitants of Canaan and precedes further commands about not making covenants with them, highlighting God's commitment to grant victory while demanding their faithfulness. The context is God assuring Israel that He will actively drive out their enemies, not just with military might, but by instilling overwhelming terror.
Have you ever felt an overwhelming sense of dread or a paralyzing fear? Sometimes, fear is a natural human emotion. But what happens when God Himself sends fear before His people?
This verse speaks of God sending 'my terror' or 'my fear' before the Israelites. This isn't just ordinary fear; it's a supernatural panic that God instills in the hearts of their enemies. It's like God hitting a divine panic button, causing His enemies to lose all courage and flee.
How it Works:
Winning a battle isn't always about overwhelming force. Sometimes, the greatest victory comes when your enemy simply gives up and runs away. How does God engineer this kind of surrender?
The promise here is that God will not only instill fear but will also cause the enemies to 'turn their backs' to Israel. This isn't just a tactical retreat; it signifies utter defeat and a loss of will to fight.
Understanding the 'Turning Back':
Understand the original words
emah · Hebrew Noun
A profound sense of fear or dread, often divinely induced to overwhelm God's enemies and clear a path for His people.
hamam · Hebrew Verb
A state of disorder or panic, frequently used to describe the psychological and military defeat God brings upon the enemies of Israel.
This passage shows Rahab recounting the fear that had already fallen upon the Canaanites, stating their hearts had melted because of the mighty acts of the God of Israel, directly fulfilling the promise of sending fear before them.
Deuteronomy 7:22-24Here, Moses reiterates God's promise to drive out the nations gradually, using 'fear, and terror, and confusion' before them, echoing the sentiment and mechanism of divine intervention described in Exodus.
Psalm 18:39In this psalm, David expresses his confidence in God's strength, declaring 'Thou hast girded me with strength for battle; thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me,' which reflects the outcome of enemies turning their backs and being subdued.
Joel 2:9-10This prophecy describes an invading army advancing with terrifying speed and might, with the earth shaking and the heavens trembling, illustrating the kind of divine 'fear' that would precede Israel's conquest of the land.
bensonExodus 23:27: "I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee."
Exodus 23:27-28 . I will send my fear before thee — And they that fear will soon flee: I will strike a terror into the inhabitants of Canaan, which shall facilitate the conquest of them, Joel 2:9-10 . I will send hornets before thee — Thus Joshua observes, ( Joshua 24:12 ,) that the Amorites were driven out, not by the sword and…
pooleExodus 23:27: "I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee."
My fear, i.e. a great terror, or a terror wrought by me. See Exodus 33:2 Joshua 24:12
God promises not just to defeat enemies, but to send a supernatural "terror" beforehand, paralyzing them with fear. This divine panic is the true weapon, ensuring that when the Israelites arrive, their foes are already broken and ready to flee, not through the Israelites' might alone, but by God's overwhelming power.
This promise comes as God is laying out the terms for Israel's inheritance of the promised land, emphasizing His divine power to secure it for them. It follows instructions on how to deal with the inhabitants of Canaan and precedes further commands about not making covenants with them, highlighting God's commitment to grant victory while demanding their faithfulness. The context is God assuring Israel that He will actively drive out their enemies, not just with military might, but by instilling overwhelming terror.
This promise comes as God is laying out the terms for Israel's inheritance of the promised land, emphasizing His divine power to secure it for them. It follows instructions on how to deal with the inhabitants of Canaan and precedes further commands about not making covenants with them, highlighting God's commitment to grant victory while demanding their faithfulness. The context is God assuring Israel that He will actively drive out their enemies, not just with military might, but by instilling overwhelming terror.
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"I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you." — God promises not just to defeat enemies, but to send a supernatural "terror" beforehand, paralyzing them with fear. This divine panic is the true weapon, ensuring that when the Israelites arrive, the…
