“Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just a list of enemies; it's a divine promise that God Himself will clear the path before the Israelites. The emphasis is on God's active power making obedience to His commands possible, not on the people's strength to conquer.
“Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After God has revealed His glorious name and character and renewed His covenant with Israel following their golden calf sin, Moses is given specific commands. These instructions focus on how Israel is to live in the promised land without adopting the idolatrous practices of the nations already living there. God promises to actively drive out these inhabitants to clear the way for His people.
God is about to lead His people into a land promised to their ancestors. But it's already occupied by formidable peoples. How does God make this possible?
In this verse, God lays out a clear directive: 'Observe what I command you this day.' This immediately precedes a powerful promise: 'Behold, I will drive out before you...'
God's Active Role
This isn't a passive invitation. God isn't saying, 'Go and try to conquer.' He is declaring His active participation. The very nations that inhabit the land – the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites – will be removed by God's hand before the Israelites.
The Purpose of Obedience
The promise of conquest is directly linked to obedience. The command to 'observe' isn't just a suggestion; it's the condition upon which the promise of God's powerful intervention rests. This sets the stage for the specific commands that follow in the chapter, all designed to keep Israel pure and worthy of God's presence and blessing in the Promised Land.
God lists specific nations inhabiting the land. Why this detailed roll call, and what does it signify for Israel?
The listing of the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites isn't just a historical census. It represents the complete occupation of the land God intended to give Israel.
Representing Complete Occupation
Ask a follow-up
These were the primary peoples of Canaan and the surrounding regions. By naming them, God emphasizes the totality of the land He is granting. There will be no lingering, formidable groups left to challenge Israel's dominion once God has acted.
A Consistent Promise
This specific list of nations is a recurring theme in God's promises to Israel, appearing in earlier parts of Exodus and later in Deuteronomy and Joshua. This consistency underscores the enduring nature of God's covenantal commitment. When God speaks of driving out these peoples, He is referring to the fulfillment of a long-standing promise to Abraham and his descendants.
This passage reiterates the command to drive out the nations, adding the Girgashites to the list, emphasizing the thoroughness of God's promised conquest.
Joshua 3:10This verse echoes the promise of driving out these same nations, highlighting that God's action is the enabling power for Israel's possession of the land.
Exodus 23:28Here, God promises to send hornets ahead of the Israelites to drive out the Hivites and Canaanites, illustrating His active participation in clearing the way.
Leviticus 18:25This passage explains *why* these nations must be driven out, as their wickedness defiled the land, making it a holy space that Israel would inherit.
Judges 2:23This verse serves as a somber counterpoint, showing what happened when Israel *failed* to drive out the remaining nations, leading to their later oppression and temptation.
ellicottExodus 34:11: "Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite."
(11) The Amorite, and the Canaanite . . . — The same six nations are particularised in Exodus 3:8 ; Exodus 3:17 , in Exodus 23:23 , and also in Exodus 33:2 . In Deuteronomy 7:1 , and Joshua 3:10 ; Joshua 24:11 , the Girgashites are added, and the number of the nations made seven.
pulpitExodus 34:11: "Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite."
Verse 11. - Observe thou that which I command thee this day. The precepts expressly given (vers. 12-26) are, as observed above, almost wholly positive. The moral law did not require recapitulation, because it was enjoined on the people afresh by the writing on the two tables (ver. 28). I drive out b…
This isn't just a list of enemies; it's a divine promise that God Himself will clear the path before the Israelites. The emphasis is on God's active power making obedience to His commands possible, not on the people's strength to conquer.
After God has revealed His glorious name and character and renewed His covenant with Israel following their golden calf sin, Moses is given specific commands. These instructions focus on how Israel is to live in the promised land without adopting the idolatrous practices of the nations already living there. God promises to actively drive out these inhabitants to clear the way for His people.
After God has revealed His glorious name and character and renewed His covenant with Israel following their golden calf sin, Moses is given specific commands. These instructions focus on how Israel is to live in the promised land without adopting the idolatrous practices of the nations already living there. God promises to actively drive out these inhabitants to clear the way for His people.
"“Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites." — This isn't just a list of enemies; it's a divine promise that God Himself will clear the path before the Israelites. The emphasis is on God's active power making obedience to His commands possible,…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026