New English Translation
Exodus 23:29
29I will not drive them out before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild animals multiply against you.
Exodus 23:29 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
- New International Version (NIV)But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.
Context of Exodus 23:29
27“I will send my terror before you, and I will destroy all the people whom you encounter; I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28I will send hornets before you that will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite before you. I will not drive them out before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild animals multiply against you. 30Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you become fruitful and inherit the land. 31I will set your boundaries from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River, for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you.
Read all of Exodus 23Exodus 23:29 word by word
לֹ֧א אֲגָרְשֶׁ֛נּוּ מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ בְּשָׁנָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת פֶּן־תִּהְיֶ֤ה הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁמָמָ֔ה וְרַבָּ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I will not drive them outגָּרַשׁgârash · to drive out: drive outH1644
- from beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- thee in oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- lest the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- become desolateשְׁמָמָהshemâmâh shimâmâh · devastationH8077
- and the beastחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
- of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: wildlifeH7704
- multiplyרַבrab · manyH7227
Cross-references for Exodus 23:29
- Deuteronomy 7:22He, the God who leads you, will expel the nations little by little. You will not be allowed to destroy them all at once lest the wild animals overrun you.
- Joshua 15:63The men of Judah were unable to conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this very day.
- Joshua 16:10The Ephraimites did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites live among the Ephraimites to this very day and do hard labor as their servants.
- Joshua 17:12But the men of Manasseh were unable to conquer these cities; the Canaanites managed to remain in those areas.
- Judges 3:1These were the nations the Lord permitted to remain so he could use them to test Israel – he wanted to test all those who had not experienced battle against the Canaanites.
Commentaries on Exodus 23:29
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29Beast of the field - i. e. destructive animals.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-33Verses 20-33 It is here promised that they should be guided and kept in their way through the wilderness to the land of promise, Behold, I send an angel before thee, mine angel. The precept joined with this promise is, that they be obedient to this angel whom God would send before them. Christ is the Angel of Jehovah; this is plainly taught by St. Paul, 1Co 10:9. They should have a comfortable settlement in the land of Canaan. How reasonable are the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29-31I will: God, not Israel, would take the land. The land would be a gift from their Covenant Lord. Israel was being granted possession of it as long as they faithfully fulfilled the covenant.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-3029-30. I will not drive ... out ... in one year; lest the land become desolate--Many reasons recommend a gradual extirpation of the former inhabitants of Canaan. But only one is here specified--the danger lest, in the unoccupied grounds, wild beasts should inconveniently multiply; a clear proof that the promised land was more than sufficient to contain the actual population of the Israelites.Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries