The Meaning of Exodus 23:27 Explained

Exodus 23:27

KJV: 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.

YLT: My terror I send before thee, and I have put to death all the people among whom thou comest, and I have given the neck of all thine enemies unto thee.

Darby: I will send my fear before thee, and confound every people to which thou comest, and will make all thine enemies turn their back to thee.

ASV: I will send my terror before thee, and will discomfit all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 23:27 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 23:18-33 - Promise Of Entrance Into Canaan
This Angel must have been the Lord himself, for Stephen said expressly that the Angel was with Moses at the burning bush, where Jehovah revealed Himself, and the very ground was holy. Besides, we are told here that God's Name-i.e., His nature-was in Him. The Son of God, therefore, must have been the leader of that pilgrim-host, preceding the march, and preparing for their needs.
Notice that God would also send the hornet before His people, Exodus 23:28. The Presence, which is an Angel for God's children, becomes a hornet to the rebellious and ungodly. To one it is a savor of life, and to the other of death. The sun that bleaches linen white, tans the hands that expose it; the cloud which is light to Israel is thick darkness to Egypt. Grieve not the Holy One, who will overcome your enemies and satisfy your soul with goodness, if you will obey His voice. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 23

1  Of slander, false witness, and partiality
4  Of charitableness
6  Of justice in judgment
8  Of taking bribes
9  Of oppressing a stranger
10  Of the year of rest
12  Of the Sabbath
13  Of idolatry
14  Of the three feasts
18  Of the blood and the fat of the sacrifice
20  An angel is promised, with a blessing, if they obey him

What do the individual words in Exodus 23:27 mean?

- My fear I will send before you and I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come in and I will make all your enemies to you turn [their] backs
אֶת־ אֵֽימָתִי֙ אֲשַׁלַּ֣ח לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְהַמֹּתִי֙ כָּל־ הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּבֹ֖א בָּהֶ֑ם וְנָתַתִּ֧י כָּל־ אֹיְבֶ֛יךָ אֵלֶ֖יךָ עֹֽרֶף

אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֵֽימָתִי֙  My  fear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אֵימָה 
Sense: terror, dread.
אֲשַׁלַּ֣ח  I  will  send 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
לְפָנֶ֔יךָ  before  you 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וְהַמֹּתִי֙  and  I  will  cause  confusion 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: הָמַם 
Sense: to move noisily, confuse, make a noise, discomfit, break, consume, crush, destroy, trouble, vex.
כָּל־  among  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֔ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  to  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תָּבֹ֖א  you  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וְנָתַתִּ֧י  and  I  will  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֹיְבֶ֛יךָ  your  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
אֵלֶ֖יךָ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
עֹֽרֶף  turn  [their]  backs 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹרֶף  
Sense: neck, back of the neck, back.