The Meaning of Exodus 23:25 Explained

Exodus 23:25

KJV: And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

YLT: 'And ye have served Jehovah your God, and He hath blessed thy bread and thy water, and I have turned aside sickness from thine heart;

Darby: And ye shall serve Jehovah your God; and he shall bless thy bread and thy water; and I will take sickness away from thy midst.

ASV: And ye shall serve Jehovah your God, and he will bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And ye shall serve  the LORD  your God,  and he shall bless  thy bread,  and thy water;  and I will take  sickness  away  from the midst  of thee. 

What does Exodus 23:25 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 23:25 mean?

So you shall serve - Yahweh your God and He will bless - your bread and your water and I will take away sickness from the midst of you
וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֗ם אֵ֚ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵרַ֥ךְ אֶֽת־ לַחְמְךָ֖ וְאֶת־ מֵימֶ֑יךָ וַהֲסִרֹתִ֥י מַחֲלָ֖ה מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ

וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֗ם  So  you  shall  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֵ֚ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וּבֵרַ֥ךְ  and  He  will  bless 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לַחְמְךָ֖  your  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
מֵימֶ֑יךָ  your  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וַהֲסִרֹתִ֥י  and  I  will  take  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
מַחֲלָ֖ה  sickness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַחֲלֶה 
Sense: disease, sickness.
מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ  from  the  midst  of  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.