Exodus 23:20-33 E. Closing Discourse (Exodus 23:23-25 a, Exodus 23:27, and Exodus 23:31 b - Exodus 23:33 Rd). This passage is highly complex. The verses just noted bear marks of the school of D; they condemn pillare, which E approves (Exodus 24:4 and elsewhere); their warning tone is inconsistent with the dominant tone of promise; and they reflect the view of the Conquest as a clean sweep, which Rd expresses throughout Jos. E's Covenant Book has its epilogue (cf. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28) presenting God as the Guide and Guardian of His faithful people. While J regards the pillar of cloud (Exodus 13:21) and the Ark (Numbers 10:23), if not Hobab (Numbers 10:31), as the instrument of the Divine guidance, E here promises the companionship of an angel, who is, however, equivalent to God, whose name is in Him (Exodus 23:21, cf. Genesis 24:7, etc.). The conception of God as manifested under the guise of an angel may be viewed as a preparation for the revelation of the Incarnate Son and the Indwelling Spirit. Abundance, health, fertility, long life, and national stability should follow loyalty to His leading (Exodus 23:25 d - Exodus 23:26). A plague of hornets should help in the conquest (Exodus 23:28), which should, however (Exodus 23:29 f.), be gradual (cf. Judges 1:19, etc.), till it reached the Euphrates (Exodus 23:31), as once happened under David and Solomon. In Exodus 23:31 b - Exodus 23:33 Rd, Israel, not God, is to drive out the Canaanites. Perhaps originally in E this epilogue followed the ratification of the covenant (Exodus 24:3-8) and the construction of the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 33:7-11).
Exodus 23:20-33
20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversaryg unto thine adversaries.
23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
25 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.
26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
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 backsh unto thee.
28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
29 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.
30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.