20 "Now get yourselves ready. I'm sending my Angel ahead of you to guard you in your travels, to lead you to the place that I've prepared. 21 Pay close attention to him. Obey him. Don't go against him. He won't put up with your rebellions because he's acting on my authority 22 But if you obey him and do everything I tell you, I'll be an enemy to your enemies, I'll fight those who fight you. 23 When my Angel goes ahead of you and leads you to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, I'll clear the country of them. 24 So don't worship or serve their gods; don't do anything they do because I'm going to wipe them right off the face of the Earth and smash their sacred phallic pillars to bits. 25 "But you - you serve your God and he'll bless your food and your water. I'll get rid of the sickness among you; 26 there won't be any miscarriages nor barren women in your land. I'll make sure you live full and complete lives. 27 "I'll send my Terror on ahead of you and throw those peoples you're approaching into a panic. All you'll see of your enemies is the backs of their necks. 28 "And I'll send Despair on ahead of you. It will push the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites out of your way. 29 I won't get rid of them all at once lest the land grow up in weeds and the wild animals take over. 30 Little by little I'll get them out of there while you have a chance to get your crops going and make the land your own. 31 I will make your borders stretch from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and from the Wilderness to the Euphrates River. I'm turning everyone living in that land over to you; go ahead and drive them out. 32 "Don't make any deals with them or their gods. 33 They are not to stay in the same country with you lest they get you to sin by worshiping their gods. Beware. That's a huge danger."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 23:20-33
Commentary on Exodus 23:20-33
(Read Exodus 23:20-33)
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, 1 Corinthians 10:9. They should have a comfortable settlement in the land of Canaan. How reasonable are the conditions of this promise; that they should serve the only true God; not the gods of the nations, which are no gods at all. How rich are the particulars of this promise! The comfort of their food, the continuance of their health, the increase of their wealth, the prolonging their lives to old age. Thus hath godliness the promise of the life that now is. It is promised that they should subdue their enemies. Hosts of hornets made way for the hosts of Israel; such mean creatures can God use for chastising his people's enemies. In real kindness to the church, its enemies are subdued by little and little; thus we are kept on our guard, and in continual dependence on God. Corruptions are driven out of the hearts of God's people, not all at once, but by little and little. The precept with this promise is, that they should not make friendship with idolaters. Those that would keep from bad courses, must keep from bad company. It is dangerous to live in a bad neighbourhood; others' sins will be our snares. Our greatest danger is from those who would make us sin against God.