Exodus 23:29

I will not drive them out before you in a single year; otherwise the land would become desolate and wild animals would multiply against you.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Israel at Sinai, defining the terms of their entry into Canaan immediately after the hornet drives out the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites.

The words — The Hebrew לֹא (lo') and אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ ('a.gareShennu) literally render "not I will drive out," establishing the negative declaration that frames the verse's warning.

The thread — The pacing of the expulsion appears in Exodus 23:30 and Deuteronomy 7:22, while Judges 3:1 and Joshua 17:12 record the nations remaining to test Israel or resisting displacement.

Why it lands — The text states that rapid conquest would leave the land desolate and allow wild animals to multiply, requiring the reader to accept divine pacing over human speed.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

לֹ֧אlo'not אֲגָרְשֶׁ֛נּוּ'a.ga.re.She./nuI will drive out/ it מִפָּנֶ֖יךָmi./pa.Nei./khafrom/ before/ you בְּשָׁנָ֣הbe./sha.Nahin/ a year אֶחָ֑ת'e.Chatone פֶּן־pen-lest תִּהְיֶ֤הtih.Yehit should become הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ha./'A.retzthe/ land שְׁמָמָ֔הshe.ma.Maha waste וְרַבָּ֥הve./ra.Bahand/ it will become many עָלֶ֖יךָ'a.Lei./khaon/ you חַיַּ֥תchai.Yat[the] animal[s] of הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ha./sa.Dehthe/ field

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 7:22 The LORD your God will drive out these nations before you little by little. You will not be enabled to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals would multiply around you.
Judges 3:1 These are the nations that the LORD left to test all the Israelites who had not known any of the wars in Canaan,
Joshua 17:12 But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these cities, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land.
Joshua 15:63 But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live there among the descendants of Judah.
Joshua 16:10 But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer. So the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day, but they are forced laborers.