Joshua 24:12

I sent the hornet ahead of you, and it drove out the two Amorite kings before you, but not by your own sword or bow.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Joshua addresses the assembled tribes of Israel at Shechem, concluding his historical review after recounting the crossing of the Jordan and the battle at Jericho. He contrasts their recent military victories with the divine agency that secured them.

The words — צִרְעָה (tzir'Ah) denotes the hornet, while תְּגָרֶשׁ (te.Ga.resh) describes the act of driving out. These terms specify the supernatural means God employed to clear the land.

The thread — The hornet motif appears in Exodus 23:28 and Deuteronomy 7:20 as a divine tool for displacing Canaanite nations. Psalms 44:3 reinforces the parallel theme that land acquisition resulted from God’s right hand rather than human weaponry.

Why it lands — The text records that victory came through divine intervention, not human arms. It requires the reader to acknowledge that military success and territorial possession depend on God’s direct action rather than personal strength or strategy.

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

וָאֶשְׁלַ֤חva./'esh.Lachand/ I sent לִפְנֵיכֶם֙li/f.nei./Khem<to>/ before/ you אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַצִּרְעָ֔הha./tzir.'Ahthe/ hornet וַתְּגָ֤רֶשׁva./te.Ga.reshand/ it drove out אוֹתָם֙'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔םmi./pe.nei./Khemfrom/ before/ you שְׁנֵ֖יshe.Nei[the] two מַלְכֵ֣יmal.Khei[the] kings of הָאֱמֹרִ֑יha./'e.mo.Rithe/ Amorite[s]לֹ֥אlo'not בְחַרְבְּךָ֖ve./char.be./Khaby/ sword/ your וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not בְקַשְׁתֶּֽךָ׃ve./kash.Te./chaby/ bow/ your

King James Version

And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

Cross-references

Exodus 23:28 I will send the hornet before you to drive the Hivites and Canaanites and Hittites out of your way.
Deuteronomy 7:20 Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet against them until even the survivors hiding from you have perished.
Psalms 44:3 For it was not by their sword that they took the land; their arm did not bring them victory. It was by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.