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 adversary unto thine adversaries.
Parallel translations
- WEB But if you indeed listen to his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries.
- BSB But if you will listen carefully to his voice and do everything I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.
- NKJV But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
- NASB But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
- NLT But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
If Israel truly obeys God's voice, He will oppose their enemies and fight on their behalf. Obedience aligns God's people with His protective power.
Overview
This conditional promise binds blessing to wholehearted obedience: as Israel listens and does all God commands, He becomes the foe of their foes. It reflects the covenant pattern of Sinai, where loyalty to God brings His active defense. National security flowed not from military might but from faithful obedience. The deeper lesson is that fellowship with God secures His help, a truth fulfilled as Christ wars against the enemies of His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Gen 12:3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
- Deut 30:7And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
- Zech 2:8For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
- Jer 30:20Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.
- Acts 9:4–5And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
- Num 24:9He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 23:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.