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 backs unto thee.
Parallel translations
- WEB I will send my terror before you, and will confuse all the people to whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.
- BSB I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
- NKJV “I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.
- NASB I will send My terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.
- NLT “I will send my terror ahead of you and create panic among all the people whose lands you invade. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
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
God would send terror ahead of Israel to confuse their enemies and put them to flight. Victory comes from the fear God instills, not Israel's force.
Overview
The promise of divine 'terror' going before Israel shows that God Himself fights for His people, demoralizing their foes before battle. This recalls how nations melted in fear after the exodus and the Red Sea. The conquest is portrayed as a holy work in which God grants the victory. It assures believers that the Lord can disarm every opposing power, as He has triumphed over sin and death in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Deut 2:25This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.
- Gen 35:5And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
- Deut 11:25There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.
- Deut 7:23But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.
- Exod 15:14–16The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
- Ps 18:40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
- 1 Sam 14:15And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.
- 2 Kgs 7:6For the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
- 2 Chr 14:14And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.
- Deut 11:23Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.
- Josh 2:9–11And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
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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 23:27 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.