Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 23:22
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.
22. Obedience to God’s commands will be, as ever, the guarantee of His effectual help.
all that I speak ] viz. through the angel. His speech is identical with Jehovah’s.
23 25a. Generally regarded as an expansion of the original text: as Di. points out, the warning against idolatry in Canaan is not only out of place in a series of promises ( vv. 22b, 25b, 26, &c.), but it anticipates the conquest promised in v. 27 f. With both these verses and vv. 31b 33, comp. Exo 34:12-16.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The rendering in the margin is better. Cf. Deu 20:4.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
All that I speak; all that I have already commanded, and shall further prescribe by him unto Moses.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20-25. Behold, I send an Angelbefore thee, to keep thee in the wayThe communication of theselaws, made to Moses and by him rehearsed to the people, was concludedby the addition of many animating promises, intermingled with severalsolemn warnings that lapses into sin and idolatry would not betolerated or passed with impunity.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But, if thou shall indeed obey his voice,…. Or “hearkening hearken”, n to it attentively, listen to it, and diligently and constantly observe and obey in whatever he shall direct and order:
and do all that I speak; by him; or whatsoever he had spoke, or was about to speak; for as yet all the laws and statutes were not delivered, especially those of the ceremonial kind:
then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries; which they should either meet with in their passage through the wilderness, or when they came into the land of Canaan; signifying hereby that he would protect them from them, subdue them under them, and give them victory over them, as that they should be utterly destroyed, and so way made for their possession of their land, as in the following words.
n “audiendo audieris”, Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
22. But if thou shalt indeed obey. He moderates the terror with which He had inspired them for two reasons, — first, that He may rather gently attract them than force them by the fear of punishment; secondly, lest, if they imagine that the Angel is formidable to them, the anxiety conceived in their minds should deaden their perception of His mercy and layout. Now, although I postpone to another place the promises whereby their obedience to the Law was confirmed, I have thought it right to include this among the exhortations or eulogiums whereby the dignity of the Law is enhanced, because it relates to the time past, for thus is the expression to be paraphrased, “Take heed that ye respond to God who deals so liberally with you. The promises which He made to your fathers as to the inheritance of the land, He is now ready to perform, unless your iniquity should stand in the way. Make room, then, for His grace, that, by the hand of the Angel, He may lead you into His rest.” In order to stimulate them still more, He points out to them their need of His aid, as though He had said that nothing, could be more miserable than their case, unless they were protected from so many enemies by His defense, for He enumerates several most important nations to which they would be by no means a match unless they should fight under the guidance of the Angel. He says, therefore, that if they only obey His Law, there is no occasion for them to be afraid, for that He will destroy by His own power alone all that shall rise against them to resist them.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(22) An adversary unto thine adversaries.Rather, an afflictor of thy afflictors.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
This was the original covenant promise. See Gen 12:2-3 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 23:22 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.
Ver. 22. An enemy unto thine enemies. ] There is a covenant offensive and defensive betwixt God and his people. Tua causa erit mea causa, said that emperor to his wronged friend: so saith God to his.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
an enemy: Gen 12:3, Num 24:9, Deu 30:7, Jer 30:20, Zec 2:8, Act 9:4, Act 9:5
an adversary unto thine adversaries: or, I will afflict them that afflict thee
Reciprocal: Exo 19:5 – if ye Exo 36:1 – according Exo 39:42 – according Exo 40:16 – according Num 1:54 – General Isa 41:11 – all they Jer 11:4 – Obey Jer 11:7 – in the Jer 30:16 – General Mar 9:7 – hear