Exodus 23 · Verse 29

Exodus 23:29

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.
Exodus 23:29, King James Version

Exodus 23:29 in other translations

BSBI will not drive them out before you in a single year; otherwise the land would become desolate and wild animals would multiply against you.
WEBI will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the animals of the field multiply against you.
ASVI will not drive them out from before thee in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the beasts of the field multiply against thee.
YLTI cast them not out from before thee in one year, lest the land be a desolation, and the beast of the field hath multiplied against thee;
DARBYI 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.
BBEI will not send them all out in one year, for fear that their land may become waste, and the beasts of the field be increased overmuch against you.
WebsterI will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land should become desolate, and the beast of the field should multiply against thee.

What does Exodus 23:29 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 23:29-30
29-30. I will not drive ... out ... in one year; lest the land become desolate--Many reasons recommend a gradual extirpation of the former inhabitants of Canaan. But only one is here specified--the danger lest, in the unoccupied grounds, wild beasts should inconveniently multiply; a clear proof that the promised land was more than sufficient to contain the actual population of the Israelites.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 23:20-33

It is here promised that they should be guided and kept in their way through the wilderness to the land of promise, Behold, I send an angel before thee, mine angel. The precept joined with this promise is, that they be obedient to this angel whom God would send before them. Christ is the Angel of Jehovah; this is plainly taught by St. Paul, 1Co 10:9. They should have a comfortable settlement in the land of Canaan…

Read the full comment on Exodus 23:20-33 →

Exodus 23:29 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לֹ֧אlo'notH3808
אֲגָרְשֶׁ֛נּוּ'a.ga.re.She.nuI will drive out itH1644
מִפָּנֶ֖יךָmi.pa.Nei.khafrom before youH6440
בְּשָׁנָ֣הbe.sha.Nahin a yearH8141
אֶחָ֑ת'e.ChatoneH259
פֶּן\־pen-lestH6435
תִּהְיֶ֤הtih.Yehit should becomeH1961
הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ha.'A.retzthe landH776
שְׁמָמָ֔הshe.ma.Maha wasteH8077
וְרַבָּ֥הve.ra.Bahand it will become manyH7231
עָלֶ֖יךָ'a.Lei.khaon youH5921
חַיַּ֥תchai.Yat[the] animal[s] ofH2416
הַשָּׂדֶֽה\׃ha.sa.Dehthe fieldH7704

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 23:29

  • Deuteronomy 7:22

    And the Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

  • Judges 3:1-4

    Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal–hermon unto the entering in of Hamath. And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

  • Joshua 17:12-13

    Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.

  • Joshua 15:63

    As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.

  • Joshua 16:10

    And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
in one year.
De 7:22; Jos 15:63; 16:10; 17:12,13; Jud 3:1-4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 23:28

    And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.

  • Exodus 23:29

    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.

  • Exodus 23:30

    By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

Read all of Exodus 23

Exodus 23:29 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No los echaré de delante de ti en un año, porque no quede la tierra desierta, y se aumenten contra ti las bestias del campo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je ne les chasserai pas devant toi en une année, de peur que le pays ne devienne un désert et que les bêtes des champs ne se multiplient contre toi;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Nicht in einem Jahre werde ich sie vor dir vertreiben, damit nicht das Land eine Wüste werde, und das Getier des Feldes sich wider dich mehre.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non ejiciam eos a facie tua anno uno: ne terra in solitudinem redigatur, et crescant contra te bestiæ.