Deuteronomy 11:23
Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Canaanite cities like Jericho, Hazor, and Megiddo had fortified walls, iron chariots (Judges 1:19), and professional armies. By human calculation, scattered Israelite tribes couldn't prevail. But Jericho's miraculous fall (Joshua 6), the Gibeonite hailstorm (Joshua 10:11), and other divine interventions proved God's promise. Conversely, Ai's defeat after Achan's sin (Joshua 7) showed disobedience's consequences. Archaeological evidence confirms widespread destruction of Canaanite cities in late Bronze Age, consistent with conquest accounts.
Questions for Reflection
- How does this passage challenge trust in human strength, technology, or strategy above reliance on God?
- What 'giants' in your life seem 'greater and mightier' than your resources, requiring divine intervention?
- How do we balance human effort (fighting battles) with trust in divine provision (God giving victory)?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The promise: 'Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you.' Victory over Canaan depends on covenant obedience, not military strength. The phrase 'nations greater and mightier than yourselves' acknowledges enemy superiority in human terms. Yet covenantal obedience guarantees divine intervention: God will 'drive out' (yarash, יָרַשׁ, dispossess) Israel's enemies. This echoes Exodus 23:27-30, where God promises gradual conquest. The conditional 'then' ties military success to spiritual faithfulness. This theology reappears throughout Judges: obedience → victory; apostasy → defeat.