Exodus 3:8
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Original Language Analysis
וָֽאֵרֵ֞ד
And I am come down
H3381
וָֽאֵרֵ֞ד
And I am come down
Strong's:
H3381
Word #:
1 of 25
to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); cau
לְהַצִּיל֣וֹ׀
to deliver
H5337
לְהַצִּיל֣וֹ׀
to deliver
Strong's:
H5337
Word #:
2 of 25
to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense
מִיַּ֣ד
them out of the hand
H3027
מִיַּ֣ד
them out of the hand
Strong's:
H3027
Word #:
3 of 25
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v
וּֽלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ֮
and to bring
H5927
וּֽלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ֮
and to bring
Strong's:
H5927
Word #:
5 of 25
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
מִן
H4480
מִן
Strong's:
H4480
Word #:
6 of 25
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
הַהִוא֒
H1931
הַהִוא֒
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
8 of 25
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
טוֹבָה֙
unto a good
H2896
טוֹבָה֙
unto a good
Strong's:
H2896
Word #:
11 of 25
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good
וּרְחָבָ֔ה
and a large
H7342
וּרְחָבָ֔ה
and a large
Strong's:
H7342
Word #:
12 of 25
roomy, in any (or every) direction, literally or figuratively
זָבַ֥ת
flowing
H2100
זָבַ֥ת
flowing
Strong's:
H2100
Word #:
15 of 25
to flow freely (as water), i.e., (specifically) to have a (sexual) flux; figuratively, to waste away; also to overflow
מְק֤וֹם
unto the place
H4725
מְק֤וֹם
unto the place
Strong's:
H4725
Word #:
19 of 25
properly, a standing, i.e., a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)
הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙
of the Canaanites
H3669
הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙
of the Canaanites
Strong's:
H3669
Word #:
20 of 25
a kenaanite or inhabitant of kenaan; by implication, a pedlar (the canaanites standing for their neighbors the ishmaelites, who conducted mercantile c
וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙
and the Amorites
H567
וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙
and the Amorites
Strong's:
H567
Word #:
22 of 25
an emorite, one of the canaanitish tribes
וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י
and the Perizzites
H6522
וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י
and the Perizzites
Strong's:
H6522
Word #:
23 of 25
a perizzite, one of the canaanitish tribes
Cross References
Genesis 50:24And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.Exodus 3:17And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.Exodus 13:5And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.Deuteronomy 1:25And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us.Jeremiah 11:5That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.Numbers 13:27And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.John 6:38For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.Psalms 91:15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.Ezekiel 20:6In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:Psalms 34:8O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Historical Context
"Milk and honey" described agricultural richness—goat/sheep milk from pastoral land, honey from date palms and bees from wild sources. Canaan's fertility contrasted with Egypt's dependence on Nile irrigation and with Sinai's wilderness. The seven nations represent entrenched opposition God will overcome (Deuteronomy 7:1). This promise fulfills Genesis 15:18-21 and 17:8—the land covenant to Abraham.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the two-part promise—deliverance from bondage AND blessing in the land—reflect the fullness of salvation (justification and sanctification)?
- What 'promised lands' of spiritual abundance is God calling you toward after delivering you from bondage?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites (וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם וּלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ מִן־הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא אֶל־אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה וּרְחָבָה אֶל־אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ, va'ered lehatsilo miyad Mitsrayim ulha'aloto min-ha'arets hahi el-erets tovah urechavah el-erets zavat chalav udevash)—I am come down (וָאֵרֵד, va'ered)—God actively intervenes in history. Deliver (נָצַל, natsal, "snatch away/rescue") is salvation language. The dual purpose: deliver (from bondage) and bring up (to blessing). Good land and large (טוֹבָה וּרְחָבָה) contrasts with Egypt's oppression. Flowing with milk and honey (זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ)—the famous metaphor denoting fertility and abundance (used 20x in Torah). The list of seven nations occupying Canaan (Canaanites through Jebusites) previews conquest challenges but also God's comprehensive gift.