Daily Bread

God’s Angel to Prepare the Way

²⁰ “See, I am sending an angel^(A) ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.^{(B) 21} Pay attention to him and listen^(C) to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive^(D) your rebellion,^(E) since my Name^(F) is in him. ²² If you listen carefully to what he says and do^(G) all that I say, I will be an enemy^(H) to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. ²³ My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites,^(I) and I will wipe them out. ²⁴ Do not bow down before their gods or worship^(J) them or follow their practices.^(K) You must demolish^(L) them and break their sacred stones^(M) to pieces. ²⁵ Worship the Lord your God,^(N) and his blessing^(O) will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness^(P) from among you, ²⁶ and none will miscarry or be barren^(Q) in your land. I will give you a full life span.^(R)

²⁷ “I will send my terror^(S) ahead of you and throw into confusion^(T) every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run.^{(U) 28} I will send the hornet^(V) ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites^(W) out of your way. ²⁹ But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals^(X) too numerous for you. ³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession^(Y) of the land.

³¹ “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea^[a] to the Mediterranean Sea,^[b] and from the desert to the Euphrates River.^(Z) I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out^(AA) before you. ³² Do not make a covenant^(AB) with them or with their gods. ³³ Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare^(AC) to you.”