Deu 7:18-24 | NETfull | STEP | you must not fear them. You must carefully recall what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt,

Deuteronomy 7:18-24

18 you must not fear them. You must carefully recall ^{▼▼ Heb “recalling, you must recall.” The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute before the finite verb for emphasis. Cf. KJV, ASV “shalt well remember.”} what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt, 19 the great judgments ^{▼▼ Heb “testings” (so NAB), a reference to the plagues. See note at 4:34.} you saw, the signs and wonders, the strength and power ^{▼▼ Heb “the strong hand and outstretched arm.” See 4:34.} by which he ^{▼▼ Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.} brought you out – thus the Lord your God will do to all the people you fear. 20 Furthermore, the Lord your God will release hornets ^{▼▼ The meaning of the term translated “hornets” (צִרְעָה, tsir’ah) is debated. Various suggestions are “discouragement” (HALOT 1056-57 s.v.; cf. NEB, TEV, CEV “panic”; NCV “terror”) and “leprosy” (J. H. Tigay, Deuteronomy [JPSTC], 360, n. 33; cf. NRSV “the pestilence”), as well as “hornet” (BDB 864 s.v.; cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT). The latter seems most suitable to the verb שָׁלַח (shalakh, “send”; cf. Exod 23:28; Josh 24:12).} among them until the very last ones who hide from you ^{▼▼ Heb “the remnant and those who hide themselves.”} perish. 21 You must not tremble in their presence, for the Lord your God, who is present among you, is a great and awesome God. 22 He, ^{▼▼ Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 7:19.} the God who leads you, will expel the nations little by little. You will not be allowed to destroy them all at once lest the wild animals overrun you. 23 The Lord your God will give them over to you; he will throw them into a great panic ^{▼▼ Heb “he will confuse them (with) great confusion.” The verb used here means “shake, stir up” (see Ruth 1:19; 1 Sam 4:5; 1 Kgs 1:45; Ps 55:2); the accompanying cognate noun refers to confusion, unrest, havoc, or panic (1 Sam 5:9, 11; 14:20; 2 Chr 15:5; Prov 15:16; Isa 22:5; Ezek 7:7; 22:5; Amos 3:9; Zech 14:13).} until they are destroyed. 24 He will hand over their kings to you and you will erase their very names from memory. ^{▼▼ Heb “you will destroy their name from under heaven” (cf. KJV); NRSV “blot out their name from under heaven.”} Nobody will be able to resist you until you destroy them.