Keluaran 23:27

23:27 “I will send my terror ¹  before you, and I will destroy ²  all the people whom you encounter; I will make all your enemies turn their backs ³  to you.

Yosua 10:10

10:10 The Lord routed ⁴  them before Israel. Israel ⁵  thoroughly defeated them ⁶  at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass ⁷  of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.

[23:27]  ¹ tn The word for “terror” is אֵימָתִי (’emati); the word has the thought of “panic” or “dread.” God would make the nations panic as they heard of the exploits and knew the Israelites were drawing near. U. Cassuto thinks the reference to “hornets” in v. 28 may be a reference to this fear, an unreasoning dread, rather than to another insect invasion (Exodus, 308). Others suggest it is symbolic of an invading army or a country like Egypt or literal insects (see E. Neufeld, “Insects as Warfare Agents in the Ancient Near East,” Or 49 [1980]: 30-57).

[23:27]  ² tn Heb “kill.”

[23:27]  ³ tn The text has “and I will give all your enemies to you [as] a back.” The verb of making takes two accusatives, the second being the adverbial accusative of product (see GKC 371-72 §117.ii, n. 1).

[10:10]  ⁴ tn Or “caused to panic.”

[10:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “he.” The referent is probably Israel (mentioned at the end of the previous sentence in the verse; cf. NIV, NRSV), but it is also possible that the Lord should be understood as the referent (cf. NASB “and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon”), or even Joshua (cf. NEB “and Joshua defeated them utterly in Gibeon”).

[10:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “struck them down with a great striking down.”

[10:10]  ⁷ tn Or “ascent.”