Exodus 13:11 kjv
And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,
Exodus 13:11 nkjv
"And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you,
Exodus 13:11 niv
"After the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your ancestors,
Exodus 13:11 esv
"When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you,
Exodus 13:11 nlt
"This is what you must do when the LORD fulfills the promise he swore to you and to your ancestors. When he gives you the land where the Canaanites now live,
Exodus 13 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text (Shortened) | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | To your offspring I will give this land. | First promise of land to Abraham. |
| Gen 13:15 | All the land that you see I will give... | Expands on the promise to Abraham. |
| Gen 15:18 | I have given this land... to your descendants. | Formal covenant oath confirming the land. |
| Gen 17:8 | I will give you... the land of Canaan as an enduring possession. | Everlasting nature of the land covenant. |
| Gen 26:3 | Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you... for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. | Confirmation of the land oath to Isaac. |
| Gen 28:13 | The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. | Confirmation of the land oath to Jacob. |
| Exod 3:8 | I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites... | God's stated purpose for the Exodus includes bringing them to the land. |
| Exod 6:4 | I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan... | God reiterates the covenant to Moses. |
| Exod 13:5 | And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites... then you shall observe this service. | Directly preceding context; linking obedience to entry. |
| Num 14:30 | Not one of you will enter the land I swore... except Caleb... and Joshua. | God's faithfulness despite Israel's disobedience (the disobedient generation would not enter). |
| Deut 1:8 | See, I have set the land before you. Go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to your fathers... | Moses urging the next generation to enter and inherit. |
| Deut 6:10 | When the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers... | Repeating the condition for observing commandments in the land. |
| Josh 1:6 | For you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. | God instructs Joshua on leading the conquest. |
| Neh 9:8 | You found his heart faithful and made with him a covenant to give to his offspring the land of the Canaanites... and you have kept your promise, for you are righteous. | Later historical recognition of God's faithfulness in granting the land. |
| Ps 105:11 | Saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance." | Poetic summary of the divine promise. |
| Acts 7:5 | Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. | Stephen's sermon highlights the deferred nature of the land promise. |
| Heb 11:8-9 | By faith Abraham obeyed... and went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise... | The patriarchs lived by faith, trusting God's promise of the land. |
| Rom 4:13 | For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. | Expands the scope of the promise to Abraham, including the whole world. |
| Gal 3:16 | Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ. | Links the covenant promises, including land, to Christ as the ultimate heir. |
| Gal 3:29 | And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. | Believers in Christ inherit the spiritual blessings of Abrahamic promises. |
| Heb 4:1-11 | Speaking of a promised "rest" as a deeper fulfillment, beyond merely entering Canaan. | The concept of "rest" and entering a promised land points to a greater, spiritual rest in Christ. |
| Rev 21:1 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. | The ultimate fulfillment of the land promise in the eternal state. |
Exodus 13 verses
Exodus 13 11 Meaning
Exodus 13:11 declares that when the LORD sovereignly brings the people of Israel into the land currently occupied by the Canaanites, in fulfillment of His ancient oath sworn to their forefathers, He will then grant them possession of this land. This verse functions as the foundational premise for the detailed instructions that immediately follow regarding the dedication of the firstborn, emphasizing that these commandments are to be observed specifically once they have entered and possess the promised inheritance, by God's faithfulness.
Exodus 13 11 Context
Exodus chapter 13 immediately follows the pivotal event of the Passover and the miraculous Exodus from Egypt. God's purpose for His newly liberated people is not just freedom from bondage but also to enter into a covenant relationship with Him, marked by worship and obedience, and to ultimately inhabit the land He promised. Verses 1-2 establish the foundational command to consecrate the firstborn. Verses 3-10 elaborate on the perpetual observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), explicitly stating that this observance is for when they arrive in the land. Verse 11 specifically provides the certain future context for these commandments regarding the firstborn—their entry into and possession of the land of Canaan, predicated entirely on God's sworn faithfulness to their patriarchs. It transitions from general instructions to a particular focus on the land, highlighting the destination and purpose of their deliverance.
Exodus 13 11 Word Analysis
- And it shall be (וְהָיָה - v'hayah): This is a common Hebrew idiomatic expression indicating a future event, often carrying a sense of certainty and consequence. It functions as a linguistic bridge, connecting the present command to a future fulfillment and linking it to subsequent instructions. It signifies a divine assurance that what is spoken will occur.
- when the LORD (בְּהָבִיא אֹתְךָ יְהוָה - b'havia ot'kha YHWH):
- the LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His relational and active involvement with His people, as the one who fulfills promises and exercises His power. This highlights divine agency – He is the one who brings.
- shall bring (הָבִיא - havia): From the verb bo (to come/bring). Here, it's causative: to cause to come or bring into. It stresses that Israel's entry into the land is not by their might or cunning, but by YHWH's sovereign power and faithfulness. This emphasizes divine enablement.
- thee: Refers collectively to the nation of Israel.
- into the land of the Canaanites (אֶל־אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי - el-eretz hak-Kena'ani):
- land (אֶרֶץ - eretz): A pivotal term in the Hebrew Bible, signifying territory, inheritance, and a place of belonging and divine blessing. It underscores the physical promise.
- of the Canaanites: Refers to the specific people groups inhabiting the promised territory. This implies a future displacement of the current occupants, achieved by divine intervention, not by Israel's inherent right or military superiority. It subtly contrasts YHWH's power with any supposed local deities protecting these lands. The use of "Canaanites" here encapsulates all the various groups.
- as he sware (כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע - ka'asher nishba'): From the verb shava' (to swear, take an oath). This points directly to the foundational covenant promises made by God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, establishing God's unwavering commitment to His word. An oath, particularly a divine one, in the ancient Near East context, was the highest form of guarantee, underscoring unchangeable faithfulness.
- unto thee and to thy fathers (לְךָ וְלַאֲבֹתֶיךָ - l'kha v'la'avotekha):
- thee: Refers to the current generation receiving the law.
- to thy fathers: Specifically refers to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) with whom God made the covenant and to whom the land promise was initially given. This establishes a clear continuity of God's redemptive plan through generations, reassuring the current generation that they are the heirs of these ancient promises.
- and shall give it thee (וּנְתָנָהּ לָךְ - u'netanah lakh):
- shall give (נָתַן - natan): The Hebrew verb for "to give." This repeated emphasis (after "shall bring") further highlights that the land is a gracious gift from God, not something Israel earns through merit or military prowess. It signifies God's sovereign bestowal, ensuring that all credit belongs to Him.
- it: Refers to the land.
- thee: Reiterates that this gift is specifically for the nation of Israel.
Exodus 13 11 Bonus Section
- The fulfillment of this promise is recounted across the book of Joshua, where the conquest and division of the land demonstrate God's precise fulfillment of His sworn word.
- While the land promise in Exodus 13:11 initially points to the geographical territory of Canaan, its deeper biblical-theological meaning extends beyond a physical space to encompass a state of secure rest, divine presence, and a full relationship with God. In the New Testament, this "rest" finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ and the new creation (Hebrews 4, Revelation 21-22), where believers, as Abraham's spiritual offspring, inherit "the world."
- The phrase "as he sware" not only invokes Abraham but solidifies the entire redemptive historical narrative of the Bible—from the initial call of Abraham to the giving of the Law, all oriented towards God bringing His people into a place of blessing according to His eternal purpose.
Exodus 13 11 Commentary
Exodus 13:11 is a crucial transitional verse that firmly links God's past promises with Israel's future actions and obedience. Following the miraculous liberation of the Passover, God directs Israel to specific commands that must be observed once they enter the land. The verse emphasizes that their entry and possession of the land is a certainty, not dependent on their power but solely on God's unwavering faithfulness to the covenant oath made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The description of the land as "the land of the Canaanites" is significant, not merely geographical but theological. It signifies that God, YHWH, is superior to the false deities worshipped by the land's inhabitants and that He has the power to displace them. The repeated emphasis that YHWH will "bring" and "give" the land highlights that the land is a pure gift, undeserved by Israel. This perspective counters any sense of Israelite merit or conquest-by-strength and points squarely to God's initiative, power, and covenant commitment. Thus, the obedience required in the following verses (consecrating the firstborn, keeping unleavened bread) becomes a grateful response to a promised, and eventually delivered, inheritance from a faithful God.
This verse sets a powerful precedent: divine promises precede human obligation, and obedience is a joyous consequence of trusting in God's faithfulness.