Exodus 3:17 kjv
And 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 3:17 nkjv
and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey." '
Exodus 3:17 niv
And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites?a land flowing with milk and honey.'
Exodus 3:17 esv
and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey."'
Exodus 3:17 nlt
I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey ? the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live."'
Exodus 3 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." | God's initial promise of the land to Abraham's descendants. |
| Gen 15:18-21 | On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites." | Covenant specifying land boundaries and peoples. |
| Ex 3:8 | So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. | Earlier verse in the same chapter echoing the identical promise and peoples. |
| Ex 6:6-8 | Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians... and bring you into the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' | God's reaffirmation of the deliverance and land promise. |
| Num 13:27 | They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit." | Spies confirming the land's bounty. |
| Deut 1:8 | See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the LORD swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them. | Moses reiterating God's gift of the land. |
| Deut 6:3 | Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you. | Connection between obedience and inhabiting the blessed land. |
| Deut 7:1 | When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—seven nations larger and stronger than you— | Confirmation of the displacement of these specific nations. |
| Josh 1:2-4 | "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses... from the Desert and Lebanon to the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—and to the Mediterranean Sea in the west." | God empowering Joshua to fulfill the promise. |
| 1 Ki 8:56 | "Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he made through his servant Moses." | Solomon's testimony to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. |
| Neh 9:24 | The people went in and took possession of the land. They subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land... | Acknowledgment of Israel's conquest and inhabitation. |
| Ps 105:43-45 | He brought out his people with joy, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; he gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil. | Summary of the Exodus and land acquisition in a psalm. |
| Jer 32:22 | You gave them this land, which you had sworn to give to their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey. | Jeremiah acknowledging the fulfillment of the land promise. |
| Isa 43:16-19 | This is what the LORD says—he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters... See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. | God's power to make a way, referencing past deliverance and future acts. |
| Acts 7:34 | 'I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.' | Stephen's sermon referencing God's awareness of affliction and purpose to deliver. |
| Gal 5:1 | It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. | Spiritual freedom in Christ as the fulfillment of freedom from bondage. |
| Eph 1:3 | Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. | Heavenly "blessings" (like spiritual "milk and honey") given in Christ. |
| Heb 4:1-11 | Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it... There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. | The Promised Land as a type of spiritual rest for believers. |
| Heb 11:8-10 | By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country... For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. | Faith in a greater, heavenly fulfillment beyond the physical land. |
| 2 Pet 3:13 | But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. | God's ultimate promise of a new creation as the final blessed dwelling. |
Exodus 3 verses
Exodus 3 17 Meaning
Exodus 3:17 conveys God's unwavering intention and commitment to deliver the Israelite people from their severe suffering under Egyptian bondage. It declares His definite plan to lead them into the land of Canaan, specifying its numerous inhabitants, and describes this destination as a land of extraordinary abundance, symbolized by "milk and honey." This verse highlights God's initiation of His ancient covenant promise to the patriarchs and His active involvement in its fulfillment for the distressed nation.
Exodus 3 17 Context
Exodus 3:17 is a pivotal statement within God's commissioning of Moses at the burning bush. Moses, tending his father-in-law Jethro's flock, encounters God, who reveals Himself and declares His compassionate awareness of Israel's suffering in Egypt. Verses 7-9 articulate God's intent to deliver His people. Following this, God identifies Himself further (Ex 3:13-15) and gives Moses specific instructions for the elders of Israel. Verse 17 directly follows God's identification and precedes Moses' expressions of inadequacy. It serves as a direct, concrete articulation of the divine purpose behind the miraculous intervention – not merely escape from Egypt, but relocation to a divinely chosen land, rich and ready for them. The listing of the various peoples inhabiting Canaan sets the stage for the subsequent conquest narrative, indicating both the obstacles and the ultimate outcome foretold by God.
Exodus 3 17 Word analysis
And I have said: Hebrew Va'omar (וָאֹמַר). This expression is in the perfect tense in Hebrew but functions here as a strong, definite declaration of a past decision with certain future realization. It's not merely a "saying" but a divine decree, a settled intention from eternity or a moment fixed in divine counsel. It underscores the divine initiative and commitment that precedes and governs all subsequent events. God is the one actively bringing about this reality.
I will bring you up: Hebrew e'eleh (אֶעֱלֶה). Implies an ascent, an elevation. It signifies a movement from a lower, oppressed state (slavery in Egypt) to a higher, liberated state (freedom and possession in the Promised Land). This isn't just a physical removal, but a profound transformation of status and destiny. It also carries the connotation of an act of divine power and leadership, guiding them upwards.
out of the affliction: Hebrew 'oni (עֳנִי). Refers to the severe suffering, oppression, misery, and burden imposed on the Israelites by the Egyptians. It emphasizes the deep pain and hardship from which God intends to deliver His people, demonstrating His compassion and responsiveness to their cries (Ex 2:23-25).
of Egypt: Hebrew Mitsrayim (מִצְרָֽיִם). Represents not just a geographical location but a system of tyranny, slavery, and paganism. It stands in stark contrast to the freedom and blessing promised in Canaan.
to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: Hebrew names (e.g., Kena'ani, Chitti). These are the specific, known indigenous inhabitants of the land that God had promised to Abraham's descendants (Gen 15:18-21). Their inclusion signifies that God is giving a clearly defined territory and implies their dispossession. This also underscores the magnitude of the task ahead – dispossessing these established groups – yet presented as a divine certainty. The list is comprehensive but sometimes varies in order or includes other groups like Girgashites (Deut 7:1) indicating a general reference to the native peoples of the region.
to a land flowing with milk and honey: Hebrew eretz zavat chalav udevash (אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ). This is a well-known idiomatic expression for exceptional fertility, abundance, prosperity, and natural resources. "Milk" implies thriving herds (pastureland for cattle/goats), and "honey" (often referring to date syrup or wild bee honey, not necessarily modern honey bee honey) denotes the richness of agricultural produce and pleasantness. It signifies a land that yields sustenance with ease and provides great delight, far superior to the harsh conditions of Egypt.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And I have said, 'I will bring you up'": A declaration of divine resolve and proactive intervention. God's decision is sovereign, originating entirely with Him. It underlines His covenant faithfulness, as this act is rooted in earlier promises to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob).
- "out of the affliction of Egypt to the land...": This phrase clearly defines the "from-to" movement central to the Exodus narrative: from suffering and oppression to liberation and a blessed inheritance. It encapsulates the core redemptive act of God for His people. The sharp contrast emphasizes the deliverance aspect.
- "the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites": This detailed enumeration highlights the specific nature of the Promised Land, not an empty wilderness, but an inhabited territory whose occupants God intends to dispossess. It anticipates the divine judgment upon these nations and emphasizes the divine power required for conquest. It also subtly reinforces the idea of God providing the land already developed.
- "to a land flowing with milk and honey": This poetic imagery sets the qualitative standard for the destination. It is a land of supernatural provision and blessing, surpassing what mere human effort could achieve, reinforcing God's benevolent character and the extraordinary nature of His gift. This blessing also ties into the idea of a place of rest and fulfillment.
Exodus 3 17 Bonus section
The promise of "bringing up" the Israelites into "a land flowing with milk and honey" also served as a polemic against the Egyptian worldview. While Egypt was a powerful and seemingly self-sufficient civilization due to the Nile, dependent on predictable annual flooding, God promised a land whose fertility was not based on human irrigation (Deut 11:10-12) but on God's direct provision of rain from heaven. This emphasized God's active, miraculous involvement in their sustenance, superior to the predictable but limited blessings of their oppressors' land. Furthermore, God's promise to dispossess existing nations also asserted His sovereignty over all peoples and territories, challenging the pagan deities who were believed to control specific lands.
Exodus 3 17 Commentary
Exodus 3:17 stands as a foundational verse encapsulating God's character as both compassionate Deliverer and faithful Covenant-Keeper. It solidifies the divine purpose behind the dramatic events of the Exodus. God’s declaration is not a tentative hope but a firm, sovereign intention ("I have said"), assuring Moses and, through him, the Israelites, that their freedom and inheritance are guaranteed by His word. The meticulous listing of the Canaanite nations emphasizes that this promised land is a specific, divinely designated territory, not a vague utopian idea, and points to the comprehensive scope of God's plan, including the judgment upon the existing inhabitants. The descriptor "a land flowing with milk and honey" provides a potent symbol of prosperity and the delightful nature of the future dwelling place, contrasting sharply with their present misery in Egypt. This verse therefore outlines the theological backbone of Israel's national identity: redeemed by divine power, directed to a promised inheritance, and sustained by divine provision.Examples: This promise set the trajectory for their entire journey from the Red Sea crossing to the eventual conquest under Joshua. Every wilderness hardship or battle against their enemies (like the Amalekites) was a test of faith in this overarching promise.