Deuteronomy 7:20

20 The Lord your God will also send the hornet against them until all the survivors and those hiding from you perish.^[a]

Deuteronomy 7:20 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 7:20

Moreover, the Lord thy God will send the hornet among them,
&c.] Not a single one, but several of them, and which may be understood of creatures so called, which resemble wasps, only twice as large, an insect very bold and venomous; see ( Exodus 23:28 ) . Aben Ezra interprets it of the leprosy:

until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed;
such of the Canaanites who escaped the sword of the Israelites, and hid themselves in holes and caverns of the earth; these the hornets would find out and sting them to death, until they were all destroyed. Thus God can make use of small creatures, even insects, to destroy nations the most populous and mighty.

Deuteronomy 7:20 In-Context

18 do not be afraid of them. Be sure to remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt:

19 the great trials that you saw, the signs and wonders, the strong hand and outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you fear.

20 The Lord your God will also send the hornet against them until all the survivors and those hiding from you perish.

21 Don't be terrified of them, for the Lord your God, a great and awesome God, is among you.

22 The Lord your God will drive out these nations before you little by little. You will not be able to destroy them all at once; otherwise, the wild animals will become too numerous for you.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ex 23:28; Jos 24:12