Deuteronomy 2:25
This very day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon all the nations under heaven. They will hear the reports of you and tremble in anguish because of you."
This very day
This phrase signifies a specific moment in time when God initiates His plan. It emphasizes the immediacy and certainty of God's actions. In the context of Deuteronomy, it marks a turning point for the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. This immediacy is often seen in God's interventions throughout the Bible, such as in Exodus 12:41 when the Israelites leave Egypt.

I will begin to put
God is the active agent in this process, highlighting His sovereignty and control over the events. This divine initiation is a common theme, as seen in Genesis 12:2-3, where God promises to make Abraham a great nation. It underscores the idea that God orchestrates history according to His purposes.

the dread and fear of you
This phrase indicates a supernatural fear that God will instill in the hearts of Israel's enemies. It reflects the fulfillment of promises made in Exodus 23:27, where God assures the Israelites that He will send His terror ahead of them. This fear is not merely psychological but divinely inspired, ensuring Israel's success.

upon all the nations under heaven
This hyperbolic expression suggests the widespread impact of God's actions. It indicates that the reputation of Israel, and by extension, the power of their God, will be known far and wide. This is reminiscent of the fame of Solomon's wisdom reaching distant lands, as seen in 1 Kings 10:24.

They will hear the reports of you
The dissemination of Israel's victories and God's mighty acts will spread among the nations. This is similar to the reports of the plagues in Egypt reaching other nations, as mentioned in Joshua 2:9-11, where Rahab speaks of the fear that has fallen on the inhabitants of Canaan.

and tremble in anguish because of you.
The reaction of trembling and anguish signifies a deep, visceral fear. This response is not just fear of Israel as a people but fear of the God who fights for them. It echoes the fear of the Egyptians during the plagues (Exodus 15:14-16) and foreshadows the fear of the nations in Revelation 6:15-17, where the wrath of the Lamb causes kings and mighty men to hide.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, who is recounting God's instructions and actions to the people.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who are on their journey to the Promised Land.

3. Nations under Heaven
Refers to the surrounding nations that will hear of Israel's approach and be filled with fear.

4. Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

5. God's Promise
The divine assurance that God will instill fear in the hearts of Israel's enemies.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Power
God is in control of the nations and can influence their hearts and minds.

Trust in God's ability to fulfill His promises, even when circumstances seem daunting.

Divine Protection and Favor
Just as God protected Israel, He offers protection to His people today.

Believers can find comfort in knowing that God goes before them, preparing the way.

Faith in God's Promises
The Israelites had to trust in God's promise of fear upon their enemies.

Christians are called to have faith in God's promises, even when they are not immediately visible.

Witness to God's Power
The fear of the nations was a testimony to God's power and presence with Israel.

Our lives should reflect God's power, serving as a witness to those around us.

Preparation for Spiritual Battles
Just as Israel was prepared for conquest, believers must be spiritually prepared for the battles they face.

Equip yourself with prayer, scripture, and faith to face challenges.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding God's promise to instill fear in Israel's enemies impact your view of His sovereignty in your life?

2. In what ways can you relate the fear of the nations to the spiritual battles you face today?

3. How can you apply the concept of divine protection in your daily walk with God?

4. What are some promises of God that you need to trust in more fully, and how can you strengthen your faith in them?

5. How can your life serve as a witness to God's power and presence, similar to how Israel's journey impacted the surrounding nations?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 23:27
This verse also speaks of God sending His terror ahead of the Israelites to dismay their enemies, showing a consistent theme of divine intervention.

Joshua 2:9-11
Rahab's acknowledgment of the fear that fell upon the inhabitants of Jericho because of the Israelites, fulfilling God's promise.

Psalm 105:38
Describes how the Egyptians were glad when the Israelites departed, as fear of them had fallen upon them.

Isaiah 41:10
Encourages believers not to fear, as God is with them, paralleling the assurance given to Israel.

Romans 8:31
Emphasizes that if God is for us, who can be against us, echoing the protection and favor God showed Israel.
The Effects of Israel's ConquestsJ. Orr Deuteronomy 2:24, 25
The Destruction of Sihon, King of the AmoritesR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 2:24-37
Warrantable WarfareD. Davies Deuteronomy 2:24-37
People
Ammonites, Anakites, Avvites, Caphtorim, Caphtorites, Emites, Esau, Geber, Horites, Moabites, Moses, Rephaites, Seir, Sihon, Zamzummites
Places
Ammon, Ar, Arabah, Aroer, Caphtor, Elath, Ezion-geber, Gaza, Gilead, Heshbon, Jabbok River, Jahaz, Jordan River, Kadesh-barnea, Kedemoth, Moab, Mount Seir, Red Sea, Seir, Valley of the Arnon, Zered
Topics
Anguish, Begin, Dread, Everywhere, Face, Fame, Fear, Grief, Hearing, Heart, Heaven, Heavens, Nations, Pained, Peoples, Quake, Report, Reports, Shaking, Sky, Terror, Tremble, Trembled
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 2:25

     5782   agony
     5916   pessimism

Deuteronomy 2:24-25

     5857   fame

Library
A Great Part of South Judea Cut Off under the Second Temple. Jewish Idumean.
The Talmudic girdle ends, as you see, in "Kadesh, Barnea, and Ascalon." Hence it cannot but be observed, that these two places are placed, as it were, in parallel; and whatsoever space lies between Ascalon and the river of Egypt, is excluded,--to wit, fifty-four miles. And one might, indeed, almost see some footsteps of that exclusion under the first Temple, in that very common expression, "From Dan even to Beer-sheba." This country, that was excluded, was something barren. The Talmudists speak thus
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The New Leaders Commission
'Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, 2. Moses My servant is dead: now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 3. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 4. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
Syria: the part played by it in the ancient world--Babylon and the first Chaldaean empire--The dominion of the Hyksos: Ahmosis. Some countries seem destined from their origin to become the battle-fields of the contending nations which environ them. Into such regions, and to their cost, neighbouring peoples come from century to century to settle their quarrels and bring to an issue the questions of supremacy which disturb their little corner of the world. The nations around are eager for the possession
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4

The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters,
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf.
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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