The concept of expulsion in the Bible is often associated with the removal or driving out of individuals or groups from a particular place or community. This action is typically seen as a response to sin, disobedience, or impurity, and is used as a means of maintaining holiness and order within the community of God's people.

Old Testament Instances

1. Adam and Eve: The first instance of expulsion in the Bible occurs in Genesis 3:23-24, where Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden due to their disobedience in eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This expulsion signifies the separation from God's immediate presence and the beginning of human toil and mortality. The Berean Standard Bible states, "So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken."

2. Ishmael and Hagar: In Genesis 21:10, Sarah demands that Abraham expel Hagar and her son Ishmael, saying, "Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be a co-heir with my son Isaac." This expulsion reflects the tension and division within Abraham's household and the unfolding of God's covenantal promises through Isaac.

3. The Canaanites: The Israelites were commanded to expel the Canaanites from the Promised Land as part of God's judgment against the Canaanites' idolatry and immorality. In Numbers 33:52, God instructs the Israelites, "You must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places."

New Testament Instances

1. Church Discipline: In the New Testament, expulsion is seen in the context of church discipline. In 1 Corinthians 5:13, Paul instructs the Corinthian church to expel a member engaged in egregious sin, stating, "Expel the wicked man from among you." This action is intended to preserve the purity of the church and encourage repentance.

2. Jesus and the Money Changers: While not an expulsion in the traditional sense, Jesus' cleansing of the temple can be seen as an act of expelling those who defiled the sacred space with commerce. In John 2:15, Jesus "made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables."

Theological Significance

Expulsion in the biblical narrative often serves as a means of upholding divine justice and holiness. It underscores the seriousness of sin and the necessity of maintaining a community set apart for God. The act of expelling is not merely punitive but also redemptive, aiming to restore individuals and communities to a right relationship with God. The ultimate goal is reconciliation and the establishment of a holy people who reflect God's character and purposes in the world.1. (v. t.) To drive or force out from that within which anything is contained, enclosed, or situated; to eject; as to expel air from a bellows.

2. (v. t.) To drive away from one's country; to banish.

3. (v. t.) To cut off from further connection with an institution of learning, a society, and the like; as, to expel a student or member.

4. (v. t.) To keep out, off, or away; to exclude.

5. (v. t.) To discharge; to shoot.

1559. ekdioko -- to pursue out, ie expel or persecute
... to pursue out, ie expel or persecute. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekdioko
Phonetic Spelling: (ek-dee-o'-ko) Short Definition: I persecute, expel by ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1559.htm - 7k

1544b. ekballo -- to expel, to drive, cast or send out
... 1544a, 1544b. ekballo. 1545 . to expel, to drive, cast or send out.
Transliteration: ekballo Short Definition: cast. Word Origin ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1544b.htm - 6k

1856. exotheo -- to thrust out
... to thrust out. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: exotheo Phonetic Spelling:
(ex-o-theh'-o) Short Definition: I drive out, expel, propel Definition: I drive ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1856.htm - 6k

1544. ekballo -- to go out
... I bring forth, produce. bring forth, cast forth, drive out, expel. From
ek and ballo; to eject (literally or figuratively) -- bring ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1544.htm - 8k

3423. yarash -- to take possession of, inherit, dispossess
... 1), dispossess (12), dispossessed (9), dispossessing (1), drive (22), drive them
out completely (2), driven (6), driving (3), drove (4), expel (1), given us as ...
/hebrew/3423.htm - 7k

1920. hadaph -- to thrust, drive, push
... cast away out, drive, expel, thrust away. A prim root; to push away or down -- cast
away (out), drive, expel, thrust (away). 1919, 1920. hadaph. 1921 . ...
/hebrew/1920.htm - 6k

1644. garash -- to drive out, cast out
... cast up out, divorced woman, drive away forth, out, expel, trouble, thrust out.
A primitive root; to drive out from a possession; especially ...
/hebrew/1644.htm - 6k

2957. terad -- to chase away
... away (4). drive. (Aramaic) corresponding to tarad; to expel -- drive. see HEBREW
tarad. 2956, 2957. terad. 2958 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/2957.htm - 6k

5080. nadach -- to impel, thrust, banish
... A primitive root; to push off; used in a great variety of applications, literally
and figuratively (to expel, mislead, strike, inflict, etc.) -- banish, bring ...
/hebrew/5080.htm - 6k

After the Departure of Valens from Antioch, the Alexandrians Expel ...
... Chapter XXXVII."After the Departure of Valens from Antioch, the Alexandrians expel
Lucius, and restore Peter, who had come with Letters from Damasus Bishop ...
/.../chapter xxxvii after the departure of.htm

Events which Took Place in the Eastern Churches: Marathonius ...
... Book IV. Chapter XX."Events which took place in the Eastern Churches: Marathonius,
Eleusius of Cyzicus, and Macedonius expel those who maintain the Term ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/chapter xx events which took place.htm

Strangers must Never be Expelled the City in a Time of Famine. ...
... approval. They would expel them at the very time when they ought to help,
and separate them from the trade of their common parent. ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter vii strangers must never.htm

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
... Poverty is wont to expel riches, but here poverty begets riches, for how
rich are they that have a kingdom! Mourning is wont to ...
/.../watson/the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/4 blessed are the poor.htm

Petilianus Said: "It is Written, Thou Shalt not Bear False Witness ...
... as yet the place of unity; and you bring us into disfavor with the kings of this
world in making use of the edicts of the proconsul to expel your schismatics ...
/.../chapter 58 131 petilianus.htm

On Refuges of Lies.
... If it does not expel selfishness and lust, and if it does not beget love to God
and man, joy, peace, and all the fruits of the Spirit, it is false and worthless ...
/.../finney/sermons on gospel themes/vii on refuges of lies.htm

March 2. "That Good Thing which was Committed unto Thee Keep by ...
... any thought or suggestion of evil arises in our breast, the quick conscience can
instantly call upon the Holy Ghost to drive it out, and He will expel it at ...
/.../simpson/days of heaven upon earth /march 2 that good thing.htm

Doings of Jupiter.
... mother of Medea; and Jupiter having received a response that one who should be born
of her should be more powerful than himself, and should expel him from his ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter xx doings of jupiter.htm

Whether Heretics Ought to be Tolerated?
... For Jerome commenting on Gal.5:9, "A little leaven," says: "Cut off the decayed
flesh, expel the mangy sheep from the fold, lest the whole house, the whole ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether heretics ought to be.htm

Athanasius is Again Banished; Concerning Eleusius, Bishop of ...
... sedition in that city. He also publicly called upon the citizens of Bostra
[1399] to expel Titus, their bishop. It appears that the ...
/.../chapter xv athanasius is again banished.htm

Expel (29 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To drive or force out from that within which anything is contained, enclosed,
or situated; to eject; as to expel air from a bellows. ...
/e/expel.htm - 15k

Baal-zebul (6 Occurrences)
... Luke 11:18 And if Satan really has engaged in fierce conflict with himself, how
shall his kingdom stand?--because you say that I expel demons by the power of ...
/b/baal-zebul.htm - 8k

Making (644 Occurrences)
... Mark 9:38 "Rabbi," said John to Him, "we saw a man making use of your name to expel
demons, and we tried to hinder him, on the ground that he did not follow us ...
/m/making.htm - 34k

Ibleam (4 Occurrences)
... People-waster, a city assigned to Manasseh (Joshua 17:11), from which the Israelites,
however, could not expel the Canaanites (Judges 1:27). ...
/i/ibleam.htm - 9k

Eliminate (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To expel; to discharge; to release;
to cause to disappear. 2. (vt) To cause to disappear from ...
/e/eliminate.htm - 7k

Expelled (16 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Expel. Multi-Version Concordance
Expelled (16 Occurrences). Matthew 7:22 Many will say to ...
/e/expelled.htm - 11k

Baal-zebul's (1 Occurrence)
... Baal-zebul's (1 Occurrence). Matthew 12:27 And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that
I expel the demons, by whose power do your disciples expel them? ...
/b/baal-zebul's.htm - 6k

Subjected (18 Occurrences)
... Joshua 17:13 Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel had become strong,
that they subjected the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly expel them. ...
/s/subjected.htm - 12k

Disciples (277 Occurrences)
... Matthew 12:27 And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the demons, by whose
power do your disciples expel them? They therefore shall be your judges. ...
/d/disciples.htm - 39k

Rabbi (51 Occurrences)
... Mark 9:38 "Rabbi," said John to Him, "we saw a man making use of your name to expel
demons, and we tried to hinder him, on the ground that he did not follow us ...
/r/rabbi.htm - 22k

Who were the Perizzites in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What happened on Paul's third missionary journey? | GotQuestions.org

Who are the Black Hebrews / Black Israelites? | GotQuestions.org

Expel: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus