A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey

A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey

Exodus 3:8

The phrase a land flowing with milk means that Canaan was ideal for raising goats and cows. Feeding on good pastureland the goats, sheep, and cows were full of milk. Flowing with honey means that the bees were busy making honey. Milk and honey suggested agricultural prosperity. This is the first of numerous references in the Old Testament to the “land flowing with milk and honey” (cf. v. Ex. 3:17; Ex. 3: 33:3; Lev. 20:24; Num. 13:27; Num. 14:8; Num. 16:13–14; Deut. 6:3; Deut. 11:9; Deut. 26:9, Deut. 26:15; Deut. 27:3; Deut. 31:20; Josh. 5:6; Jer. 11:5; Jer. 32:22; Ezek. 20:6, Ezek. 20:15).

This land then was occupied by Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (cf. Ex. 3:17; Ex. 13:5; Ex. 23:23; Ex. 33:2; Ex. 34:11).

In Genesis 10:15–18 all of these are listed except Perizzites, along with several other peoples who descended from Canaan, son of Ham and grandson of Noah. In the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 15:18–21) God mentioned five of the six groups of Exodus 3:8, along with five others (cf. seven in Deut. 7:1).

Canaanites is the more general term. Hittites were probably pockets of people who immigrated from the north. Amorites were the same as the Amurru of northern Mesopotamia (cf. comments on Gen. 14:13–16). Perizzites were perhaps village-dwellers or nomads. Hivites were possibly in northern Palestine and beyond (Josh. 11:3; Jud. 3:3). Jebusites lived in the hill country (Num. 13:29) of and around Jebus, later known as Jerusalem (Josh. 15:8).

God then told Moses how He would bring about the deliverance of His people. He would use Moses, not in his own strength (Acts 7:25) but by divine enablement. God said, So now, go. I am sending you. Interestingly while God promised the people two things (deliverance from Egypt and entrance into a new land), He commissioned Moses to accomplish only the first. God knew Moses would not enter the Promised Land (Deut. 32:48–52).

Ex. 3:11–15. That Moses was shocked by God’s words (vv. Ex. 3:7–10) is evident by his consternation. He found the command hard to believe. 

Immediately Moses objected to God’s command because of his lack of ability (v. Ex. 3:11) and his lack of authority (v. Ex. 3:13). Moses doubted his ability to confront the new Pharaoh (Amenhotep II) successfully and to lead the nation out. God responded to this objection with two promises: the assurance of His personal presence (I will be, v. Ex. 3:12; cf. comments on v. Ex. 3:14, with you) and the promise of Moses’ return to Mount Horeb (you [pl., referring to Moses and the people] will worship God on this mountain).

The purpose of the deliverance was that Israel might “worship God.” This purpose is stated frequently in Exodus (Ex. 3:4:23; Ex. 3:7:16; Ex. 3:8:1, Ex. 3:20; Ex. 3:9:1, Ex. 3:13; Ex. 3:10:3, Ex. 3:7–8, Ex. 3:11, Ex. 3:24, Ex. 3:26; Ex. 3:12:31). The Hebrew word for “worship” is the same word for “to be a slave” (‘āḇaḏ). Israel had been slaves (‘ăḇōḏîm) of Egypt (Ex. 6:6), and was in slavery (‘ăḇōḏâh, Ex. 2:23) in Egypt (“the land of slavery,” lit., “the house of slaves,” bēṯ ‘ăḇāḏîm, Ex. 13:3, Ex. 14; Ex. 20:2). Having served as slaves to the Egyptians, Israel was now to serve the Lord, worshiping Him as His subjects.

Hannah, John D. “Exodus.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Vol. 1. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 112. Print.