Hans Ausloos, «Exod 23,20-33 and the ‘War of YHWH’», Vol. 80 (1999) 555-563

Some crucial elements of the compositional structure of the "war of YHWH" which can be found in Exod 14, Josh 10, Judg 4 and 1 Sam 7, equally occur in Exod 23,20-33. The differences between the latter text and the former pericopes, however, point into the conclusion that Exod 14, Josh 10, Judg 4 and 1 Sam 7 on the one hand and Exod 23,20-33 on the other are separate witnesses of an earlier tradition about YHWH as warrior.

canon, it only occurs in Judg 2,1-5, a passage that, in my view, is a summary of several traditions about the Exodus and the journey through the desert⁴⁷. The construction ynpl Klh (v. 23), with a divine messenger as subject, only occurs in the book of Exodus (Exod 14,19; 23,23; 32,34)⁴⁸. Within the Deuteronomistic canon, the noun hmy) (v. 27) is only found in Deut 32,25 and Josh 2,9. In the former passage, however, the term functions as a threat to Israel. According to the latter text, the Israelites themselves are a threat to the enemy, contrary to Exod 23,27 in which God will send his terror ahead of the Israelites⁴⁹. Finally, the noun h(rc (v. 28) occurs only three times in the Hebrew Bible (Exod 23,28; Deut 7,20; Josh 24,12). Although these passages have several elements in common, this term cannot be considered to be typically Deuteronom(ist)ic⁵⁰.