We are in chapter twenty-three of Exodus with our word for today which is actually two words with similar roots that are both translated the same way. Our first word is צוּר attack, fight, show hostility toward, treat as an enemy. It is used 4 times in the Old Testament. We see it used in the sense to pick a fight with God’s instructions to Moses when they started their wilderness wanderings. Deuteronomy 2:9, 19 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not תָּ֙צַר֙ harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession. This is again repeated in verse 19. The other use besides our chapter is seen when the king gives the Jews the ability to defend themselves. Esther 8:11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might הַצָּרִ֥ים attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. Our other word is צָרַר treat with hostility, attack. It is used 26 times in the Old Testament. We see our word used to describe God taking out those who are his and his people’s enemies. It is used twice in this prayer. Psalm 74:4-8, 22-23 צֹ֭רְרֶיךָ Your foes roared in the place where you met with us; they set up their standards as signs. They behaved like men wielding axes to cut through a thicket of trees. They smashed all the carved paneling with their axes and hatchets. They burned your sanctuary to the ground; they defiled the dwelling place of your Name. They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!” They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land. Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long. Do not ignore the clamor צֹרְרֶ֑יךָ of your adversaries, the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually. We also see our word used David’s confidence in God acting. Psalm 143:12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all צֹרֲרֵ֣י my foes, for I am your servant. This is how both of our words are used in our chapter today. Exodus 23:22 But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies וְצַרְתִּ֖י אֶת־צֹרְרֶֽיךָ and an adversary to your adversaries.
We will definitely see this as we move into the book of Joshua. This part of God’s character of protecting those he loves was something that both David and Jesus relied on. I’ll close with these Psalms and what they remind us of when we see Jesus trusting in God on the cross while being mocked by his enemies. He truly was in the darkest valley but he trusted God the Father through it. Psalm 23:4-5 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of צֹרְרָ֑יmy enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 42:9-10 I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” My bones suffer mortal agony as צוֹרְרָ֑י my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Matthew 27:39-44 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
