ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Pulelulu 17 Ma’asi 2021

I send an angel before you

‘oku ou fekau atu ha ‘Āngelo ke ‘alu mu‘omu‘a kiate koe

'Ekisoto 23 (Exodus 23)

(v. 20-22) 20 “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. 21 Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. 22 “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

(v. 20-22) 20 Ko eni ‘oku ou fekau atu ha ‘Āngelo ke ‘alu mu‘omu‘a kiate koe ke tauhi koe ‘i he hala, pea ke fakahū ki he potu kuo u teuteu. 21 Tokanga telia ia, pea fakaongo ki he‘ene lea; ‘oua ‘e angatu‘u kiate ia, he tala‘ehai te ne fakamolemole ho‘omou angahala; he ko hoku hingoa ‘oku tu‘u ‘iate ia. 22 He kapau te ke mātu‘aki fakaongo ki he‘ene lea, ‘o fai hono kotoa ‘o e me‘a te u tala, pea te u toki hoko ko e fili ‘o ho ngaahi fili, mo e fakamamahi ‘o ho kau fakamamahi.

*Commentary:  The ESV Study Bible*

The angel who will go before Israel is described in ways that closely identify him with God: the Lord tells Israel not to rebel against him (v. 21) because he will not pardon your transgression and because my name is in him (v.21, implying God's nature and character), and that to obey his voice is to do all that I say (v. 22). When Joshua finally leads the people into the land, he meets a figure outside Jericho referred to as "the commander of the army of the LORD" who speaks nearly identical words as those spoken to Moses at the burning bush (see 3:2; Josh. 5:13-15); both his title and drawn sword seem to identify him with the angel who has protected Israel (see Ex. 14:19) and who is promised here to go before them into Canaan (see also 33:2).

*Tohi Vete:  Ko e Tohitapu Ako ‘a e ESV*

Ko e ‘angelo ‘oku mu’omu’a ki ‘Isileli ‘oku fakamatala’i ia ‘i ha founga ‘oku vāofi ‘aupito ki he ngaahi fakamatala mo e ‘Otua: ‘oku tala ‘e he ‘Otua ke ‘oua te nau angatu’u kiate Ia (v. 21) he tala’ehai te ne fakamolemole’i ‘enau angahala; he ko hoku hingoa ‘oku tu’u ‘iate Ia (v. 21, hange ‘oku ne ma’u ‘a e natula mo e ‘ulungaanga ‘o e ‘Otua), pea ke fakaongo ki he’ene lea mo fai hono kotoa ‘o e me’a teu tala (v. 22).  ‘I he taimi na’e fakahū ai ‘e Siosiua ‘a e kakai ki he fonua´, na’a ne fetaulaki mo ha tokotaha ‘i tu’a Selikō na’e ui “ko e kapiteni ‘o e tau ‘a Sihova” pea na’a ne ngaue’aki ‘a e lea tatau na’e fai kia Mosese ‘i he vao talatala’amoa (3:2; Siosiua 5:13-15); ko hono hingoa mo ‘ene unuhi ‘a ‘ene heleta, ‘oku tatau tofu pe ia mo e ‘angelo ‘oku ne malu’i ‘a ‘Isileli (‘Ekisoto 14:19) pea ko ia ‘oku palomesi ‘e he potu tohi ko eni ‘e mu’omu’a ‘i ‘Isileli ‘i he’enau fononga ki Kenani (33:2).