"all the nations": I might think, literally; it is, therefore, written "these" (i.e., the seven nations). This tells me only of the nations. Whence do I derive (the same for) their abettors? From "all the nations." "from before you": You will progressively increase and they will progressively diminish. And thus is it written (Shemoth 23:30) "Little by little I will drive them out from before you," and (Ibid. 21) "I will not drive them out from before you in one year." These are the words of R. Yitzchak. R. Elazar b. Azaryah said: If Israel are righteous, why are they afraid of wild animals? Is it not written (Job 5:23) "For with the stones of the field will be your covenant, and the animals of the field will make peace with you"? And if you ask, why did Joshua undergo all of those exertions (to conquer the nations)? (The answer:) When Israel sinned, they came under the decree of "Little by little I will drive them out from before you." (For it was known to Him that they would sin.)
(Devarim, Ibid.) "and you will inherit nations greater and mightier than you": "great" in stature, and "mighty" in strength. "than you": You, too, are great and mighty, but they are greater than you. R. Eliezer b. Yaakov says: As when one says: "That man is stronger than this one." (The intent is:) This one, too, is strong, but the other is stronger.
Variantly: "and mightier than you (plural)." Why is this written again? Is it not already written (Ibid. 7:1) "seven nations more numerous and mightier than you (singular)"? To teach that one of the seven nations was greater and more formidable than all of Israel. And thus is it written (Amos 2:9) "And I destroyed the Emori from before them whose height was like the height of the cedars and who was strong as the oaks."
(דברים יא כג) וְהוֹרִישׁ ה׳ – ה׳ מוֹרִישׁ וְאֵין בָּשָׂר וָדָם מוֹרִישׁ.
(Devarim 11:23) "and the L-rd will drive out": The L-rd drives out, and not flesh and blood.
אֶת כָּל הַגּוֹיִם, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר הָאֵלֶּה. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אֵלֶּה, מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת אֶת מְסַיְּעֵיהֶם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֶת כָּל הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה מִלִּפְנֵיכֶם, שֶׁתְּהוּ אַתֶּם רַבִּים וְהוֹלְכִים וְהֵם מִתְמַעֲטִים וְהוֹלְכִים. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות כג ל) ״מְעַט מְעַט אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ״, וְאוֹמֵר (שמות כג כט) ״לֹא אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ בְּשָׁנָה אֶחָת [פֶּן תִּהְיֶה הָאָרֶץ שְׁמָמָה וְרַבָּה עָלֶיךָ חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה]״, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה: אוֹ לְפִי שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל צַדִּיקִים הֵם, לָמָּה יְרֵאִים מִן הַחַיָּה? וַהֲלֹא אִם צַדִּיקִים הֵם אֵין יְרֵאִים מִן הַחַיָּה! שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (איוב ה כג): ״כִּי עִם אַבְנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה בְרִיתֶךָ״! אִם תֹּאמַר: מִפְּנֵי מָה יָגַע יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כָּל הַיְגִיעָה הַהִיא? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁחָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל – נִגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם ״מְעַט מְעַט אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ״.
"all the nations": I might think, literally; it is, therefore, written "these" (i.e., the seven nations). This tells me only of the nations. Whence do I derive (the same for) their abettors? From "all the nations." "from before you": You will progressively increase and they will progressively diminish. And thus is it written (Shemoth 23:30) "Little by little I will drive them out from before you," and (Ibid. 21) "I will not drive them out from before you in one year." These are the words of R. Yitzchak. R. Elazar b. Azaryah said: If Israel are righteous, why are they afraid of wild animals? Is it not written (Job 5:23) "For with the stones of the field will be your covenant, and the animals of the field will make peace with you"? And if you ask, why did Joshua undergo all of those exertions (to conquer the nations)? (The answer:) When Israel sinned, they came under the decree of "Little by little I will drive them out from before you." (For it was known to Him that they would sin.)
וִירִשְׁתֶּם גּוֹיִם גְּדוֹלִים וַעֲצוּמִים, גְּדוֹלִים בְּקוֹמָה, וַעֲצוּמִים בְּכֹחַ. מִכֶּם, אַף אַתֶּם גְּדוֹלִים וַעֲצוּמִים; אֶלָּא שֶׁהֵם גְּדוֹלִים וַעֲצוּמִים מִכֶּם. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: מָשָׁל לְאָדָם שֶׁאוֹמֵר אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי גִּבּוֹר – וְזֶה גִּבּוֹר, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַלָּה גִּבּוֹר מִמֶּנּוּ!
(Devarim, Ibid.) "and you will inherit nations greater and mightier than you": "great" in stature, and "mighty" in strength. "than you": You, too, are great and mighty, but they are greater than you. R. Eliezer b. Yaakov says: As when one says: "That man is stronger than this one." (The intent is:) This one, too, is strong, but the other is stronger.
דָּבָר אַחֵר: מִכֶּם עוֹד לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר (דברים ז א): ״שִׁבְעָה גוֹיִם רַבִּים וַעֲצוּמִים מִמֶּךָּ״, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מִכֶּם? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֶחָד מִשִּׁבְעָה עֲמָמִים גָּדוֹל וְקָשֶׁה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (עמוס ב ט): ״וְאָנֹכִי הִשְׁמַדְתִּי אֶת הָאֱמוֹרִי מִפְּנֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר כְּגֹבַהּ אֲרָזִים גָּבְהוֹ וְחָסֹן הוּא כָּאַלּוֹנִים״.
Variantly: "and mightier than you (plural)." Why is this written again? Is it not already written (Ibid. 7:1) "seven nations more numerous and mightier than you (singular)"? To teach that one of the seven nations was greater and more formidable than all of Israel. And thus is it written (Amos 2:9) "And I destroyed the Emori from before them whose height was like the height of the cedars and who was strong as the oaks."