24:12a

I sent the hornet ahead of you: The meaning of the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as hornet is uncertain. There are two ways to interpret it.

(1) It means terror or panic. For example:

I sent terror ahead of you (NET Bible)
-or-
As you advanced, I threw them into panic. (Good News Translation)

(NET Bible, Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004), Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Century Version)

(2) It means hornet. For example:

I sent the hornet before you (English Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version, God’s Word, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Jerusalem Bible, King James Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This is the interpretation recommended by most Bible commentaries and the one taken by many English versions.

and it drove out the two Amorite kings before you: The clause drove out the two Amorite kings before you indicates that the enemies of Israel ran away as the Israelites went into their lands. They did this because they were afraid of the Israelites.

the two Amorite kings: There is an interpretation issue here. It is not certain to whom the Hebrew pronoun “them” that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the two Amorite kings refers.

(1) It refers to the two kings of the Amorites. For example:

I sent terror ahead of you to drive out before you the two Amorite kings (NET Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, NET Bible, Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004), Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Jerusalem Bible, Good News Translation, God’s Word)

(2) It refers to the peoples mentioned in verse 11 as well as the Amorite kings. For example:

I made your enemies panic and run away, as I had done with the two Amorite kings east of the River Jordan. (Contemporary English Version)

(Contemporary English Version, New International Version, King James Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This is followed by most English versions and Bible commentaries.

The two Amorite kings were King Sihon and King Og, who lived east of the Jordan River. The battle between the Israelites and these kings was mentioned in chapter 24:8.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

I sent terror ahead of you (plur.) and it made the two Amor kings flee ahead of you.
-or-
I caused your enemies to panic as you advanced, ⌊so that⌋ the two kings of the Amor people ⌊and their armies⌋ all ran away.

24:12b

but not by your own sword or bow: This indicates that Israel did not defeat their enemies with their own weapons or by their own power, but because God helped them.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

⌊You did not defeat these enemies⌋ by the ⌊strength of⌋ your own swords and bows
-or-
It was not ⌊your skill⌋ with swords and bows ⌊that caused you to defeat them. I defeated them for you.⌋

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