The sojourn and the fourth generation
As the sun was setting, “Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.” The Lord says that his descendants “will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years,” and that “In the fourth generation your descendants will return here.” BSB supplies “your descendants” at 15:16. See Gen 15:13 → Exod 12:40. Calvin holds that “it seems more probable, that the intermediate time only is denoted”, and that God meant “to suspend, or to defer his promise.” Augustine writes that “it is foretold that this should take place in the course of those 400 years.” Keil writes, “The 400 years were, according to prophetic language, a round number for the 430 years that Israel spent in Egypt (Ex. xii. 40).” Josephus places the affliction “when they should be in Egypt, for” “four hundred years; during which time they should be afflicted,” Keil also refers the words to “the sojourn of the children of Israel in Egypt,” On the fourth generation, Skinner names “Levi, Kohath, Amram, Aaron (or Moses)”. Driver writes, “This statement agrees with the passages (P) which assign only four generations from Joseph to Moses (Ex. vi. 16—20, Nu. xxvi. 5—9), or five to Joshua (Jos. vii. 1).” Those views are attributed; no ruling is given. A long span for dor is treated in Deep sleep, four hundred years and the fourth generation. See The sojourn, the fourth generation, and the land grant, in early reading.
Claims
- SaysAs the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep and was overwhelmed by great terror and darkness; the Lord says that his descendants will be strangers in a land not theirs, enslaved and mistreated four hundred years, and that in the fourth generation they will return; BSB supplies “your descendants” at 15:16; the verbal link with Exod 12:40 is pointed to.
- ImpliesThe words are given as the Lord’s, in a deep sleep that falls on Abram; the persons are real.
- UncertainCalvin and Augustine read the four hundred years as the period in the course of which the sojourn and oppression fall; Keil takes 400 as a round number for the 430 years spent in Egypt; Josephus places the affliction in Egypt for four hundred years, and Keil also refers the words to the sojourn in Egypt; on the fourth generation, Skinner names Levi, Kohath, Amram, Aaron or Moses, and Driver is quoted as printed on four generations from Joseph to Moses; those views are attributed, and no ruling is given; a long span for dor is pointed to the language note.
Citations
- BSB public domain Gen 15:12–16
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 15:12–16 (WLC/OSHB), cantillation removed
- Calvin, Genesis (King) 1 public domain p. 415 (leaf n424)
- Calvin, Genesis (King) 1 public domain p. 415 (leaf n424)
- Augustine, City of God (NPNF1 vol. 2) public domain p. 325 (leaf n348)
- Keil–Delitzsch, Pentateuch 1 public domain p. 216 (leaf n219)
- Josephus (Whiston) public domain p. 31 (leaf n40)
- Josephus (Whiston) public domain p. 31 (leaf n40)
- Keil–Delitzsch, Pentateuch 1 public domain p. 216 (leaf n219)
- Skinner, Genesis (ICC) public domain p. 282 (leaf n383)
- Driver, Genesis (Westminster) public domain p. 177 (leaf n278)
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2026-11-12
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