Genesis 15:14

14 But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and when they leave that foreign land, they will take great wealth with them. ¹

Genesis 15:14 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 15:14

And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge
It is not said "the land" in which they were strangers, though God did judge, condemn, and punish the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, and drove them out of it, to make way for Israel; but the "nation" they should "serve", meaning the Egyptians, to whom they became servants, and were very hardly and severely used by them; those the Lord threatens to enter into judgment with, and take vengeance upon them, as he did by inflicting the ten plagues on them, which brought them at last to be willing to let Israel go:

and afterward shall they come out with great substance;
as they did after the four hundred years were ended, and after the Egyptian nation was judged and punished; then they came out of Egypt, with much gold, silver, jewels, and raiment, which they borrowed of the Egyptians, who were spoiled by them, though very justly; this being but a payment of them for the hard and long service with which they had served them; see the exact fulfilment of prophecy, ( Exodus 11:2 Exodus 11:3 ) ( Exodus 12:35 Exodus 12:36 ) ( Psalms 105:37 ) .

Genesis 15:14 In-Context

12 When the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and fear and terror came over him.

13 The Lord said to him, "Your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land; they will be slaves there and will be treated cruelly for four hundred years.

14 But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and when they leave that foreign land, they will take great wealth with them.

15 You yourself will live to a ripe old age, die in peace, and be buried.

16 It will be four generations before your descendants come back here, because I will not drive out the Amorites until they become so wicked that they must be punished."

Cross References

• 1. 15.14Exodus 12.40, 41;Acts 7.7.