Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

15:12-17 ’ GENESIS .
southern limits of Palestine (Num. 34:5, Josh. 15:4, Isa.
27: 12), an insignificant winter torrent designated in Scripture
“the brook of Egypt”; not the Pelusiac branch of the
Nile, from Pelusium which was from earliest times the
frontier town of Egypt; but surely the Nile itself, the only
river worthy of being designated the River of Egypt.
This did not necessarily mean that the boundary of Israel
should some day actually extend to the Nile directly; but,
that in relation to the Euphrates these two great rivers
“were the easiest way of designating within what limits
Israel’s boundaries should lie” (EG, 490). Some authorities
hold that at two different times in Israel’s history
this extent of territorial sovereignty was realized: first,
during the reign of Solomon (1 Ki. 4:21-25, 8 :65; 2
Chron. 9:26) and later, in the reign of Jeroboam I1 of
Israel (2 Ki. 14:25-28). Because of the uncertainty of
geographical identifications here, the present writer is
inclined to agree with other authorities whose position is
well stated by Jarnieson (CECG, 147) : “The descendants
of Abram, in point of fact, never extended their possessions,
even in the greatest height of their national prosperity, to
the full extent of the boundaries here defined. But the
land of promise, as contemplated in the Divine purpose,
was corextensive with the limits specified, and the failure
to realize the full accomplishment of the promise arose
not from unfaithfulness on the part of God, but from the
sinful apathy and disobedience of those to whom the
promise was given, in not exterminating the heathen, who
had forfeited the right to occupy the land (Exo. 23:31).”
The Iahabitants of the Land.
The nations enumer-
ated here as occupying the Land of Promise are ten in
number, 1 The enumeration varies in other Scriptures: in
Exo. .23:28, three are mentioned as representative of all;
in Exo, 3:17, six.are named; most generally named are
seven, as in josh. 24:11. -This variation may be attributed
to two factors: the appearance of other ethnic groups in
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