Gen 15:16 | TNotes | STEP | 15:16 The reasons for Israel’s bondage included God’s justice. God would tolerate the sins of the Amorites until they fully deserved judgment. • do not yet warrant their destruction (literally are not yet full ): To give the Promised Land to Israel, the Lord would dispossess the land’s inhabitants in a way that satisfied his justice. The fulfillment of promises to Israel also brought retributive judgment on people of the land (though individuals were saved by faith; see Josh 2:1-15 ; 6:23-25 ; Heb 11:31 ; Jas 2:25 ). Until then, God would send the family to Egypt where Israel could become a great nation. Seeing all this in advance was terrifying (Gen 15:12 ), but it was comforting to know that nothing could interfere with God’s plan.

bJosh 2:1-15►

c6:23-25►

dHeb 11:31►

eJas 2:25►

fGen 15:12►

‏ Genesis 15:16

15:16 ^a The reasons for Israel’s bondage included God’s justice. God would tolerate the sins of the Amorites until they fully deserved judgment.

• do not yet warrant their destruction (literally are not yet full): To give the Promised Land to Israel, the Lord would dispossess the land’s inhabitants in a way that satisfied his justice. The fulfillment of promises to Israel also brought retributive judgment on people of the land (though individuals were saved by faith; see Josh 2:1-15 ^b; 6:23-25 ^c; Heb 11:31 ^d; Jas 2:25 ^e). Until then, God would send the family to Egypt where Israel could become a great nation. Seeing all this in advance was terrifying (Gen 15:12 ^f), but it was comforting to know that nothing could interfere with God’s plan.