Exodus 6:4
I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse emphasizes that God's promise to give them the land of Canaan wasn't just about future possession, but also acknowledged their current state as sojourners, highlighting the deep-seated connection of their identity to this land even before they officially owned it. This framing reveals God's faithfulness is not just about fulfilling promises, but also about recognizing and validating the lived experience of His people, even in their vulnerability.
God is speaking to Moses, who is feeling discouraged because Pharaoh hasn't released Israel and is even making their labor harder. In response, God reassures Moses of His power and His plan to deliver them, reminding him of the covenant He made with their ancestors. This verse specifically reaffirms God's promise to give the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants, a land where they had only lived as temporary residents and strangers.
God's promises aren't just words; they are deeds, establishing a future for His people. Explore what it means for God to 'establish' His covenant.
In Exodus 6:4, God reminds Moses that His covenant isn't a new idea. He 'established' it with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This wasn't a casual agreement, but a foundational act that secured their future. The core of this promise was the land of Canaan.
Think of it like this: God didn't just say, 'Maybe one day you'll have this land.' He established the covenant, setting it in place, making it firm. This meant the land was designated for them, a legacy passed down through generations. Even though they were living as 'strangers' and 'sojourners' in Canaan, and later enslaved in Egypt, the covenant meant that the land was always theirs by God's decree.
The Israelites lived in Canaan as 'sojourners' and 'strangers,' yet it was their promised inheritance. What does this tension reveal about faith and possession?
The phrase 'the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers' is crucial. It describes the experience of the patriarchs and, by extension, the Israelites. They were in the land that God had promised them, but they didn't fully possess it.
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This speaks volumes about faith. It means trusting God's promise even when the reality doesn't match. They lived by faith, not by sight, dwelling in a land that was theirs by covenant, yet on a temporary basis, awaiting the fulfillment of God's plan. This required patience, resilience, and a deep trust in God's timing and faithfulness, even amidst hardship and displacement.
Understand the original words
berit · Hebrew Noun
A formal, binding agreement between God and His people, initiated by God's grace, wherein He promises blessings and requires faithfulness. It defines the relationship between God and His people.
megurim · Hebrew Noun
One who dwells in a land that is not their own, often without full rights of citizenship; it signifies a state of being temporary, expectant, or waiting for a permanent inheritance.
This verse anchors God's promise of deliverance from Egypt to the long-standing covenant He made with Abraham, emphasizing that the land of Canaan was always intended as their inheritance, not merely a temporary dwelling.
c. 2100 BC
God's Covenant with Abraham
God establishes a covenant with Abraham, promising him descendants and the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession.
c. 1800 BC
Isaac and Jacob Dwell as Sojourners
Abraham's son Isaac and grandson Jacob live as semi-nomadic people in the land of Canaan, not possessing it outright but dwelling there by permission.
c. 1800-1600 BC
Jacob's Descendants Move to Egypt
Famine drives Jacob and his family to settle in the land of Egypt, where they initially find refuge but are later enslaved.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
God Reminds Moses of the Covenant
During the Israelites' slavery in Egypt, God reassures Moses of His faithfulness to the covenant made with Abraham, promising to bring them out and give them the land of Canaan.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
God powerfully delivers the Israelites from Egyptian bondage through a series of plagues and the parting of the Red Sea, beginning their journey to the Promised Land.
This passage directly records God establishing the covenant with Abraham, promising to be a God to him and his descendants and to give them the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, directly mirroring the promise in Exodus 6:4.
Hebrews 11:9This New Testament passage highlights the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who lived as foreigners in the promised land, waiting for a heavenly city, which echoes the 'land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers' mentioned in Exodus 6:4.
Psalm 105:8-11This psalm recounts God's faithfulness to His covenant, specifically mentioning His covenant with Abraham and the promise to give the land of Canaan to Israel as an inheritance, reinforcing the foundational promise stated in Exodus 6:4.
Deuteronomy 7:8-9This passage emphasizes that God's love and commitment to Israel stem from His faithfulness to the oath He swore to their ancestors, directly connecting to God's establishment of His covenant and His promise of the land in Exodus 6:4.
pooleExodus 6:4: "And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers."
No text from Poole on this verse.
gillExodus 6:4: "And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers."
And I have also established my covenant with them,.... With Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and with their posterity, so that it is sure and firm, and shall never be made null and void: to give them the land of Canaan; or to their children, which were as themselves: the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers; not being in actual p…
The verse emphasizes that God's promise to give them the land of Canaan wasn't just about future possession, but also acknowledged their current state as sojourners, highlighting the deep-seated connection of their identity to this land even before they officially owned it. This framing reveals God's faithfulness is not just about fulfilling promises, but also about recognizing and validating the lived experience of His people, even in their vulnerability.
God is speaking to Moses, who is feeling discouraged because Pharaoh hasn't released Israel and is even making their labor harder. In response, God reassures Moses of His power and His plan to deliver them, reminding him of the covenant He made with their ancestors. This verse specifically reaffirms God's promise to give the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants, a land where they had only lived as temporary residents and strangers.
God is speaking to Moses, who is feeling discouraged because Pharaoh hasn't released Israel and is even making their labor harder. In response, God reassures Moses of His power and His plan to deliver them, reminding him of the covenant He made with their ancestors. This verse specifically reaffirms God's promise to give the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants, a land where they had only lived as temporary residents and strangers.
"I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners." — The verse emphasizes that God's promise to give them the land of Canaan wasn't just about future possession, but also acknowledged their current state as sojourners, highlighting the deep-seated conn…
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