And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse reveals a divine justice that is both patient and deliberate. God doesn't just punish wickedness; He waits for it to reach a "fullness," a point where the iniquity is so complete that there is no longer any room for repentance, making the judgment an act of righteous consequence rather than arbitrary decree.
And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
God has just promised Abram that his descendants will inherit the land of Canaan. However, He reveals that this inheritance will not happen immediately, but after 400 years of servitude in a foreign land, which will be followed by judgment upon that nation. The reason for this delay is that the Canaanite nations, particularly the Amorites, have not yet reached the full measure of their wickedness.
Why wait? God's promises often unfold over generations, not overnight. This verse reveals a deeper pattern to His timing.
The promise to Abram was that his descendants would return to Canaan. This wouldn't happen immediately, but "in the fourth generation." This isn't just an arbitrary delay; it's tied to God's patient justice.
What does it mean for a nation's sin to be "full"? It's more than just a tally of bad deeds; it's a point of no return.
The phrase "the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full" is a powerful statement about divine justice. It highlights several key truths:
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Understand the original words
avon · Hebrew Noun
A fundamental term in the Bible describing human rebellion against God's law. It represents a twisting or distortion of the moral order, carrying the weight of guilt and necessitating judgment.
Emori · Hebrew Proper Noun
A dominant Canaanite people group often used representatively for the inhabitants of Canaan. Their presence in the land before Israel symbolizes the pagan culture that stood in contrast to the holiness of God and eventually faced divine judgment.
This promise reveals God's patient justice, where the judgment of the Canaanite nations, particularly the Amorites, was tied to the ripening of their iniquity, explaining the long delay before Israel could inherit the land.
c. 2091 BC
Abram leaves Ur
God calls Abram from Ur of the Chaldeans, initiating his journey of faith and the promise of a great nation.
c. 2080 BC
Abram settles in Canaan
Abram and his household arrive in the land of Canaan, encountering the Amorites and other peoples.
c. 2070 BC
Abram rescues Lot
Abram defeats a coalition of kings to rescue his nephew Lot, demonstrating his growing influence and military capability.
c. 2065 BC— this verse
God's Covenant with Abram
God appears to Abram in a vision, affirming His promises of land and descendants, and establishing a formal covenant.
c. 1875 BC
Joseph sold into Egypt
Jacob's son Joseph is sold into slavery in Egypt, marking the beginning of Israel's sojourn in that land.
c. 1445 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
Following 430 years of sojourning and servitude, the Israelites, led by Moses, depart from Egypt.
c. 1405 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites conquer and divide the land of Canaan, fulfilling God's promise.
This passage echoes the idea that Israel's inheritance of the land was not due to their own righteousness, but because of the wickedness of the nations already there, directly paralleling the reason given for the delay in Genesis 15:16.
Matthew 23:32Jesus speaks of 'filling up the measure of your fathers,' which directly connects to the concept in Genesis 15:16 where the iniquity of the Amorites needed to reach a certain point before judgment could fall.
Revelation 18:5This verse describes God remembering the sins of Babylon, stating 'for her sins have piled up to heaven,' which mirrors the idea of iniquity reaching its fullness before divine judgment, as seen with the Amorites.
Romans 11:25-26Paul discusses a 'hardening' that has come upon Israel until the full number of Gentiles comes in, illustrating a divine timetable for salvation and judgment that can involve periods of waiting, similar to why Israel waited to enter Canaan.
gillGenesis 15:16: "But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full."
And in the fourth generation they shall come hither again,.... The seed of Abram were in the land of Canaan before their descent into Egypt; and it is here predicted and promised, that they should come thither again, as they did, in the fourth generation of those that descended thither; for Moses and Aaron were the fourth from Levi, or Eleazar from Kohath, and Caleb from…
calvinGenesis 15:1-21: "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
Et eduxit eum foras, et dixit, Suspice nunc coelum, et numera stellas, si poteris numerare eas. Et dixit ei, Sic erit semen tuum.
And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Et credidit Jehovae, et reputavit illud ei ad justitiam.
And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of U…
This verse reveals a divine justice that is both patient and deliberate. God doesn't just punish wickedness; He waits for it to reach a "fullness," a point where the iniquity is so complete that there is no longer any room for repentance, making the judgment an act of righteous consequence rather than arbitrary decree.
God has just promised Abram that his descendants will inherit the land of Canaan. However, He reveals that this inheritance will not happen immediately, but after 400 years of servitude in a foreign land, which will be followed by judgment upon that nation. The reason for this delay is that the Canaanite nations, particularly the Amorites, have not yet reached the full measure of their wickedness.
God has just promised Abram that his descendants will inherit the land of Canaan. However, He reveals that this inheritance will not happen immediately, but after 400 years of servitude in a foreign land, which will be followed by judgment upon that nation. The reason for this delay is that the Canaanite nations, particularly the Amorites, have not yet reached the full measure of their wickedness.
"And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”" — This verse reveals a divine justice that is both patient and deliberate. God doesn't just punish wickedness; He waits for it to reach a "fullness," a point where the iniquity is so complete that ther…
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Last reviewed October 2026