Bible Discussion Thread

I agree that Genesis 15:13-14 was fulfilled when Israel left Eygpt in Exodus 12:36, but I believe that verse 16 was not fulfilled until Judges 1:20 when Hebron was taken. In order for the 4th generation to "come back here" they had to reach Hebron where Abraham heard these words ( Genesis 14:13). Because the Amorites had just fought as Abraham's allies God would not judge them until the 4th generation after the Exodus was ready to fight them. If any 1st generation freed Israelite man that perished in the wilderness begat a son that turned 20 and begat his grandson shortly after the army census in Numbers 1:20 in turn begat his great grandson prior to the 30th year in the wilderness than a great grandson of the 1st Exodus generation fighters would have reached fighting age when Hebron was taken. Abraham was being comforted that he would die in peace and not have to witness the judgment of his allies. God delay judgment of their sins by Abraham's descendants to recognize their part in the victory Abraham had just won for his nephew Lot.

This interpretation also shows that the wilderness wandering was actually a mercy to Abraham that allowed God time to raise an army that was far more worthy of victory over Abraham's allies descendants only after God allowed the full measure of their sins to show that their descendants judgement was just. That 1st generation unbelieving army of Exodus slaves that tested God 10 times and shrank back from fighting was unworthy in God's sight of judging the sins of Abraham's Amorite allies descendants and would have been unworthy of victory over them in Abraham's sight as well.

I would amend my commentary to say that a great-grandson (4th generation) of the 1st generation adult counted in the census of Numbers 1:1-54 may have had to have been born at the latest 25 years after that census only if Hebron was conquered ( Joshua 15:13-19) immediately after it was given as an inheritance to Caleb in Joshua 14:6-15. That would allow that great grandson (4th generation) to be counted in the army that took Hebron. Any time delay between Joshua 14:6-15 and Joshua 15:13-19 increases the likelihood that a great grandson was born (my previous comments assumed a 5 year delay between Joshua 14 and Joshua 15, but I grant that may not have occurred). So here are the generation requirements under the worst case scenario with the shortest allowance of time:

1st generation: A member of the army counted in Numbers 1:1-54 any age greater than 20 years old.

2nd generation: A son of the 1st generation that was not counted in the army in Numbers 1:1-54. As long as he turned 20 the day after the census.

3rd generation: A grandson born to a 2nd generation son who was old enough to have a 4th generation son (great grandson) born to him prior to the 25th year after the census in Numbers 1:1-54.

4th generation: A great grandson born to the 3rd generation at least 1 day prior to the 25th year after the census in Numbers 1:1-54.

The average ages of the 2nd generation and 3rd generation on the day that their son was born would have been no more than 22 1/2 years to meet these requirements. This is not unreasonable given that the slaves in Egypt clearly had a fast birth rate driven by having children at young ages and the fact that marrying in the first year of military service delayed entry into the army by a year which was an incentive for bearing children before they turned 22.