Friday, April 1, 2011

Deuteronomy 23

Deuteronomy 23:7
"You shall not detest an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not detest an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land.
Two very different groups here.  First, the Edomites, which if I recall correctly are the descendants of Esau.  Since the Israelites are descendants of Jacob, they truly are brothers.  There is therefore hope for the people, but only over time.

The Egyptians I find somewhat surprising to be mentioned here.  The Egyptians did welcome in their savior Joseph's family, but then they turned against them cruelly.  They spend generations, maybe centuries, enslaving the Israelites, and God must do terrible things to them before they release their slaves.  Yet they are here treated as the same level as Esau's people.  Is it that the debt has been paid for the Israelites' slavery?  Or have the Egyptians been so awed by God's power through the Plagues that they now revere God and would be willing to serve Him?

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