The book of Genesis ends with the Hebrew word בְּמִצְרָיִם, which literally means “in Egypt.” This, of course, provides the setting for the book of Exodus, and in reality, it is a foreboding comment because the Hebrews at the beginning of Exodus have been enslaved in Egypt for over four hundred years since the ending of Genesis. This slavery fulfills the prophecy God gave to Abraham in Genesis 15, in which he says, “Know for certain that your offspring will be
Page 69