2) God promised that He would gather the Israelites from among the nations and return them to the promised land (v. 21; Ge. 12:1–3, 7; 17:7–8; 28:3–4, 13–15. See outline and notes—Ge. 12:1c–3 for more discussion.) Hearing this wonderful promise must have ignited a flame of hope within the hopeless souls of the exiles. A day was coming when they would be set free from their captivity and be given the privilege of returning to their homeland. Although their country lay in ruins, they could return
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