Bible Meaning: Double straits
Strong's Concordance #H4714
Scripture states that Egypt was first populated by Ham, one of Noah's three sons, and his descendants (Psalm 105:23). The country, located in the northeast corner of Africa, has one of the longest histories in the world.
Interactions with Israel
Egypt experienced many interactions with the Biblical patriarchs and the Israelites. Some of these major interactions include the following.
Abraham and Sarah fled Egypt to avoid a grievous famine in the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:10).
Hagar, through whom Abraham had Ishmael, was an Egyptian. When Ishmael was old enough she found him a wife among her people (Genesis 21:9, 21).
Joseph, one of the sons of Jacob (Israel), ends up in the country after being sold by his brothers. Through God's blessings, he rises to a prominent position within the government (Genesis 39 - 41. A famine in Canaan ultimately drives Jacob and seventy of his family members (Exodus 1) to migrate to the country. They settle in the land of Goshen and live there until the Exodus.
Moses, in 1445 B.C., after a series of ten miraculous plagues, led the children of Israel out of the country's bondage.
Solomon, soon after becoming king, made a treaty with Pharaoh and married his daughter (1Kings 3:1). The ruler then gave the king the city of Gezer as a present (1Kings 9:16).
Jeroboam, future ruler of the northern ten tribes of Israel, spent time in Egypt prior to God making him king (1Kings 12).
Rehoboam, king over the Kingdom of Judah, was attacked in his fifth year of rule by Pharaoh. The Egyptians plunder the kingdom and the city of Jerusalem (1Kings 14:25 - 26, 2Chronicles 12).
A prophecy in the book of Daniel predicts the country, in the End Time, will be overthrown (Daniel 11:40 - 42).
New Testament Relationship
Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt in order to avoid Herod the Great's slaughter of males two years old or younger (Matthew 2). After his death, they return to Israel.
Some of the people in Jerusalem on Pentecost in 30 A.D. were Egyptians. They were among the first to hear Jesus' disciples preach the gospel and were likely some of the 3,000 who became Christians that day (Acts 2).
Symbol of Sin
The country can symbolically represent sin and its consequences. In spite of being freed from slavery and receiving the gift of God's holy laws, the Israelites refused to be obedient and instead longed in their hearts to go back to the country (their old sinful ways that kept them in physical and spiritual bondage, Acts 7:35 - 40).
The Two Witnesses, in the End Time, will be killed at their end of their 42-month ministry. Their bodies will lie, unburied, in Jerusalem, a city whose spiritual state of selfishness, pleasure seeking and idolatry is likened to those who inhabited Sodom and Egypt (Revelation 11:8).
Important Verses
Genesis 15:18
In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.
Genesis 37:28
Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Exodus 12:40 - 41
Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land . . .
1Kings 14:22, 25 - 26
And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.
And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem: And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house . . .
2Chronicles 35:20, 23 - 24
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him . . .
And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded . . . and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers.
Daniel 11:1, 40, 42
Also I (the angel sent to Daniel) in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him . . .
And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him . . . He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
Matthew 2:13
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.