This week’s parasha [Torah reading] is Lech Lecha [Genesis 12:1 to 17:27], which begins with God’s famous command to Abraham to leave the comforts of his home and journey forth to a new beginning in the Holy Land. God promises Abraham (at that point still known as “Abram”) that he will become a great nation, and that God will “bless those who bless you, and the ones who curse you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). God’s covenant with Abraham passed down to his son Isaac, and then to Isaac’s son Jacob, who fathered twelve sons that became the twelve tribes of Israel. God confirmed his promise to the twelve tribes through the prophet Bilaam, who saw “Israel dwelling tribe by tribe, and the spirit of God came upon him” and he famously remarked, “how goodly are your tents, oh Jacob, your dwellings, oh Israel!” before prophesying that “blessed be those who bless you, and cursed be those who curse you.” (Numbers 24:2-9)
Over three millennia have passed since that time, and as we look back though history, we can see how accurately this prediction has been realized. It began with the twelve sons of Jacob, whom the Ancient Egyptians welcomed to their land and initially treated exceedingly well – thanks to Joseph, who saved Egypt from seven years of extreme famine, and then made the empire very rich. As time went on, the Israelites multiplied and prospered in Egypt. In a pattern that would repeat itself countless times throughout history, the natives started to become a little weary (and jealous) of the foreigners. Israel was soon subjugated and enslaved. This brought God’s plagues upon Egypt, and the empire was destroyed. Ancient Egypt’s decline steadily continued from that point, and it would never restore its former glory.
Historians recognize three great ages within Ancient Egypt’s past; the last “golden age” was in the New Kingdom period (1549-1069 BCE), approximately when the Israelites would have been dwelling there. Once Israel left, Egypt’s greatness would soon evaporate, and it would be nothing more than a vassal for the rest of its history – to Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome.
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Keywords: Fugu Plan, Jewish resettlement, resettlement, Promise to Abraham, Promise to Abram, Multiply thy seed, The Immortal Jew, Jewish immortality, Israeli History, History of Israel, Jewish history, Jewish question, bless those who bless you, bless them who bless thee, God's covenant with Abraham, God's covenant with Abram, Abrahamic covenant
Bible reference(s): Genesis 12:3, Genesis 27:29, Numbers 24:9, Deuteronomy 4:27, Deut 28, Deuteronomy 32:26, 1 Kings 14:15, Nehemiah 1:8, Psalm 83:4, Psalm 106:27, Jeremiah 9:16, Jeremiah 13:24, Jeremiah 23:3, Jeremiah 31:36, Jeremiah 32:37, Ezekiel 5:10, Ezekiel 6:8, Ezekiel 11:16-17, Ezekiel 20:23, Ezekiel 20:34, Ezekiel 20:41 , Ezekiel 22:15, Ezekiel 28:25, Jeremiah 29:14, Ezekiel 36:19, Ezek 37, Ezekiel 39:27, Joel 3:2, Zephaniah 3:19-20, Zechariah 10:10, Zechariah 13:8-9, Luke 21:24, Romans 11:25-26
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