What Does Exodus 34:24 Mean?

(24) **I will . . . enlarge thy borders.**—The promise of “a land” for his posterity made by God to Abraham was twofold. At first it was the “land of Canaan” alone which they were to receive (Genesis 12:5-7); but subsequently the promise was extended, and made to include the entire tract of territory between “the river of Egypt” (the Nile) and “the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18). In remarkable parallelism with this double promise was the double fulfilment. At first Canaan alone was occupied, but under David and Solomon the borders were greatly enlarged; and “Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river (Euphrates) unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt” (1Kings 4:21). The rebellion of Jeroboam, and the establishment of the “kingdom of Israel,” caused a contraction of the land to its original limits; but Menahem seems once more to have carried the dominion of Israel to the Euphrates (2Kings 15:16). **Neither shall any man desire thy land.**—It was a part of the unwritten law of the Greeks that free passage should be given to all who were on their way to or from any of the great Pan-Hellenic festivals. But the present promise went beyond any such understanding. It secured the territory of Israel from all attack at such seasons, and must have been enforced miraculously by that providential government which God exercises over “all the nations upon the earth*” *(Psalm 67:4).