MembersDown to Egypt – Up to Israel

The three patriarchs of Israel have one thing in common: All three wanted to emigrate to Egypt in the course of their lives. The trigger for this was always a famine in the land of Canaan.

After God told Abram: "Go out of your country and from your homeland and from your father’s house to the land that I want to show you," we read only 10 verses later that a famine broke out. Abram went down to Egypt because there was no food in the Land.

Isaac later intended to go down to Egypt because again there was a famine in Canaan. In this case, however, God told him not to go down to Egypt, but to stay in the Land. "Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you.”

God spoke to Israel and said: “Jacob, Jacob! I am the Almighty, the God of your father, do not be afraid to go down to Egypt; because there I want to make you a great people! I will...