dad
Well-Known Member
But, it is recorded that there were ten descendant generation recorded as being born in Egypt during the 430 years that they lived in Egypt from the time that Jacob/Israel went down to Egypt. 1 Chron 7:20-29 is shown in the diagram below: -
View attachment 27546
As for Arron and Moses being of the fourth descendant from Levi, the bible is silent on providing this information.
OK, but four generations seems to put that in the distant past no matter how we count them.
Also, the Hebrew word, וְד֥וֹר "wə·ḏō·wr" with the embedded Hebrew Root word H:1755 is better understood to have the meaning of and "age" and the length of an age is around 1,000 years. It is my understanding that Isaac was born around the year 2052 BC and since some of Abraham's descendants return to take possession of the Land of Canaan in the year 1948 AD, there was 4,000 years between when the Birth of Isaac and the return of some of Abraham's descendants to the land.
The word generation from a Hebrew translation I looked at says this
"
Brown-Driver-Briggs'
1) period, generation, habitation, dwelling
1a) period, age, generation (period of time)
1b) generation (those living during a period)
1c) generation (characterised by quality, condition, class of men)
1d) dwelling-place, habitation
Strong's
From H1752; properly a revolution of time, that is, an age or generation; also a dwelling: - age, X evermore, generation, [n-]ever, posterity.
Since it is not clear, there is no way we can assign 1000 years for a strong claim. That in no way links this to 1948
Another commentary says this
"16. In the fourth generation Evidently reckoning one hundred years as an average generation among these patriarchs . "
Genesis 15 - Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org
Genesis 15, Whedon's Commentary on the Bible, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary was written by Whedon, a central figure in the struggle between Calvinism & Arminianism

or this one
"
Verse 16
Genesis 15:16. They shall come hither again Hither to the land of Canaan, wherein thou now art. The reason why they must not have the land of promise in possession till the fourth generation, is, because “the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full.” The righteous God has determined that they shall not be cut off till they are arrived to such a pitch of wickedness; and therefore, till it come to that, the seed of Abram must be kept out of possession."Genesis 15 - Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org
Genesis 15, Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary is the result of a live devoted the zealous and constant study of philosophy and theology

Or this one
"
Genesis 15:16
But in the fourth generation,—τετάρτη δὲ γενεᾷ (LXX.); but, more correctly, the fourth generation, calculating 100 years to a generation. "Caleb was the fourth from Judah, and Moses from Levi, and so doubtless many others" (Bush). Drs. Oort and Kuenen, reckoning four generations as a far shorter space of time than four centuries, detect a contradiction between this verse and Genesis 15:13, and an evidence of the free use which the ancient and uncritical Israelitish author made of his materials. On the import of דּוֹר vide Genesis 6:9—they shall come hither again (literally, shall return hither): for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. Literally, for not completed the iniquity of the Amorites (vide Genesis 14:7; here put for the entire population! until then (the same word as "hither, which is its usual signification)."
Genesis 15 - The Pulpit Commentaries - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org
Genesis 15, The Pulpit Commentaries, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, spanning 23 volumes, covered the entire Bible with verse by verse exposition

or this one
"
But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
But in the fourth generation, [Hebrew, dowr (H1755), or dor (H1755)] - the revolution or circle of human years; an age or generation. [Like genea (G1074), among the Greeks, and soeculum among the Romans, its meaning, as to extent of time, differed at different periods.] In the patriarchal age it denoted a hundred years (cf. Genesis 15:13 with Exodus 12:40)."
But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
But in the fourth generation, [Hebrew, dowr (H1755), or dor (H1755)] - the revolution or circle of human years; an age or generation. [Like genea (G1074), among the Greeks, and soeculum among the Romans, its meaning, as to extent of time, differed at different periods.] In the patriarchal age it denoted a hundred years (cf. Genesis 15:13 with Exodus 12:40).
As verse 13 in the chapter indicates,
Genesis 15:13
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
So the Jews coming out with great substance from the land they served after four generations is not talking about 1948.
This 4,000-year timespan was beyond the scholars' ability to comprehend and so they wrongly claimed that the second prophecy concerning Israel's distant future in verse 16 was actual a part of the near future prophecy concerning God bring Israel out of Egypt some 635 years after the Birth of Isaac.
You can't declare them wrong just to fit your ideas.
As for Gill's commentary, and many others, I have little faith in their expressed thoughts concerning this prophecy in Genesis 15:16.
The Genealogy of Ephraim's descendants disproves the assumption that only four descendant generations were born in Egypt.
Shalom
Well as another commentary said in the time of the patriarchs a generation was 100 years. That need not fit later generations as the commentary I posted says the period differed at different times. The verse has no connection to 1948.