Does Genesis 15:18 suggest that East Africa is part of the land promised by God to Abram’s seed?

When we read Genesis 15:18, we find that God promises Abram’s descendants a land that stretches from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates. This has led some scholars to wonder whether East Africa is also included in the land promised to Abram’s seed.

However, a careful reading of the text suggests that East Africa is not part of this promised land. The river of Egypt mentioned in the text is most likely the Nile river, which flows from East Africa into Egypt. Therefore, it is possible that East Africa is technically part of the region that the river of Egypt flows from, but it is not part of the land promised to Abram’s seed.

Furthermore, the context of the passage indicates that the land promised to Abram’s seed is specifically the land of Canaan. In Genesis 15:7, God tells Abram that he will give him this land, and in the following verses, God describes the borders of this land. The description of the land’s borders in verse 18 is consistent with the borders of the land of Canaan as described in later Old Testament texts.

It’s important to note that while East Africa may not be part of the land promised to Abram’s seed, this does not mean that it is excluded from God’s plan for the world. God’s love and care extend to all nations and peoples, as we see throughout the Bible.