The concept of migration is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, reflecting the movement of individuals and groups from one place to another, often under divine guidance or due to significant circumstances. Migration in the biblical context is frequently associated with God's unfolding plan for His people, serving as a means of fulfilling His promises and purposes.

Old Testament

1. Abraham's Call: One of the earliest and most significant migrations in the Bible is that of Abram (later Abraham), who was called by God to leave his homeland in Ur of the Chaldeans and go to a land that God would show him. This migration was foundational for the establishment of the nation of Israel. Genesis 12:1-2 records God's command: "Go forth from your country, your kindred, and your father's house, to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing."

2. Jacob and His Family: Another significant migration occurred when Jacob and his family moved to Egypt due to a severe famine in Canaan. This migration was orchestrated by God to preserve the family line and fulfill His covenant promises. Genesis 46:3-4 states, "I am God, the God of your father," He said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back again."

3. The Exodus: The most dramatic migration in the Old Testament is the Exodus, where the Israelites, under Moses' leadership, left Egypt after centuries of slavery. This migration was a pivotal event in Israel's history, marking their transformation from a group of tribes into a nation. Exodus 12:41 notes, "At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions went out of the land of Egypt."

New Testament

1. The Flight to Egypt: In the New Testament, migration is seen in the early life of Jesus. Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus migrated to Egypt to escape King Herod's massacre of the infants in Bethlehem. This event fulfilled the prophecy, "Out of Egypt I called My Son" (Matthew 2:15).

2. The Spread of the Gospel: The early Christian church experienced migration as believers were scattered due to persecution. This dispersion, known as the Diaspora, was instrumental in spreading the Gospel beyond Jerusalem. Acts 8:1 describes this movement: "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria."

Theological Significance

Migration in the Bible often signifies a journey of faith and obedience to God's will. It underscores the transient nature of earthly life and the call to trust in God's provision and guidance. The migrations of biblical figures are not merely physical relocations but are deeply spiritual journeys that align with God's redemptive plan for humanity. These movements remind believers of their own spiritual pilgrimage and the ultimate promise of a heavenly homeland.(imp. & p. p.) of Migrate.1290. diaspora -- a dispersion (Isr. in Gentile countries)
... Short Definition: dispersion Definition: lit: scattering abroad of seed by the sower,
hence: dispersion, used especially of the Jews who had migrated and were ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1290.htm - 7k

Whether Justice and the Other virtues Cease to Exist in the Future ...
... Yet Tullius, the great author of eloquence, when arguing in the dialogue Hortensius,
says of all four: "If we were allowed, when we migrated from this life, to ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 9 whether justice and the.htm

Noah's Sons.
... In the sixteenth generation the sons of men migrated from the east, and, coming
to the lands that had been assigned to their fathers, each one marked the place ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter xxx noahs sons.htm

Hooker -- the Activity of Faith; Or, Abraham's Imitators
... Chiefly in consequence of disagreements between his own and Cotton's congregation
he, with a large following, migrated in 1636 to the Connecticut Valley, where ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons vol 2/hooker the activity of.htm

The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher. Translated from the ...
... And he begat twelve sons who migrated from Syria to Egypt; and there they were called
the nation of the Hebrews, by him who made their laws; and at length they ...
/.../kay/the apology of aristides the philosopher/the apology of aristides the.htm

The Pioneer's Influence Upon a Nation's Ideals.
... Back of the story of Abraham's call and settlement in Canaan clearly lies the historic
fact that the ancestors of the Hebrews as nomads migrated from the land ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study v the pioneers influence.htm

Chronological Table
... from Italy. Practically the whole Gothic nation migrated with Theodoric's army
to Italy, where Odoacer was thrice defeated. He consented ...
/.../boethius/the consolation of philosophy/chronological table.htm

Genesis
... 10-xxv.10. He was a Semite, xi.10-32, and under a divine impulse he migrated
westward to Canaan, xii.1-9. There various fortunes ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/genesis.htm

Training and Inspiration of Moses.
... the history of the Jews, say that Moses was sprung from the race of the Chald??ans,
and that he was born in Egypt when his forefathers had migrated on account ...
/.../chapter xtraining and inspiration of.htm

Kallihirua's Tribe
... It is Captain Ommanney's opinion that Kallihirua's tribe may be regarded as a remnant
of the pure race which, no doubt, in ages past migrated from Asia along ...
/.../murray/kalli the esquimaux christian /kallihiruas tribe.htm

Vain Display of Power by the Demons.
... And it is difficult to conceive that the immortal soul, which is impeded by the
members of the body, should become more intelligent when it has migrated from it ...
/.../tatian/tatians address to the greeks/chapter xvi vain display of power.htm

Migrated (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Migrate. Multi-Version Concordance
Migrated (1 Occurrence). Genesis 11:2 It happened, as ...
/m/migrated.htm - 6k

Dispersion (4 Occurrences)
... Babylon on the proclamation of Cyrus. (2.) Many Jews migrated to Egypt
and took up their abode there. This migration began in the ...
/d/dispersion.htm - 44k

Persians (6 Occurrences)
... known habitat the so-called Airyanem Vaejo ("Aryan germ"), a district between the
Jaxartes and the Oxus (Vendidad I), whence they migrated gradually to what ...
/p/persians.htm - 20k

Semites
... But how primitive Arabs could have migrated uphill, as it were, to settle in the
Median and Armenian hills is a much more difficult proposition. ...
/s/semites.htm - 27k

Semitic
... But how primitive Arabs could have migrated uphill, as it were, to settle in the
Median and Armenian hills is a much more difficult proposition. ...
/s/semitic.htm - 28k

Ur (5 Occurrences)
... That Terah should have migrated from Ur to Harran, therefore, ceases to be
extraordinary. If he left Ur at all, it was the most natural place to which to go. ...
/u/ur.htm - 15k

Arabia (9 Occurrences)
... They migrated into Ar, occupying in turn the Bahrein, Oman, the Yemen, and finally
the Hijaz, where they are said to have been the first settlers at Yathrib ...
/a/arabia.htm - 43k

Nod (2 Occurrences)
... NOD. nod (nodh): The land of Eden, to which Cain migrated after the murder
of his brother and his banishment by Yahweh (Genesis 4:16). ...
/n/nod.htm - 8k

Neapolis (1 Occurrence)
... known as Eski (ie "Old") Kavalla (Cousinery, Macedoine, II, 109;), and that upon
its destruction in the 6th or 7th century AD the inhabitants migrated to the ...
/n/neapolis.htm - 9k

Terah (12 Occurrences)
... Terah afterwards migrated with Abraham (probably his youngest son) and Lot (his
grandson), together with their families, from Ur, intending to go with them to ...
/t/terah.htm - 13k

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Migrated: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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