Topical Bible: Egypt: Dry Climate of

◄ Egypt: Dry Climate of ►

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Egypt, a prominent nation in biblical history, is characterized by its arid climate, which plays a significant role in the narratives and symbolism found throughout the Scriptures. The dry climate of Egypt is a defining feature that influences its agriculture, economy, and the daily lives of its inhabitants. This climatic condition is frequently alluded to in the Bible, providing a backdrop for various events and teachings.

Geographical and Climatic Context

Egypt is located in the northeastern corner of Africa, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east. The Nile River, the lifeblood of Egypt, flows from south to north, providing a fertile strip of land amidst the surrounding desert. The climate is predominantly arid, with minimal rainfall, making the Nile's annual inundation crucial for agriculture. This dependency on the Nile is reflected in the biblical narrative, where Egypt is often depicted as a land of plenty due to the river's life-giving waters.

Biblical References

The Bible frequently references Egypt's dry climate, often contrasting it with the land of Canaan, which relies on rain from heaven. In Deuteronomy 11:10-11, Moses describes the difference between Egypt and the Promised Land: "For the land you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated by hand as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven."

This passage highlights the labor-intensive irrigation practices necessary in Egypt due to its lack of rainfall, contrasting it with the divine provision of rain in Canaan. The reliance on the Nile for irrigation underscores the human effort required to sustain life in Egypt's dry climate.

Symbolism and Spiritual Lessons

Egypt's dry climate serves as a powerful symbol in biblical literature. It represents human reliance on natural resources and human effort, in contrast to reliance on God's provision. This symbolism is evident in the account of Joseph, where Egypt becomes a place of refuge during a severe famine (Genesis 41:54-57). The abundance of grain stored in Egypt, thanks to Joseph's God-given wisdom, draws people from surrounding nations, including his own family, highlighting Egypt's role as a provider amidst scarcity.

Furthermore, Egypt's climate and dependence on the Nile can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual dryness and the need for divine intervention. The prophet Isaiah speaks of Egypt's future desolation, where the Nile will dry up, and the land will become parched (Isaiah 19:5-7). This prophecy serves as a warning of judgment and a call to recognize the sovereignty of God over natural and spiritual realms.

Historical and Theological Implications

The dry climate of Egypt also has historical and theological implications. It is a land where the Israelites experienced both refuge and bondage. The harshness of the climate and the subsequent reliance on the Nile for sustenance can be seen as a reflection of the spiritual bondage the Israelites endured. Their eventual exodus from Egypt symbolizes liberation from both physical and spiritual dryness, leading them to a land flowing with milk and honey, as promised by God.

In summary, the dry climate of Egypt is a significant element in biblical narratives, serving as a backdrop for historical events, a symbol of human effort versus divine provision, and a metaphor for spiritual realities. The Bible's portrayal of Egypt's climate underscores the importance of recognizing God's sovereignty and provision in both physical and spiritual sustenance.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 11:10,11
For the land, where you go in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from from where you came out, where you sowed your seed, and watered it with your foot, as a garden of herbs:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Israel in Canaan.
... The Land of Canaan was very unlike Egypt, with its flat soil, dry climate,
and single river. It was a narrow strip, inclosed between ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson v israel in canaan.htm

The Secret of Its Greatness
... Hundreds of these rolls have been found in Egypt: poems, histories, novels, hymns
to the Egyptian gods ... The Egyptian climate is so fine and dry, and the ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter ii the secret of.htm

The Reaction against Egypt
... The religious confusion in Egypt under Tutankhamon and Ai left them a free field
for ... of Central Asia, and has the same vegetation, fauna, and climate, the same ...
/.../chapter iithe reaction against egypt.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... conquerors, whether attracted to Mesopotamia or to Egypt by the ... the table-lands:
the soil is dry and stony ... Nahr ed-Dahab, the "golden river." The climate is mild ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

the Legendary History of Egypt
... In Egypt all the fellahin believe in the spontaneous generation of rats as in ... the
rats who infest the fields in countless bands during the dry season, suddenly ...
/.../chapter iii -the legendary history of.htm

On a Piece of Chalk. A Lecture to Working Men.
... that all the vast area of dry land, at ... south-east England, France, Germany, Poland,
Russia, Egypt, Arabia, Syria ... and, it is probable, that the climate was more ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/ix on a piece of.htm

John 0. 297222222 "To Whom?"
... tree, what may we expect in a dry?" If men ... Egypt, Assyria, Greece, and Rome, the
very nations which attained ... Cambridge, go forth to a tropical climate, and die ...
/.../chapter xi john 0 297222222 to.htm

Cyrus, the Servant Of-The Lord {4}
... as dull as the ledger of a dry-goods' store ... rebuilt, as an impregnable frontier fortress
between them and Egypt. ... if the legend of the change of climate be the ...
/.../kingsley/historical lectures and essays/cyrus the servant of-the lord.htm

The Servant of the Lord.
... as dull as the ledger of a dry goods' store ... rebuilt, as an impregnable frontier fortress
between them and Egypt. ... if the legend of the change of climate be the ...
/.../kingsley/lectures delivered in america in 1874/lecture iv the servant of.htm

The Works of John Cassian.
... in accordance with the character of the climate or the ... How throughout the whole of
Egypt and the Thebaid the ... Of the dry stick which, at the bidding of his ...
//christianbookshelf.org/cassian/the works of john cassian /