The Meaning of Exodus 6:4 Explained

Exodus 6:4

KJV: And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

YLT: and also I have established My covenant with them, to give to them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojournings, wherein they have sojourned;

Darby: And I established also my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were sojourners.

ASV: And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I have also established  my covenant  with them, to give  them the land  of Canaan,  the land  of their pilgrimage,  wherein they were strangers. 

What does Exodus 6:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 6:2-9 - God's Name Confirms His Promises
The statement of Exodus 6:3 is at first sight, startling, because we remember several passages in Genesis where that sacred name appears. But this arises from the fact that much of Genesis was composed long after the people had left these sad experiences behind them; and it was natural to apply to God the name which was familiar to them all at the time of writing. To the patriarchs God was El, the Strong; to their descendants he was the unchanging Jehovah, who fulfilled promises made centuries before. See Malachi 3:6. Notice the seven I wills, and the three I AMs. How often with us, as with Israel in Exodus 6:9, our faith and hope are hindered by physical or temporal circumstances. But our God knows our frame and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Therefore He can make allowances. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 6

1  God renews his promise by his name JEHOVAH
9  Moses vainly attempts to encourage the Israelites
10  He and Aaron are again sent to Pharaoh
14  Genealogies of Reuben, Simeon and Levi, of whom came Moses and Aaron
26  The history resumed

What do the individual words in Exodus 6:4 mean?

And also I have established - My covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan - of their sojourning which they were strangers in
וְגַ֨ם הֲקִמֹ֤תִי אֶת־ בְּרִיתִי֙ אִתָּ֔ם לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן אֵ֛ת מְגֻרֵיהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־ גָּ֥רוּ בָֽהּ

וְגַ֨ם  And  also 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
הֲקִמֹ֤תִי  I  have  established 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּרִיתִי֙  My  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
אִתָּ֔ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
לָתֵ֥ת  to  give 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶ֣רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
כְּנָ֑עַן  of  Canaan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּנַעַן 
Sense: the 4th son of Ham and the progenitor of the Phoenicians and of the various nations who peopled the seacoast of Palestine.
אֵ֛ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מְגֻרֵיהֶ֖ם  of  their  sojourning 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מָגֹור 
Sense: sojourning place, dwelling-place, sojourning.
גָּ֥רוּ  they  were  strangers 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: גּוּר 
Sense: to sojourn, abide, dwell in, dwell with, remain, inhabit, be a stranger, be continuing, surely.