I am God, the God of thy father— That is, I am what thou ownest me to be: thou shalt find me a God of divine wisdom and power engaged for thee; and thou shalt find me "the God of thy father," true to the covenant made with him.
Fear not to go down into AEgypt— Which he might well have done, without this encouragement; not only because his forefathers Abraham and Isaac had in some degree been injured there, but because it had been foretold that their seed should be afflicted by the AEgyptians; an event which he might conceive would probably happen, if Joseph, their protector, should die before their return. He might also fear that, by this means, his posterity would be deprived of the land of Canaan; and, indeed, the encouragement which God gives him seems principally calculated to obviate this apprehension. I will there make of thee a great nation; I will go down with thee, to preserve and protect thee and thy family; and I will surely bring thee up again; that is, in thy posterity; for the Scripture frequently speaks of parents and children as one person.