SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND

This phrase has a wide range of meaning in the OT (see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, vol. 1, p. 70). It can be used of non-Israelites.

1. in Gen. 23:7,12-13 it is used of the Hittites
2. in Gen. 42:6 it is used of Egyptians
3. in Num. 14:9 it is used of Canaanites (i.e. Deut. 1:21,29)

It was also used of the children of Israel but in various ways.

1. used of the common person of God's covenant people, but not leadership; could be wealthy landowners (cf. Exod. 5:5; Lev. 20:2; 2 Kgs. 11:19; 25:18-21; Jer. 34:18-20; Hag. 2:4; Zech. 7:5)
2. used of the poorest of the covenant people (cf. 2 Kgs. 24:14; 25:12; Jer. 40:7)
3. used of lthe people of God who did not go into exile and compromised with the pagan culture that Babylon had settled in Palestine (cf. Ezra 4:4; 9:10-14; 10:2,11; Neh. 10:28-31; Ezek. 9:11,12)

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