Yes — Israel became a nation in Egypt, where God made Jacob's family into a great nation and multiplied them before the Exodus.
God told Jacob, 'Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation' (Genesis 46:3). Jacob went down with about 70-some souls, and after Israel's time in Egypt Moses led out millions as a nation.
Genesis 46:3 — God's direct promise to Jacob that a great nation would be made of him in Egypt.
Scripture records that God repeated the Abrahamic covenant to Isaac, promising that his seed would multiply as the stars of heaven and that all the nations of the earth would be blessed in his seed (Genesis 26:4). Later, in the days of famine, Joseph was in Egypt with food and grain stored up, and he invited Jacob and the rest of the family to come down. God then spoke to Jacob and said, 'And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation.' The biblical record shows Israel entered Egypt as a small household and came out under Moses as a nation of people.
Les Feldick explains that the nation of Israel did not just appear; it grew out of Joseph's rejection by his brothers. Joseph ended up in Egypt, God blessed him, and he was able to provide grain for his family during the famine. God then explicitly told Jacob not to fear going down to Egypt, because there He would make of him a great nation. Les stresses that Israel became a nation of people in Egypt, in slavery, while multiplying from about 70-some souls to millions by the time Moses led them out. He also places the event within the 430-year span God had foretold, with 215 years from Abraham's call to Jacob's descent and 215 years in Egypt, and he points out that God's purpose in forming the nation was to prepare Israel for the coming Messiah.
God said to Jacob, 'I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation' (Genesis 46:3). Les notes that this came after God had earlier told Abraham and Isaac not to go to Egypt. Now God told Jacob not to be afraid; the nation would be formed there.
Joseph had been rejected by his brethren and ended up in Egypt; God blessed him and gave him a position of control with food and grain stored up during the famine. When Jacob learned Joseph was there and Joseph invited the family, the path to Egypt opened. Les says the nation came as a result of Joseph being rejected by his brethren, ending up in Egypt, and God using him to break the famine for the family.
Les says Jacob went down with 70-some souls — he says '72 I think' — and after 215 years in Egypt Moses led out anywhere from 3 to 7 million people, not counting the mixed multitude. The growth happened while Israel was in Egypt, including time in Goshen where they prospered and multiplied.
Les is explicit: 'where did the Israels become a nation? In Egypt, in slavery.' They came out under Moses as a nation of people. The nation of Israel became a nation of people while they were in slavery in Egypt.
The Abrahamic Promise Repeated to Isaac
Les reviews how the land of Canaan was tied to the promises of God and how Joseph, with grain stored in Egypt during the famine, invited Jacob and the rest of the family to come down.
God's Promise: 'I Will Make of Thee a Great Nation'
Les directly answers how Israel became a nation: Joseph's rejection led him to Egypt, God blessed him, and the family came down as 70-some souls; in the following centuries in Egypt Israel became a nation of people.
From 'Don't Go' to 'Fear Not to Go'
Les contrasts God's earlier instruction to Abraham and Isaac not to go to Egypt with God's command to Jacob to go, and notes that after 215 years in Egypt Moses led out 5-7 million people.
Israel Became a Nation in Egypt, in Slavery
Les pinpoints exactly where Israel became a nation — in Egypt in slavery — and says they came out under Moses as a nation of people.
The 430-Year Timeline and Prosperity in Goshen
Les places Jacob's descent into Egypt at the midpoint of the 430-year period God foretold and notes the family prospered and multiplied in Goshen while Joseph was alive.
From 70-some Souls to Millions
Les emphasizes that Israel went into Egypt with about 70-some souls and came out at the Exodus numbering 3-7 million, showing they became a nation while in Egypt.
God's Direction to Egypt Repeated
Les repeats the promise from God to Jacob at Genesis 46 and notes that Jacob and all his sons went down; 215 years later they came out as millions.
The Purpose of the Nation in Preparing Israel for Messiah
Les says God called Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt because the nation had multiplied there; God then began working with this little nation to prepare them for the coming Messiah.
Genesis 26:4: And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
Les cites this as the Abrahamic covenant repeated to Isaac, pointing forward to a nation and a promised inheritance.
Genesis 46:3: And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
This is God's direct promise to Jacob that a great nation would be made of him in Egypt.
Genesis 50:25: And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
Les recalls Joseph's request that his bones be carried back to the homeland when God brought Israel out of Egypt.
Les points out that God had earlier warned Abraham and Isaac not to leave the land of promise, and they got in trouble when they tried. Now, however, God explicitly told Jacob, 'Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation.' It was the time for the family to move to Egypt so that Israel could multiply into a nation.
Les says that after 215 years of the children of Israel in Egypt itself, Moses led them out. He also places Jacob's descent at the midpoint of the 430-year span God had foretold, with 215 years elapsed from the call of Abraham and 215 years left.
Les says that before Israel left Egypt, Joseph required them to take his bones with them when God eventually brought them back to Canaan. This was tied to the certainty that Israel would return to their homeland.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Rejected Their Messiah — Acts 7 & Joseph Explained