The time drawing near (or time of fulfillment) refers to the moment when God acts in a special way to achieve his purposes (see also Galatians 4:4–5). The mention of the time drawing near, in this instance, ties the land of Canaan to the growth of Jacob’s descendants in Egypt.1
17 Le temps approchait où devait s'accomplir la promesse que Dieu avait faite à Abraham, et le peuple s'accrut et se multiplia en Egypte,