Genesis 12: The call of Abram

The LORD calls Abram to a new land and promises blessing for all families of the earth through him.

Chapter 12 of 5020 verses3 sectionsBSB

Where Genesis 12 sits

Genesis66 books · 1,189 chaptersRevelation

In the story: Act III, Promise: Genesis 12–50; Job
In the Bible: Old Testament · The Law · chapter 12 of 50 in Genesis
In Genesis: Terah's line: Abraham, 11:27–25:11 · part of One family
Before: Genesis 11: Babel and Shem's line
After: Genesis 13: Abram and Lot part

Genesis 12 summary

The LORD commands Abram to leave country, kin and father's house, and promises him a nation, a blessing, a great name, and blessing for all the earth's families through him. Abram goes at seventy-five, and at Shechem the LORD promises the land to his offspring; Abram builds altars and calls on the LORD's name. Famine drives him to Egypt, where he passes Sarai off as his sister; she is taken into Pharaoh's house until the LORD strikes Pharaoh with plagues and Abram is sent away.

Genesis 12 in context

Speaking: Moses, narrating; the LORD speaks the call and the promises
Written for: Israel, Abram's offspring, walking toward the same land on the strength of the same promise
Around it: Answers the scattering of Babel and the barrenness of Sarai (ch. 11); Abram and Lot part next (ch. 13)

How Genesis 12 points to Christ

The Scripture foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you” (Gal 3:8); the promise “and to your seed” means One, “who is Christ” (Gal 3:16)

The sections of Genesis 12

Leave your country
The LORD calls Abram to leave all for a land He will show, promising a great nation and blessing for all families through him.
12:1–3
Altars in the land
Abram obeys; at Shechem the LORD promises the land to his offspring, and Abram builds altars and calls on the LORD.
12:4–9
Down to Egypt
In Egypt, fearing for his life, Abram calls Sarai his sister; the LORD plagues Pharaoh, who sends Abram away.
12:10–20

Read Genesis 12

The Call of Abram

¹Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.

²I will make you into a great nation,

and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

so that you will be a blessing.

³I will bless those who bless you

and curse those who curse you;

and all the families of the earth

will be blessed through you.”

⁴So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. ⁵And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan.

When they came to the land of Canaan, ⁶Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.

⁷Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

⁸From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.

⁹And Abram journeyed on toward the Negev.

Abram and Sarai in Egypt

¹⁰Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. ¹¹As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman, ¹²and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. ¹³Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared.”

¹⁴So when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. ¹⁵When Pharaoh’s officials saw Sarai, they commended her to him, and she was taken into the palace of Pharaoh. ¹⁶He treated Abram well on her account, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.

¹⁷The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai. ¹⁸So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? ¹⁹Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!”

²⁰Then Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram, and they sent him away with his wife and all his possessions.

Berean Standard Bible, 20 verses. The BSB is in the public domain.

Around Genesis 12

Also in Terah's line: Abraham

Places

Haran
Shechem
Bethel
Egypt
Ai
The Negev

Read alongside

Galatians 3:8 The gospel foretold to Abraham.
Acts 7:2–4 Stephen: the God of glory appeared to Abraham in Mesopotamia.
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.
Genesis 22:2 The same Hebrew call, “go to the land,” comes again only at the last test (22:2).

Chapters that point here

How Genesis 12 connects

Blessing · Genesis 12:3 · Five times “bless” in two verses: the answer to the curses of Gen 3. (Galatians 3:8; Galatians 3:14)
The Seed Line · Genesis 12:7 (Galatians 3:16)
Land · Genesis 12:7 (Acts 7:5; Hebrews 11:8–9)
The Exodus Line · Genesis 12:10–20 · Down to Egypt in famine, plagues on Pharaoh, out with wealth: the exodus in miniature (Exod 11–12).
Promise · Genesis 12:2–3, kept in Galatians 3:8; Galatians 3:14; Acts 3:25–26
Promise · Genesis 12:7, kept in Galatians 3:16; Acts 7:5
Covenant with Abraham · Genesis 12:1–3; Genesis 12:7 · The promise announced on both levels: blessing for all families of the earth in Abram, the gospel told in advance (Gal 3:8), and the land given to his offspring.

Doctrines Genesis 12 teaches

Effectual calling · Genesis 12:1; Joshua 24:2–3; Hebrews 11:8
Saving faith · Genesis 12:4; Hebrews 11:8
The gospel · Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8
Worship and the Lord's Day · Genesis 12:7–8

Questions on Genesis 12

What does God promise Abram in 12:1–3, and who else will be blessed?
Show the answer
God promises to make Abram a great nation, to bless him, make his name great and make him a blessing, and to bless those who bless him and curse those who curse him; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through him (12:2–3).
How does “I will make your name great” (12:2) answer Babel?
Show the answer
At Babel men tried to make a name for themselves and were scattered (11:4, 8). Here God Himself promises to make Abram’s name great (12:2): the name Babel grasped for is given by grace to the man God calls.
Which two later chapters repeat the danger to the patriarch's wife?
Show the answer
Chapter 20, where Abraham passes Sarah off as his sister in Gerar (20:1–18), and chapter 26, where Isaac does the same with Rebekah (26:1–11). Each time God protects the mother of the promised line.

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