Genesis 12
12
God Appears to Abram
1Now Yahweh said to Abram, # 12:1 The God of glory appeared to Abram and spoke with him (see Acts 7:2–5). God’s appearance to Abram was sudden and without warning. The same voice of creation now proclaims a message of hope and blessing to all the world. Abram had no burning bush to inspire him, no tablets of stone to guide him, and no ark of the covenant as a centerpiece of worship. Neither did Abram have a temple to worship in, a Bible to read, or a priest to counsel him. Nor did Abram have a pastor to pray for him, or a prophet to prophesy to him. But Abram had a divine encounter.
“Leave it all behind # 12:1 Or “Go yourself,” from lech-lecha, which is a Hebrew play on words. The implication is that although Abram must undergo a traumatic departure from his native land, he was actually traveling to find his more authentic self. Perhaps “Go and find yourself” conveys the meaning. —
your native land, # 12:1 The Hebrew word ’eretz is etymologically linked to the Canaanite word ratzon, which means “firmness of will” or “stubbornness.” God was saying to Abram, with double meaning, leave your country but also leave your own will behind in order to enter God’s plan. We need to leave it all behind, including our ideas of how God will work.
your people,
your father’s household, # 12:1 God was calling Abram out from more than just his relatives. He was calling Abram out from specific deity worship connected to nations, clans, and ancestors.
and go to the land that I will show you. # 12:1 Leaving all that is familiar was an incredible act of faith on Abram’s part (see Heb. 11:8–10). He was told to go into an unknown land, but it would result in the seven-fold blessing of vv. 2–3.
2Follow me,
and I will make you into a great nation. # 12:2 This would take a miracle, for Sarai was barren. This would have greatly stretched Abram’s faith, yet he believed. Because he had left his nation, God would make Abram into a great nation. God gave creative ability to Abram, not only to produce offspring, but also to apply creative ability to form lasting enterprises that would shape a nation. God gave the ability to create community to Abram and his seed.
I will exceedingly bless and prosper you,
and I will make you famous, # 12:2 Or “I will make your name great,” which in the ancient Near East also implied being highly esteemed for his character. The building of the Tower of Babel was so that men could “make a name” for themselves. This was intended to be the gift of God and not something to be seized for oneself.
so that you will be a tremendous source of blessing for others.
3I will bless all who bless you
and curse all who curse you. # 12:3 Or “all who cause you harm I will punish.” See Num. 24:9.
And through you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” # 12:3 Or “And by you all the families of the earth will bless themselves” or “Every nation will long for me to bless them as I have blessed you.” See Isa. 49:6; Gal. 3:8.
4So Abram obeyed Yahweh and left; and Lot went with him.
Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran after his father died. # 12:4 See Acts 7:4. 5He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people # 12:5 Or “souls.” Jewish tradition states that Abram preached the revelation of Yahweh, the true God. Also, Abram was wealthy before Pharaoh gave him gifts (see Gen. 12:16). he had acquired in Haran; and they departed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in the land of Canaan, 6Abram passed through the land and stopped at the sacred site of Shechem, # 12:6 The Hebrew word maqom (a generic place) is never used to describe a city. In this context it is likely linked to the Arabic word maqam, which means “sacred site.” The word Shechem means “between the shoulders.” The shoulder represents all power and authority (see Isa. 9:6; 22:22; Luke 15:4–5). The site of Shechem was the physical center of modern Israel and is mentioned as a sacred place (see Gen. 35:4; Josh. 24:25; Judg. 9:6, 37). famous for the great oak tree of Moreh. # 12:6 Or “the oak [cluster of oaks] of Moreh [oracle giver, instruction].” Undoubtedly, this was a place of mystery, and it was so famous that people used the tree as a landmark. See Deut. 11:30. At the great tree of Moreh, Yahweh taught Abram to walk by faith, not by sight. God will lead us to a place of true strength (Shechem) and instruct our hearts (Moreh) to trust in him alone. At that time, the Canaanites were also in the land.
7Then Yahweh appeared # 12:7 Or “made himself visible.” Scripture records at least nine appearances of God (theophanies) to Abraham (see Acts 7:2). The first was while he was still in Ur (see Gen. 12:1–3). See also Gen. 13:14–16; 15; 17; 18; 21:12–13; 22:1–2, 15–18. before Abram and said, “This is the land I will personally deliver to your seed.” # 12:7 Or “to your future descendants.” God’s divine declaration assigned the land of Israel to Abram and his descendants. See Rom. 4:13; Heb. 11:12. So Abram erected an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared before him. 8From there, he journeyed on toward the hill country east of Bethel # 12:8 Bethel means “House of God.” This is modern Beitin, a city about eleven miles north of Jerusalem. It is clear Abram adored Yahweh and was faithful to his voice. and pitched his tent # 12:8 While Abram lived in a tent without foundations, he was looking and waiting for a city with unshakable foundations (see Heb. 11:10). Likewise, we are living in the “tent” of church life today, waiting for its ultimate consummation—the New Jerusalem, the City of God with foundations. Paul, the Abraham of the New Testament, was a tentmaker. with Bethel on the west and Ai # 12:8 Ai means “the heap of ruins.” It is often identified as et-Tell, which was about a mile from ancient Bethel. See Josh. 7:2–8:28. Bethel is the House of God; Ai (the world) is a heap of ruins. The House of God is drawing us in. We must turn our backs forever on the old creation life, which is nothing more than a heap of ruins! on the east. And there he built another altar to Yahweh where he prayed and worshiped Yahweh. # 12:8 Or “and he called upon the name of Yahweh,” which implies both prayer and offering a sacrifice. 9Then Abram journeyed from there by stages through the southern desert region. # 12:9 That is, the Negev. Abram had traversed the entire length of Israel from north to south.
Abram Detours to Egypt
10At that time, a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, # 12:10 Although the promised land was a land flowing (flourishing) with milk and honey (Ex. 3:17), all three patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and Joseph experienced a famine (see Gen. 26:1; 41:54; 42:1; 43:1). Faith will always be tested. This famine tested Abram’s faith. So often when we set out for our promised land, we encounter a famine. You can be right where God wants you to be and still be faced with severe trials. It is better to suffer in God’s path than to be at ease in Satan’s. forcing Abram to travel down to Egypt and live there as a foreigner. 11When he drew near to Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I’m worried because I know that you are a beautiful, gorgeous woman. 12When the Egyptian men take one look at you, they will say, ‘She is his wife.’ Then they will kill me in order to have you. 13Just tell them you are my sister # 12:13 In fact, Sarai was his half sister (see Gen. 20:12). If the Egyptians were to kill Abram, it would leave Sarai vulnerable to the men of Egypt. This was, in fact, a troubling moral dilemma for Abram. By calling her his “sister,” any interaction with her culturally required a negotiation with her “brother.” so that they will treat me well for your sake and spare my life.”
14When Abram entered Egypt, everyone noticed Sarai’s stunning beauty. # 12:14 Sarai was at least sixty-five at this time, ten years younger than Abram. 15When Pharaoh’s dignitaries spotted her, they went to Pharaoh and raved about her beauty. Then they took Sarai into the palace and made her part of Pharaoh’s harem. 16Because she pleased Pharaoh, Abram got along very well in Egypt and received royal treatment: he was given sheep, cattle, male and female donkeys, camels, and male and female slaves. # 12:16 All of Pharaoh’s gifts were signs of great wealth imparted to Abram by the king. It was the great wealth and many possessions that caused Lot to want to separate from Abram (see Gen. 13:6–7). There were many people who accompanied Abram both into Egypt and back into Canaan. He had the converts he acquired in Haran (see Gen. 12:5), plus 318 trained soldiers who were born under Abram’s care (see Gen. 14:14) who also had wives and children. It is possible that Abram had several thousand people who accompanied him.
17But Yahweh struck Pharaoh and his household with terrible diseases because he had taken Abram’s wife, Sarai. 18So Pharaoh sent for Abram and said, “How could you do this to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? # 12:18 Somehow, perhaps by a dream, God showed Pharaoh his sin. 19And why did you lie to me by saying, ‘She’s my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now, here’s your wife back; take her and begone!” 20Then Pharaoh gave strict orders to his men to escort them out of Egypt along with everything they had. # 12:20 Besides great possessions, Abram also acquired servants in Egypt, and Hagar was one of them (see Gen. 16:3).
Currently Selected:
Genesis 12: TPT
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Learn More About The Passion TranslationGenesis 12
12
Chapter 12
Abram leaves Haran
1The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country and the people of your father's family. Go to the land that I will show you. #12:1 The Lord had said this to Abram when he lived in Ur, among the Chaldeans. See Joshua 24:2.
2I will cause your descendants to become a great nation. I will bless you. Everyone will know your name. You will bring my blessing to other people. 3I will bless those people who bless you. But I will curse anyone who insults you. Through you, I will bless all the families of people on the earth.’ #12:3 Jesus Christ is a descendant of Abram. Through Jesus, God blesses all the nations and families of people on the earth.
4Abram did what the Lord had told him. He left Haran. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Lot went with him. 5Abram took his wife Sarai, and his nephew Lot. He took everything that belonged to them. He also took the people that worked for them in Haran. They all left to go to the land of Canaan.
When they arrived in Canaan, 6Abram walked through the land. He went as far as Shechem, to the special oak tree of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites lived in this land. 7The Lord appeared to Abram there. He said, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ So Abram built an altar in that place to worship the Lord. #12:7 The Canaanites did not worship God. The oak tree of Moreh was a place where the Canaanites worshipped false gods. Abram built an altar to worship God. The Canaanites would see that Abram worshipped the Lord. But Abram was not afraid. He knew that this place belonged to God. He did that because the Lord had appeared to him.
8Then Abram left Shechem. He went to the hills that are on the east of Bethel. He put up his tent in that place. Bethel was towards the west, and Ai was towards the east. Abram also built an altar there to worship the Lord.
9Then Abram took his tent and he left that place. He continued to travel towards the Negev. #12:9 The Negev is a dry land. It is between Egypt and Canaan.
Abram and Sarai in Egypt
10There was a famine in the land of Canaan. So Abram went to live in Egypt for some time, because the famine was very bad. #12:10 Egypt did not often have a famine because the River Nile went through the land.
11When Abram came near to Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, ‘Listen to me. I know that you are a very beautiful woman. 12When the Egyptians see you they will say, “This is Abram's wife.” Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.#12:12 Abram thinks that the king of Egypt might want to take Sarai as one of his wives. If he knows that Sarai is Abram's wife, the king will have to kill Abram. 13So tell them that you are my sister. Then they will do good things to me, because they want to please you. They will not kill me because they will think that you are my sister.’
14When Abram arrived in Egypt, the people saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. 15The king's officers saw her. They told Pharaoh that she was very beautiful. They took her to the king's palace.#12:15 A palace is a large house for a king.
16Pharaoh did good things to help Abram because of Sarai. He gave Abram sheep, cows, donkeys and camels. He also gave Abram male servants and female servants.
17But the Lord made Pharaoh and the people in his palace very ill. The Lord did this because the king had taken Abram's wife Sarai. 18So Pharaoh called Abram to come to him. Pharaoh said, ‘You have done this bad thing to me! You did not tell me that Sarai is your wife! Why not? 19You told me “She is my sister”. As a result, I took her to be my wife. Now, here is your wife. Take her and go away!’
20Pharaoh told his officers what to do with Abram. They sent Abram away, with his wife and everything that belonged to them.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
MissionAssist 2018