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Summarized Bible Commentary

Genesis 12:1-20

Contents: Call of Abram. His worship and testing. The error in Egypt.

Characters: Abram, Sarai, Lot, Pharaoh.

Conclusion: The path into which God calls the believer may often be trying to the flesh, but this does not necessarily indicate that he is out of God's will.

Key Word: Sojourners, Genesis 12:10.

Strong Verses: Genesis 12:3; Genesis 12:8.

Striking Facts: God's biddings are His enablings. Better suffer in Canaan in God's path than live in luxury in Egypt in the devil's path.

The altar marks Abraham as a worshipper. The tent marks him as a pilgrim. These are distinguishing marks of the followers of Christ.

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See also Genesis 12:1-20 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XII _God calls Abram to leave Haran and go into Canaan_, 1; _promises to bless him, and through him all the families of_ _the earth_, 2, 3. _Abram, Sarai, Lot, and all their household, dep...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - The Call of Abram 6. שׁכם _shekem_ Shekem, “the upper part of the back.” Here it is the name of a person, the owner of this place, where afterward is built the town called at first Shekem, then Flav...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 12 THE FIRST EVENTS IN ABRAM'S LIFE _ 1. The call and the promise (Genesis 12:1)_ 2. Abram's obedience (Genesis 12:4) 3. The second communication of Jehovah (Genesis 12:7) 4. Abram in Egyp...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CALL OF ABRAHAM, HIS MIGRATION TO CANAAN, AND YAHWEH'S PROMISE TO HIM. From J, except Genesis 12:4_ b_, Genesis 12:5, which is clearly from P. Abraham is called to leave country, kindred, and home...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 12:1 TO GENESIS 25:18. THE STORY OF ABRAHAM. In this section the three main sources, J. E, P are present. Gunkel has given strong reasons for holding that J is here made up of two main sources...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    THE CALL OF ABRAHAM. -- Genesis 12:1-9. GOLDEN TEXT. --_. will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be. blessing._ -- Genesis 12:2. TIME. --About B. C. 1921. PLACE. --In Haran, east of...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    LORD. Jehovah, "The God of Glory" of Acts 7:2, Figure of speech _Enallage. The Glorious God,_ in contrast with idols (Joshua 24:2). GET THEE OUT. Go for thyself, i.e. whatever others may do. Death ha...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Now the lord said_ Lit. "and Jehovah said." The narrative opens with characteristic simplicity, and with the abruptness possibly indicating its selection from a group of similar traditions. _the lord...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    NOW THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO ABRAM, &C.— It is observable how Moses hastens over other events, to introduce the principal subject of his history; he comprises the history of the world, from the creation...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART TWENTY-SIX THE STORY OF ABRAHAM: THE PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH (Genesis, ch. 12; cf. Hebrews 11:8-19) 1. The Biblical Account 1 Now Jehovah said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy k...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _NOW THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO ABRAM, GET THEE OUT OF THY COUNTRY, AND FROM THY KINDRED, AND FROM THY FATHER'S HOUSE, UNTO A LAND THAT I WILL SHEW THEE:_ Now the Lord had said unto Abram. The Septuagint...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CALL OF ABRAHAM. THE REMOVAL TO CANAAN. THE VISIT TO EGYPT 1. Had said] RV 'said,' when he was in Haran. In what manner the call came to Abraham, whether through some outward incident which he rec...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Abram was the person who was later called Abraham. (See Genesis 17:5.) When Abram left Haran, his father Terah did not go with him. Terah lived in Haran for 60 years after Abram left. This is how we...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 12 ABRAM’S JOURNEY TO *CANAAN V1 The *Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country. Leave your home. Leave your father’s house. Go to the country that...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    XII. (1) NOW THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO ABRAM. — Heb., _And Jehovah said unto Abram._ There is no new beginning; but having briefly sketched the family from which Abram sprang, and indicated that he had i...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל ־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ ־לְךָ֛

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE CALL OF ABRAHAM Genesis 11:27; Genesis 12:1 WITH Abraham there opens a new chapter in the history of the race; a chapter of the profoundest significance. The consequences of Abraham's movements...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    GOD'S CALL AND PROMISE TO ABRAM Genesis 12:1 God's commands are always associated with promises. Count the _shalls_ and _wills_ here. He does not give His reasons, but He is lavish of His promises. T...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    At this point begins the actual historic movement toward the coming of the Redeemer. One man was called to the realization of the true principle of life. The call was personal and purposeful. Abram wa...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    GOD CALLED ABRAM A SECOND TIME In Genesis 12:1-20, after Terah's death, God called Abram a second time. In conjunction with this call, He made some promises. Because the call included both a command a...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Now the LORD had said unto Abram, (a) Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto (b) a land that I will shew thee: (a) From the flood to this time were four...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Said: not after his father's death, but before he left Ur; (Menochius) unless, perhaps, Abram received a second admonition at Haran, which, from his dwelling there with his father, &c., is styled his...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The History of Abram, just glanced at in the close of the preceding Chapter, the Ho1y Ghost enters upon in this Chapter more particularly. The account of God's first call of Abram; his graci...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have had hitherto God's account of that which He had made; then the trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine mercy in Christ the Lord. We have had in fine the judgment of...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE PILGRIM FATHER_ Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.’ Genesis 12:1 Abraham was t...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    1._Now the Lord had said unto Abram_. That an absurd division of these chapters may not trouble the readers, let them connect this sentence with the last two verses of the previous chapter. Moses had...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    From chapter 12 then there is developed altogether a new order of events, which refer to the call of God, to His covenants, to His promises, to the manifestation of His people as a distinct people on...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    NOW THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO ABRAM,.... In Ur of the Chaldees, before he came and dwelt in Charran, as seems from Acts 7:2 and so Aben Ezra interprets it; but Jarchi and others think, that what follows...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: Ver. 1. _Now the Lord had said to Abram._] But was...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    We have here the call whereby Abram was removed from, the land of his nativity into the land of promise. This call was designed both to try his faith and obedience, and also to set him and his family...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 God calleth Abram, and blesseth him with a promise of Christ. 4 He departeth with Lot from Haran. 6 He iourneyeth through Canaan, 7 which is promised him in a vision. 10 Hee is driuen by a famin...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    God Calls Abraham...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house unto a land that I will show thee. Here the real story of Abram, or Abraham, begins, to w...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SECOND PERIOD The Genesis of the patriarchal faith in the promise and of the covenant religion; of the antagonistic relation, between the faith in the promise and heathenism; of the harmonious opposit...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CALL OF ABRAM The Lord had before told Abram to leave his country, his kindred and his father's house, and go to a land He would show him. This call took place while he was still in Ur of the Chal...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-3 God made choice of Abram, and singled him out from among his fellow-idolaters, that he might reserve a people for himself, among whom his true worship might be maintained till the coming of Chris...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    GENESIS CHAPTER 12 God calls Abram from his own country and kindred to Canaan, GENESIS 12:1. Promises to make of him a great and flourishing nation, and to bless in Christ his seed, GENESIS 12:2,3. Ab...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    The book of Genesis is, for the most part, taken up with the history of seven men, namely, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. There is, I doubt not, a specific line of truth brought...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 12:1 LORD H3068 said H559 (H8799) Abram H87 out H3212 (H8798) country H776 family H4138 fathers...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And Yahweh said to Abram, “Leave your country and your kinsfolk, and your father's house, for the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    NOW THE LORD The Fourth Dispensation: Promise. For Abraham, and his descendants it is evident that the Abrahamic Covenant ( See Scofield) - (Genesis 15:18) made a great change. They became distinctiv...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 12, etc. I. Notice first the call of Abraham. (1) The call was addressed to him suddenly; (2) it required him to forsake his country and his kindred, while giving him no hope of return; (3) i...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 12:1 I. At some time in our lives a call from God sends its trumpet tone through each of our souls, as it did when Abraham heard it, and he went forth with the future stretching broad and far...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 12:1 _(with Genesis 9:1)_ No one has ever doubted that the words in Genesis 9:1 are a Divine blessing upon the human race. I. There is something especially appropriate in this language to th...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 12:1 , ETC. I. In the call of Abram we see an outline of the great providential system under which we live. II. Great lives are trained by great promises. The promise to Abram (1) throws lig...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    We will read two or three passages in the Book of Genesis concerning God blessing his servant Abraham. Turn first to the twelfth chapter. Genesis 12:1. _Now the lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 12:1. _Had said._ The God of glory appeared to Abraham, and enjoined him to leave his idolatrous country. Joshua 24:2; Acts 7:3. Genesis 12:2. I will

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country_ ABRAHAM’S ACTION His obeying the call and command of God, wherein four circumstances are very remarkable. 1. The time when it was whe...

  • The children's great texts of the Bible by James Hastings

    THE VOICE OF GOD The Lord said unto Abram. Genesis 12:1. I wonder what impression the mention of Abraham makes on your minds. Long ago, boys and girls used to think of him as a man dressed with dres...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 12:1 Through Abram, ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH will be blessed. This marks an important turning point in Genesis 1:1, as it reverses the predom

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Now the Lord had said] More literally this may read, “_The Lord said_,” and may refer to a call to leave Haran, and not to that which Abram received in Ur, of which Stephen speaks in...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 12:1 Designed to trace the outward development of God's kingdom on the earth, the narrative now concentrates its attention on one of the foregoing Terachites, whose remarkable care...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy family (Genesis 12:1), So Abraham really wasn't totally obedient at this point. And this to me is interesting, because Abrah...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    had. Genesis 11:31 Genesis 11:32 Genesis 15:7 Nehemiah 9:7 Isaiah 41:9...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    ABRAM'S DEPARTURE Genesis 12:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. God spoke, of old, in the Person of Christ. In today's study the Lord spoke to Abram. During Abram's life, he had several interviews from Heaven...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    We have here the call by which Abram was removed out of the land of his nativity into the land of promise, which was designed both to try his faith and obedience, and also to set him apart for God. Th...

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