Notes · Gen 12:1–20

The Call, the Land, and the Sojourn in Egypt

23 approved team notes on Gen 12:1–20.

Read Gen 12:1–20

Gen 12:1

exegeticalGen 12:1–20

New Testament reading

SaysActs 7:2–4, Gal 3:8, and Heb 11:8 are the three New Testament passages treated as cross-references in this chapter, each from the BSB; no Greek form is claimed.
ImpliesHeb 11:8 is pointed to for the reading that Abram goes as the Lord has spoken.
UncertainActs 7:2–4 sits with the open question of when the Lord spoke; Gal 3:8 is set beside Keil and Driver on 12:3, and no ruling is given on the niphal; Gal 3:16’s reading of “seed” is noted and not decided.

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exegeticalGen 12:1–20

Overview of Genesis 12

SaysGenesis 12 has three sections: 12:1–3, the call and the promises; 12:4–9, Abram enters Canaan and builds altars; and 12:10–20, famine and the sojourn in Egypt.
ImpliesThe promises of nation, name, land, and blessing are God’s initiative; the great name of 12:2 stands against the self-made name of 11:4; Abram goes as the Lord has spoken; the persons are real; God protects Sarai and Abram in Egypt.
UncertainWhen and where the Lord first spoke, how the blessing of 12:3 is to be read, the sister ruse, and the Egypt episode remain open; each is set out on its grounds, and no verdict is given here.

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exegeticalGen 12:1–3

The call and the promises

SaysThe Lord tells Abram to go from his land, his kindred, and his father’s house to the land he will show him, and promises a great nation, blessing, a great name, and that all the families of the earth will be blessed in him.
ImpliesThe great name of 12:2 is given, where the builders of 11:4 sought a name for themselves.
UncertainWhen the word was spoken, and how the niphal of 12:3 is to be read, remain open and are taken up in the notes that follow.

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exegeticalGen 12:1

When and where the Lord spoke

SaysGenesis 12:1 records the Lord’s command to Abram to go from his land, his kindred, and his father’s house to the land he will show him; 12:4 has him leave Haran at seventy-five, as the Lord had spoken.
UncertainThe word may be a new command in Haran, or the same call first given in Ur; Calvin’s editor, citing Clarke, reports a “second call” at Haran as an editor’s footnote, not as Calvin’s own view; “said” versus “had said” is English, not a Hebrew variant; no view is adopted here.

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historicalGen 12:1–3

The promises to Abram in early reading

SaysGen 12:2–3: God promises to make Abram a great nation, to bless him and make his name great, to bless those who bless him and curse the one who curses him, and that all the families of the earth will be blessed in him.
UncertainWhether the niphal וְנִבְרְכוּ in 12:3 is passive (“will be blessed”) or reflexive (“will bless themselves”) is open; no lean is taken, and the early readings do not fix the meaning.

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historicalGen 12:1–4

When and where Abram was called, in early reading

SaysGen 12:1, 4: the Lord told Abram to go from his land, his kindred and his father’s house to the land he would show him, and Abram went as the Lord had spoken to him, seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
UncertainWhether 12:1 reports the call first given in Ur (Acts 7:2–3; Gen 15:7) or a new word given in Haran is open; no lean is taken, and the early readings do not fix the meaning.

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historicalGen 12:1–9

Shechem, Bethel, and the Negev: places on Abram’s route

SaysGen 12:6–9: Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the oak of Moreh, while the Canaanite was then in the land; he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east, and journeyed on toward the Negev.
UncertainWhether Moreh is a proper name or means “teacher,” and what “then” in 12:6 implies about the date of writing, are open; no ancient Near Eastern text is cited or compared, and the identifications do not fix the meaning.

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languageGen 12:1–3

LXX Gen 12:1–3: the call and “you will be blessed”

Says12:1 has the single imperative Ἔξελθε for לֶךְ־לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ, with nothing for לְךָ.
Says12:2 has the future καὶ ἔσῃ εὐλογητός, “and you will be blessed,” where the MT has the imperative וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה.
Says12:3 has plural τοὺς καταρωμένους σε for וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ and the future passive εὐλογηθήσονται for וְנִבְרְכוּ.
UncertainNo lean is taken on whether וְנִבְרְכוּ means “will be blessed” or “will bless themselves.”

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languageGen 12:1

“Go for yourself”: the call

Saysוַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־אַבְרָם (“and the Lord said to Abram”) opens with the ordinary narrative form; BSB has “Then the Lord said to Abram.” לֶךְ־לְךָ (lekh-lekha) is an imperative, “go,” with “to you” or “for yourself” after it. BSB folds it into “Leave” and “go”; the Greek has only “Ἔξελθε” (“go out”).
SaysThree “from” phrases narrow: מֵאַרְצְךָ (“from your land”), וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ (“and from your kindred” or “native land”) and וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ (“and from your father’s house”). The goal is אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ (“to the land that I will show you”), a causative of “see”; the land is not named.
UncertainWhen the Lord first spoke is read two ways. Calvin, citing Stephen (Acts 7:2–3), and Augustine place the call in Mesopotamia, before Haran; Gen 15:7 and Neh 9:7 say the Lord brought Abram out of Ur. Driver takes the land left behind to be Haran, since 12:1 follows 11:31–32. The editor of the Calvin translation notes that Clarke and others held a second call at Haran. “Said” or “had said” is a choice of English tense, not a Hebrew variant. No lean is taken here.

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Gen 12:2

exegeticalGen 12:2–3

A great name, and blessing for the nations

SaysThe Lord promises to make Abram a great nation, to bless him and make his name great, to bless those who bless him and curse the one who curses him, and that all the families of the earth will be blessed in him.
ImpliesThe great name is given, where the builders of 11:4 sought one for themselves.
UncertainThe niphal of 12:3 may be passive (“will be blessed”) or reflexive (“will bless themselves”); Keil, Skinner, Driver, and Calvin are each attributed, with Gal 3:8 set beside Keil and Driver; the Targum, Jubilees, and Augustine take a blessing in Abram; no ruling is given.

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languageGen 12:2–3

A great nation, a great name and blessing

Saysוְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל (“and I will make you into a great nation”), וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ (“and I will bless you”) and וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ (“and I will make your name great”) are the Lord’s acts. וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה is an imperative, “and be a blessing”; BSB has “so that you will be a blessing,” the Greek “ἔσῃ εὐλογητός” (“you will be blessed”). The root “bless” comes five times in 12:2–3.
SaysIn 12:3 וַאֲבָרֲכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ (“and I will bless those who bless you”) is plural, but וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר is singular: “and the one who treats you lightly I will curse,” with two different verbs. וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה is “and in you all the clans of the ground will be blessed” (BSB “through you”).
ImpliesThe great name is given, where the builders of 11:4 set out to make one for themselves.
UncertainThe form וְנִבְרְכוּ may be passive (“be blessed”) or reflexive (“bless themselves”); 22:18 has another form, וְהִתְבָּרֲכוּ. Keil holds it passive only and ties it to Gal 3:8. Skinner prefers “bless themselves.” Driver allows either and still compares Gal 3:8. Calvin allows the narrower sense but extends the promise. No lean is taken here.

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Gen 12:4

exegeticalGen 12:4–9

Abram enters Canaan

SaysAbram went as the Lord had spoken, left Haran at seventy-five with Sarai, Lot, their goods, and the persons made or acquired in Haran, came to Canaan, received the land promise at Shechem, built altars, called on the name of the Lord, and journeyed on toward the Negev.
ImpliesAbram goes as the Lord has spoken.
UncertainThe “persons they had made” may be slaves acquired (Keil, Driver) or converts, a reading the Targum gives as “the souls whom they had proselyted in Haran”; both are set out, and no lean is taken.

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languageGen 12:4–5

Abram goes, and they arrive

Saysוַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו יְהוָה is “and Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him”; BSB has “as the Lord had directed him.” Vayyelekh (“and he went”) is the verb of lekh in 12:1. בֶּן־חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה is “a son of five years and seventy year,” the Hebrew way of stating an age (the lexicon: “5 years + 70 year Gn 12⁴”).
SaysIn 12:5 רְכוּשָׁם אֲשֶׁר רָכָשׁוּ is “their goods that they had gathered,” noun and verb from one root. הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן is “and the persons that they had made in Haran”; BSB has “people they had acquired.” The verse ends וַיָּבֹאוּ אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן (“and they came to the land of Canaan”); in 11:31 they had come only עַד־חָרָן (“as far as Haran”).
ImpliesAbram goes as the Lord has spoken: the going repeats the word of the command.
UncertainKeil and Driver take the “persons they had made” as slaves acquired; others read the phrase as people won over to Abram’s God. The verb “make” allows both. No lean is taken here.

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languageGen 12:4–9

LXX Gen 12:4–9: the journey, the high oak and the altars

Says12:4 gives Abram’s age as seventy-five, as the MT; 12:5 has πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ἣν ἐκτήσαντο for הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂוּ.
Says12:6 has ἐπὶ τὴν δρῦν τὴν ὑψηλήν for עַד אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה, with no name Moreh.
Says12:7 has singular Τῷ σπέρματί σου for לְזַרְעֲךָ.
UncertainNo lean is taken on why the Greek has “high,” on what מוֹרֶה means, or on whether the seed is collective, one person, or both.
Says12:8 has κατὰ θάλασσαν for מִיָּם and ἐπεκαλέσατο ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου for וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה.
Says12:9 has ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ where the Hebrew has הַנֶּגְבָּה.

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Gen 12:6

exegeticalGen 12:6–8

Altars, and calling on the name of the Lord

SaysAt Shechem the Lord appeared and promised this land to Abram’s offspring; Abram built an altar there, and another between Bethel and Ai, where he called on the name of the Lord.
ImpliesThe land promise is given to Abram’s offspring and is unfolded later; calling on the name of the Lord is the phrase already treated at 4:26 and is not reversed here.
UncertainElon Moreh may be a named landmark, a terebinth, an oracular tree, or a “plain of vision”; zera' may be collective offspring, a singular seed, or both in their contexts; no ruling is given, and no cult background is required.

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languageGen 12:6–7

Shechem, the oak of Moreh and “to your seed”

Saysוַיַּעֲבֹר אַבְרָם בָּאָרֶץ (“and Abram passed through the land”; the lexicon: “pass over, through, by, pass on”) runs עַד מְקוֹם שְׁכֶם עַד אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה (“as far as the place of Shechem, as far as the oak of Moreh”). Moreh has the form of a participle of “teach” or “direct”; the Greek reads “τὴν δρῦν τὴν ὑψηλήν” (“the high oak”). וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי אָז בָּאָרֶץ is “and the Canaanite was then in the land,” a collective singular.
SaysIn 12:7 וַיֵּרָא יְהוָה (“and the Lord appeared”) is a passive of “see”: the God who will “show” the land (12:1) is seen. לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת is “to your seed I will give this land” (BSB “offspring”).
ImpliesThe promise of the land to the seed is given here and unfolded later, as in 13:14–17.
UncertainZera‘ (“seed”) may be collective, singular, or both; Gal 3:16 reads it as singular. Moreh may be a landmark’s name or, as Driver argues, an oracle tree (“An oracular tree.”). No lean is taken here.

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Gen 12:8

languageGen 12:8–9

Between Bethel and Ai, and on toward the Negev

Saysוַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם הָהָרָה (“and he moved on from there to the hill country”; the lexicon: “move, proceed, advance”) then וַיֵּט אָהֳלֹה (“and he pitched his tent”; the lexicon’s natah, “stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend”). בֵּית־אֵל מִיָּם וְהָעַי מִקֶּדֶם is “Bethel from the sea and Ai from the east”: “sea” means west. BSB has “with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east.”
Saysוַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה (“and he called on the name of the Lord”) is the phrase of 4:26, לִקְרֹא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה. In 12:9 וַיִּסַּע אַבְרָם הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ הַנֶּגְבָּה is “and Abram set out, going and setting out, toward the Negev”: two infinitives of continuance, travel by stages (the lexicon: “3. journey, march (by stages) Gn 12⁹”). BSB has “journeyed on toward the Negev”; the Greek has “ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ” (“in the desert”).

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Gen 12:10

exegeticalGen 12:10–20

Famine and the sojourn in Egypt

SaysBecause of a severe famine Abram went down to sojourn in Egypt; Sarai was taken into Pharaoh’s house; the Lord afflicted Pharaoh’s household with great plagues because of her, and they were sent away with their possessions.
ImpliesGod protects Sarai and Abram in Egypt.
UncertainThe episode has been read as a failure of faith, as a typological preview of a later going down to Egypt and a coming out, or as both; typology is offered, not required; the Pharaoh is unnamed, and identifications and dates are not settled here.

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historicalGen 12:10–20

The famine, Egypt, and the sister ruse in early reading

SaysGen 12:10–17: because of a severe famine Abram went down to sojourn in Egypt; he asked Sarai to say she was his sister; she was taken into Pharaoh’s house; and the Lord struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
ImpliesSince the Lord struck Pharaoh’s house with plagues on account of Sarai (12:17) and Pharaoh then returned her and sent Abram away with all he had (12:19–20), the text shows God protecting Sarai and Abram.
UncertainWhether Abram’s request was a lie or a half-truth (cf. 20:12), and whether the episode is chiefly a failure of faith or also a typological preview of the Exodus, are open; no lean is taken, and the early readings do not fix the meaning.

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languageGen 12:10–13

Famine, sojourning and “my sister”

Saysוַיֵּרֶד אַבְרָם מִצְרַיְמָה לָגוּר שָׁם (“and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there”): gur is “1. sojourn, dwell for a (definite or indef.) time, dwell as a new-comer.” BSB has “to live there for a while.” כִּי־כָבֵד הָרָעָב is “for the famine was heavy.”
SaysIn 12:11 הִנֵּה־נָא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אִשָּׁה יְפַת־מַרְאֶה אָתְּ is “see, please, I know that you are a woman beautiful to look at.” 12:12 ends וְהָרְגוּ אֹתִי וְאֹתָךְ יְחַיּוּ (“and they will kill me, and you they will keep alive”). In 12:13 אִמְרִי־נָא אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ is “say, please, you are my sister,” and וְחָיְתָה נַפְשִׁי “and my soul will live” (nefesh, “soul, living being, life, self, person”). The Greek has “Ἀδελφὴ αὐτοῦ εἰμί” (“I am his sister”).
UncertainAugustine holds that Abram told no lie, since Sarai was near of blood; 20:12 has אֲחֹתִי בַת־אָבִי הִוא (“my sister, my father’s daughter”). Keil calls her his half-sister but says the plan “did not spring from faith.” Calvin finds “something of falsehood”; Driver: “true, but not the whole truth.” No lean is taken here.

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languageGen 12:10–20

LXX Gen 12:10–20: Egypt, Sarai and Pharaoh

Says12:10 has παροικῆσαι for לָגוּר; 12:11 has nothing for הִנֵּה־נָא.
Says12:13 has Ἀδελφὴ αὐτοῦ εἰμί, “I am his sister,” for אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ.
UncertainNo lean is taken on whether the request was a lie or a half-truth (compare 20:12).
Says12:15 has εἰσήγαγον αὐτὴν πρὸς Φαραώ for וַתֻּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה בֵּית פַּרְעֹה, with no word for “house.”
Says12:16 has plural εὖ ἐχρήσαντο for הֵיטִיב, and ἡμίονοι for וַאֲתֹנֹת.
Says12:17 has ὁ θεὸς for יְהוָה and adds καὶ πονηροῖς.
Says12:19 adds ἐναντίον σου; 12:20 ends καὶ Λὼτ μετ’ αὐτοῦ, which the MT lacks here.

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Gen 12:11

exegeticalGen 12:11–20

The sister ruse, and Pharaoh

SaysAbram asked Sarai to say she was his sister; she was taken into Pharaoh’s house; the Lord afflicted Pharaoh’s household because of her, and they were sent away.
ImpliesGod protected Sarai and Abram in Egypt.
UncertainThe ruse has been read as no lie, a half-truth, or a falsehood, and each view is attributed; how far Pharaoh took Sarai is not further described; no verdict is given.

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Gen 12:14

languageGen 12:14–20

Pharaoh’s house, great strokes and “take and go”

Saysוַיִּרְאוּ הַמִּצְרִים (“and the Egyptians saw”; the lexicon’s “Egyptian”). In 12:15 שָׂרֵי פַרְעֹה (“the officials of Pharaoh”) has the consonants of “Sarai.” וַתֻּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה בֵּית פַּרְעֹה is “and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh” (BSB “the palace of Pharaoh”). In 12:16 הֵיטִיב בַּעֲבוּרָהּ (“he did well on her account”) answers 12:13. The Hebrew order is צֹאן־וּבָקָר וַחֲמֹרִים וַעֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחֹת וַאֲתֹנֹת וּגְמַלִּים: sheep, cattle, he-asses, slaves, slave women, she-asses, camels; BSB regroups them.
Saysוַיְנַגַּע יְהוָה אֶת־פַּרְעֹה נְגָעִים גְּדֹלִים is “and the Lord struck Pharaoh with great strokes,” verb and noun from one root (the lexicon: “stroke, metaph., esp. of a disease, regarded as sent by a divine chastisement”), עַל־דְּבַר שָׂרַי אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם (“on account of Sarai, Abram’s wife”). In 12:19 קַח וָלֵךְ (“take and go”) echoes 12:1. 12:20 has וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ (“and they sent away”).
ImpliesShe was taken into Pharaoh’s house, and the Lord protected Sarai and Abram.
UncertainHow far Pharaoh took her is not said beyond וָאֶקַּח אֹתָהּ לִי לְאִשָּׁה (“and I took her to me as wife”). Whether the episode shows a failure of faith or foreshadows the Exodus plagues and sending out is read both ways. No lean is taken here.

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