Genesis 12: The Call and Promise to Abram
God calls Abram to leave his homeland, promising to make him a great nation and bless all families through him.
Genesis 12 (WEB)
1 Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.
2 I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.”
4 So Abram went, as Yahweh had spoken to him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran.
5 Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls whom they had gotten in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. Into the land of Canaan they came.
6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. The Canaanite was then in the land.
7 Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your seed.” He built an altar there to Yahweh, who appeared to him.
8 He left from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and called on Yahweh’s name.
9 Abram traveled, going on still toward the South.
10 There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land.
11 When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.
12 It will happen, when the Egyptians will see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.
13 Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”
14 When Abram had come into Egypt, Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
15 The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.
16 He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17 Yahweh plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
18 Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?
19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”
20 Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they brought him on the way with his wife and all that he had.
Genesis 12 (KJV)
1 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:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
7 And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth–el, and pitched his tent, having Beth–el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.
9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.
11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.
16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
17 And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.
18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.
Genesis 12 (ASV)
1 Now Jehovah said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee:
2 and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing:
3 and I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram went, as Jehovah had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Shechem, unto the oak of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
7 And Jehovah appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto Jehovah, who appeared unto him.
8 And he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto Jehovah, and called upon the name of Jehovah.
9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.
10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land.
11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
12 and it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee.
14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
15 And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.
16 And he dealt well with Abram for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels.
17 And Jehovah plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
19 why saidst thou, She is my sister, so that I took her to be my wife? now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
20 And Pharaoh gave men charge concerning him: and they brought him on the way, and his wife, and all that he had.
Summary
Yahweh calls Abram to leave his country, relatives, and father's house for a land he will be shown, promising to make him a great nation, to bless him, to make his name great, and to bless all the families of the earth through him. Abram obeys at seventy-five, taking Sarai, Lot, their possessions, and people to Canaan. At Shechem Yahweh appears and promises the land to Abram's seed, and Abram builds altars at Shechem and near Bethel, calling on Yahweh's name. When famine drives him to Egypt, Abram fears for his life and asks Sarai to say she is his sister. Pharaoh takes her into his house and treats Abram well, but Yahweh afflicts Pharaoh's household with plagues. Pharaoh rebukes Abram, restores Sarai, and sends them away, yet God's promise and protection remain intact.
Main Characters
- Abram — The man God calls and blesses, who obeys by leaving his homeland yet stumbles into fear and deception in Egypt.
- Yahweh — The God who calls Abram, promises blessing for all nations through him, and protects his purposes even when Abram fails.
- Sarai — Abram's wife, whose beauty leads to danger in Egypt and whom God protects by afflicting Pharaoh's house.
- Pharaoh — The Egyptian king who takes Sarai unknowingly, is plagued by God, and then rebukes and releases Abram.
Key Verse
Genesis 12:2-3 (WEB)
I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.”
Lessons Learned
- God's call often requires leaving the familiar to follow him into the unknown.
- God's promises are gracious gifts meant to bless not only us but others through us.
- Worship and calling on God's name mark the life of one who walks with him.
- God remains faithful to his promises even when his people stumble in fear and weakness.
- God's call invites costly obedience. Yahweh tells Abram to leave his country, relatives, and father's house for a land yet unseen, requiring faith to step out (Genesis 12:1, WEB).
- God blesses his people to bless others. God promises that all the families of the earth will be blessed in Abram, revealing a purpose far beyond one man (Genesis 12:3, WEB).
- Faith answers God's word with action. So Abram went, as Yahweh had spoken to him, demonstrating that real faith obeys even without seeing the destination (Genesis 12:4, WEB).
- A worshiping life marks the believer. Abram builds altars and calls on Yahweh's name as he journeys, weaving worship into the fabric of his pilgrimage (Genesis 12:8, WEB).
- Fear can lead even the faithful to compromise. Fearing for his life, Abram asks Sarai to say she is his sister, showing how fear erodes trust and integrity (Genesis 12:13, WEB).
- God guards his promises despite our failures. When Abram's scheme endangers Sarai, Yahweh plagues Pharaoh's house to protect her and preserve his plan (Genesis 12:17, WEB).
- What does God promise Abram, and what is Abram asked to do in response (Genesis 12:1-3)?
- How does Abram demonstrate faith and worship as he travels through the land (Genesis 12:7-8)?
- Why does Abram resort to deception in Egypt, and what does this reveal about his struggle with fear?
- What is God calling you to leave behind in order to follow him more fully?
- How does God's faithfulness to Abram despite his failure encourage you when you fall short?
- God promises to make Abram a great nation, to bless him, make his name great, and bless all families of the earth through him; Abram is asked to leave his country, kindred, and father's house for an unknown land in trusting obedience.
- Abram builds an altar at Shechem where Yahweh appears, then another near Bethel where he calls on Yahweh's name. His travels are punctuated by worship, showing a life oriented toward God even as a pilgrim.
- Driven by famine to Egypt and fearing he will be killed for Sarai's beauty, Abram asks her to claim to be his sister. It reveals that even a man of great faith can let fear override trust and lead him into deception.
- Personal: invite members to name attachments, comforts, or securities God may be calling them to release. Encourage a posture of trust that follows God before the whole path is clear.
- Personal: reassure members that Abram's lapse did not cancel God's promise; God intervened to protect his plan. Encourage them that God's faithfulness is greater than our failures and he will complete what he begins.