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Genesis 12
The call of Abram

The twelfth chapter marks a turning point: the LORD calls Abram to leave his country and promises to make him a great nation, in whom all the families of the earth will be blessed. Abram sets out for Canaan, builds altars there, then goes down to Egypt because of a famine.

Text: World English Bible (public domain). Titles, introduction and illustrations: Imago Biblia.

Verses 1–3

“Leave your country”

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.

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 treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

At night in Haran, Abram stands alone before his tent under a vast starry sky, his hand on his heart, as a gentle light falls on him.

Verses 4–5

Abram's journey

So Abram went, as the LORD had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. They entered into the land of Canaan.

Painted map of the Fertile Crescent: a dotted path leaves Ur near the Persian Gulf, goes up the Euphrates to Haran, down into Canaan and on to Egypt.

Verses 6–9

The altar by the oak of Moreh

Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites were in the land.

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

He left from there to go 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 the LORD and called on the LORD’s name.

Abram traveled, still going on toward the South.

In the hills of Canaan, beside a huge oak, Abram kneels before the stone altar he has just built; Sarai, Lot and the flocks are close by.

Verses 10–16

Famine and Egypt

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.

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.

It will happen that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.

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.”

When Abram had come into Egypt, some Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.

The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

Before an Egyptian palace, two officials escort the veiled Sarai to the entrance while a worried Abram receives sheep, oxen and camels.

Verses 17–20

“Take her, and go your way!”

The LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.

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?

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.”

Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had.

In a pillared hall, an angry Pharaoh points Abram and Sarai to the door; outside, the servants are already gathering the flocks to leave.

Genesis 12The call of Abram