New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Genesis 12
1
The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country and your people. Leave your father's family. Go to the land I will show you.
Reference
Parallel theme
Hebrews 11:8
Isaiah 51:2
Ezekiel 33:24
Isaiah 41:9
Revelation 18:4
References Lord
Nehemiah 9:7
Genesis 15:7
2 Corinthians 6:17
2
"I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you. I will make your name great. You will be a blessing to others.
Reference
Blessing
Genesis 18:18
Genesis 26:4
Genesis 24:35
Parallel theme
2 Samuel 7:9
Genesis 46:3
Genesis 35:11
Exodus 1:7
Genesis 13:16
Galatians 3:7
Sin
Galatians 3:14
3
I will bless those who bless you. I will put a curse on anyone who calls down a curse on you. All nations on earth will be blessed because of you."
Reference
Blessing
Galatians 3:8
Genesis 22:18
Genesis 27:29
Genesis 26:4
Genesis 28:14
Numbers 24:9
Genesis 18:18
Parallel theme
Galatians 3:16
Romans 4:11
Exodus 23:22
4
So Abram left, just as the Lord had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.
Reference
5
He took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot. They took all of the things they had gotten in Haran. They also took the workers they had gotten there. They set out for the land of Canaan. And they arrived there.
Reference
6
Abram traveled through the land. He went as far as the large tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the people of Canaan were living in the land.
Reference
📍 Locations
7
The Lord appeared to Abram at Shechem. He said, "I will give this land to your children after you." So Abram built an altar there to honor the Lord, who had appeared to him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 17:8
Galatians 3:16
Genesis 13:15
Genesis 32:30
References Lord
Genesis 17:1
Genesis 18:1
Exodus 33:1
Sacrifice
Genesis 13:4
Genesis 13:18
Genesis 26:25
8
From there, Abram went on toward the hills east of Bethel. He set up his tent there. Bethel was to the west, and Ai was to the east. Abram built an altar there and worshiped the Lord.
Reference
📍 Locations
Parallel theme
Nehemiah 11:31
Genesis 28:19
References Lord
Genesis 4:26
Genesis 21:33
1 Corinthians 1:2
Sacrifice
Genesis 13:4
10
At that time there wasn't enough food in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while.
Reference
📍 Egypt
Parallel theme
Genesis 43:1
11
As he was about to enter Egypt, he spoke to his wife Sarai. He said, "I know what a beautiful woman you are.
Reference
📍 Egypt
12
The people of Egypt will see you. They will say, 'This is his wife.' And they will kill me. But they will let you live.
Reference
13
Say you are my sister. Then I'll be treated well because of you. My life will be spared because of you."
Reference
14
Abram arrived in Egypt. The people of Egypt saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman.
📍 Egypt
15
When Pharaoh's officials saw her, they bragged to Pharaoh about her. Sarai was taken into his palace.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Genesis 20:2
16
Pharaoh treated Abram well because of her. So Abram gained more sheep and cattle. He also got more male and female donkeys. And he gained more male and female servants and some camels.
Reference
17
But the Lord sent terrible sicknesses on Pharaoh and everyone in his palace. He did it because of Abram's wife Sarai.
Reference
18
So Pharaoh sent for Abram. "What have you done to me?" he said. "Why didn't you tell me she was your wife?
Reference
19
Why did you say, 'She's my sister'? That's why I took her to be my wife. Now then, here's your wife. Take her and go!"
20
Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men. They sent him on his way. He left with his wife and everything he had.
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 21:1
Chapter Summary
Genesis 12 describes the beginnings of the central narrative about Abram, whom God will rename Abraham. The chapter starts by introducing the protagonist with God’s command to leave his country and family and go to the land that God will show him. God tells Abram that He will make him a great nation and that he will bring him into great blessing. God promises that he will make Abram’s name great that he himself will be a blessing, and that he will bless those who bless Abram (Genesis 12:1-3). The author emphasizes the universal significance of Abram’s story when he writes that God will bless “all peoples on the face of the earth” through Abram and that is what makes the promise special. What is more, the following chapters tell the story of how God fulfilled this divine promise.
Abraham obeyed the instruction of Almighty God and, together with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and the possessions that they had gathered in Haran, he went to Canaan. On his way to Canaan, Abram went through the territory of the Philistines and Hittites, which were occupied by the Canaanites. This remark seems significant to note because it characterizes Abram’s future encounters with the Canaanites in a new light. After arriving in Canaan, Abram went to the vicinity of the “great tree of Moreh” in Shechem (Genesis 12:6). It was there that God spoke to Abram for the second time, promising that He would give this land to his descendants. Abram built an altar to God in the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:7). After that, he continued his journey to Bethel, where he pitched his tents near Ai, built another altar and invoked the name of the Lord. Again, he headed to Canaan, and God spoke to Abram about making the promise of the land a second time.
God promised to bless His chosen people, but He also tested their devotion to him. A severe famine occurred in the land, and Abram decided to go to Egypt to stay safe while waiting for the good season to come. While Abram was traveling, he was afraid that the Egyptians would kill him because of his wife Sarai, whom he called his sister. He persuaded Sarai to say that she was his sister when the Egyptians would ask her, so that the people would let them live (Genesis 12:10-13).
However, Abram’s plan backfired because the lovely Sarai attracted the unwanted attention of the king of Egypt. When the mighty Pharaoh learned about Abram’s words, he invited Sarai to the palace, while Abram was honored with gifts of animals and goods (Genesis 12:14-16). However, God did not allow Sarai to stay in the palace because He brought terrible diseases to the household of Pharaoh. When the king learned the reason for his misfortune, he ordered the people to drive Abram and his belongings away (Genesis 12:18-19).
The Pharaoh rebuked Abraham for lying to him and told him to take his wife and leave. Pharaoh’s officers escorted Abram, wife, and his goods to the border. Thus, God blessed Abraham despite his lies and fears, but He punished the arrogant Pharaoh for treating Sarai as his property by bringing misfortune upon his household.
There is much to reflect on in this chapter of the Bible. Genesis 12 tells the story of God’s promise to bless Abram, who became Abraham. God promised to make Abraham’s name famous among all peoples, but Abraham was a fallible human being with fears and doubts. The readers see the story of how God tests Abraham and Sarai and how Abraham acted in times of trouble. He showed signs of a blessed man, gathering flocks, herds, and servants (Genesis 12:16). However, he acted out of fear and selfishness, convincing Sarai to lie to Pharaoh. Thus, Abraham does not always act like a man chosen by God, but later shows devotion to him. This character feature will become apparent to the readers as the narrative unfolds. Genesis 12 describes the beginning of Abram’s journey, during which God made a great promise to him. It laid the groundwork for the following chapters, which describe how God kept His word.
Abraham obeyed the instruction of Almighty God and, together with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and the possessions that they had gathered in Haran, he went to Canaan. On his way to Canaan, Abram went through the territory of the Philistines and Hittites, which were occupied by the Canaanites. This remark seems significant to note because it characterizes Abram’s future encounters with the Canaanites in a new light. After arriving in Canaan, Abram went to the vicinity of the “great tree of Moreh” in Shechem (Genesis 12:6). It was there that God spoke to Abram for the second time, promising that He would give this land to his descendants. Abram built an altar to God in the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:7). After that, he continued his journey to Bethel, where he pitched his tents near Ai, built another altar and invoked the name of the Lord. Again, he headed to Canaan, and God spoke to Abram about making the promise of the land a second time.
God promised to bless His chosen people, but He also tested their devotion to him. A severe famine occurred in the land, and Abram decided to go to Egypt to stay safe while waiting for the good season to come. While Abram was traveling, he was afraid that the Egyptians would kill him because of his wife Sarai, whom he called his sister. He persuaded Sarai to say that she was his sister when the Egyptians would ask her, so that the people would let them live (Genesis 12:10-13).
However, Abram’s plan backfired because the lovely Sarai attracted the unwanted attention of the king of Egypt. When the mighty Pharaoh learned about Abram’s words, he invited Sarai to the palace, while Abram was honored with gifts of animals and goods (Genesis 12:14-16). However, God did not allow Sarai to stay in the palace because He brought terrible diseases to the household of Pharaoh. When the king learned the reason for his misfortune, he ordered the people to drive Abram and his belongings away (Genesis 12:18-19).
The Pharaoh rebuked Abraham for lying to him and told him to take his wife and leave. Pharaoh’s officers escorted Abram, wife, and his goods to the border. Thus, God blessed Abraham despite his lies and fears, but He punished the arrogant Pharaoh for treating Sarai as his property by bringing misfortune upon his household.
There is much to reflect on in this chapter of the Bible. Genesis 12 tells the story of God’s promise to bless Abram, who became Abraham. God promised to make Abraham’s name famous among all peoples, but Abraham was a fallible human being with fears and doubts. The readers see the story of how God tests Abraham and Sarai and how Abraham acted in times of trouble. He showed signs of a blessed man, gathering flocks, herds, and servants (Genesis 12:16). However, he acted out of fear and selfishness, convincing Sarai to lie to Pharaoh. Thus, Abraham does not always act like a man chosen by God, but later shows devotion to him. This character feature will become apparent to the readers as the narrative unfolds. Genesis 12 describes the beginning of Abram’s journey, during which God made a great promise to him. It laid the groundwork for the following chapters, which describe how God kept His word.