Bible Commentaries
Genesis 12

Verse 1

12:1 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 hundred and twenty-three years.

(b) In appointing him no certain place, he proves so much more his faith and obedience.

Verse 2

12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be {c} a blessing:

(c) The world shall recover by your seed, which is Christ, the blessing which they lost in Adam.

Verse 5

12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the {d} 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.

(d) Meaning servants as well as cattle.

Verse 6

12:6 And Abram {e} passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the {f} Canaanite [was] then in the land.

(e) He wandered to and fro in the land before he could find a settling place: thus God exercises the faith of his children.

(f) Which was a cruel and rebellious nation, by whom God kept his in continual exercise.

Verse 7

12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he {g} an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

(g) It was not enough for him to worship God in his heart, but it was expedient to declare by outward profession his faith before men, of which this altar was a sign.

Verse 8

12:8 And he removed from {h} thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, [having] Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an {i} altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

(h) Because of the troubles that he had among that wicked people.

(i) And so served the true God, and renounced all idolatry.

Verse 9

12:9 {k} And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

(k) Thus the children of God may look for no rest in this world, but must wait for the heavenly rest and quietness.

Verse 10

12:10 And there was a {l} famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine [was] grievous in the land.

(l) This was a new trial of Abram’s faith: by which we see that the end of one affliction is the beginning of another.

Verse 13

12:13 Say, I pray thee, thou [art] my {m} sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

(m) By this we learn not to use unlawful means nor to put others in danger to save ourselves, Genesis 12:20. Though it may appear that Abram did not fear death, so much as dying without children, he acts as though God’s promise had not taken place; in which appeared a weak faith.

Verse 15

12:15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was {n} taken into Pharaoh’s house.

(n) To be his wife.

Verse 17

12:17 And the LORD {o} plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.

(o) The Lord took the defence of this poor stranger against a mighty king: and as he is ever careful over his, so did he preserve Sarai.

Verse 20

12:20 And Pharaoh {p} commanded [his] men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

(p) To the intent that none should hurt him either in his person or goods.