seventy and five. The Law was 430 years "after" this (Exodus 12:40 . Galatians 1:3 , Galatians 1:17 ). Abram 100 when Isaac born, and 105 when Isaac recognized as his "seed" (Genesis 21:12 ). This 25 + 5 explains the 400 years of Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6 . See note on Genesis 15:13 . read more
"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. And I will make of thee a great nation, I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee I will curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.""Jehovah said unto Abram ..." We are not informed as to the manner of God's communicating with Abram; but... read more
"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. 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.""And Lot went with him ..." Was this another error on the part of Abram? It surely could have been, because it was... read more
Genesis 12:1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, &c.— It is observable how Moses hastens over other events, to introduce the principal subject of his history; he comprises the history of the world, from the creation to the deluge, in six chapters, though that was a period of one thousand six hundred and fifty years; while he bestows on the history of Abram fourteen chapters, though it contains no longer space of time than one hundred and seventy five years. The reason is evident: he was not... read more
Genesis 12:2-3. I will make of thee a great nation, &c.— In these two verses the twofold covenant, or promise, is comprised. See note on ch. Genesis 9:9. 1st, The temporal one, in which God promises to make of Abram a great nation, "to multiply his posterity, and to render them famous; and by that means to make his name great, and himself both blessed and a blessing to others:" particulars, which have been eminently fulfilled, as in others of Abram's descendants, so peculiarly in the... read more
Genesis 12:4. So Abram departed— The Lord HAD commanded Abram, Gen 12:1 to leave his country; in consequence of which, with Terah his father, he came forward 120 miles from Ur to Haran (ch. Genesis 11:31.) on his journey: but being delayed there by Terah's death and other particulars, he now prosecutes his purpose; and, attended by his nephew Lot, and all the children and servants in dependance upon him, he undertook the long journey of more than three hundred miles, through the dangerous and... read more
1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram—It pleased God, who has often been found of them who sought Him not, to reveal Himself to Abraham perhaps by a miracle; and the conversion of Abraham is one of the most remarkable in Bible history. Get thee out of thy country—His being brought to the knowledge and worship of the true God had probably been a considerable time before. This call included two promises: the first, showing the land of his future posterity; and the second, that in his posterity all... read more
This section begins with a waw disjunctive in the Hebrew text translated "Now" in the NASB. It introduces an independent circumstantial clause (cf. Genesis 1:2). Probably the revelation in view happened in Ur. The NIV captures this with the translation "The Lord had said to Abram." So the beginning of chapter 12 flashes back to something that happened in Ur even though chapter 11 ends with Abram in Haran. Stephen’s statement in Acts 7:2 supports this interpretation. Stephen quoted the... read more
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E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 12:3
thee. To Abraham personally. See note on Genesis 50:24 . read more