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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 12:1-3

We have here the call by which Abram was removed out of the land of his nativity into the land of promise, which was designed both to try his faith and obedience and also to separate him and set him apart for God, and for special services and favours which were further designed. The circumstances of this call we may be somewhat helped to the knowledge of from Stephen's speech, Acts 7:2; where we are told, 1. That the God of glory appeared to him to give him this call, appeared in such displays... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 12:3

And I will bless them that bless thee ,.... Not the priests only that should bless his children, the children of Israel, as the Targum of Jonathan, but all men of all nations, and of every age, that speak well of him, commend him for his faith and holiness, and tread in his steps, these are blessed with faithful Abraham, Galatians 3:7 . And curse him that curseth thee ; here is a change of numbers, before the plural, here the singular, denoting, it may be, that many would bless him,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 12:3

In thee - In thy posterity, in the Messiah, who shall spring from thee, shall all families of the earth be blessed; for as he shall take on him human nature from the posterity of Abraham, he shall taste death for every man, his Gospel shall be preached throughout the world, and innumerable blessings be derived on all mankind through his death and intercession. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 12:3

Verse 3 3.And I will bless them that bless thee. Here the extraordinary kindness of God manifests itself, in that he familiarly makes a covenant with Abram, as men are wont to do with their companions and equals. For this is the accustomed form of covenants between kings and others, that they mutually promise to have the same enemies and the same friends. This certainly is an inestimable pledge of special love, that God should so greatly condescend for our sake. For although he here addresses... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 12:1-5

Designed to trace the outward development of God's kingdom on the earth, the narrative now concentrates its attention on one of the foregoing Terachites, whose remarkable career it sketches with considerable minuteness of detail, from the period of his emigration from Chaldea to his death at Hebron in the land of Canaan. Distinguished as a man of undoubted superiority both of character and mind, the head of at least two powerful and important races, and standing, as one might say, on the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 12:1-5

The preparations of grace. We may call this the genesis of the kingdom of God. I. It is FOUNDED in the word of the Divine covenant, the faith given by Divine grace to individuals, the separation unto newness of life. II. The one man Abram gathers round him a small SOCIETY , kindred with him by the flesh, but bound to him doubtless by spiritual bonds as well. Tiros God has sanctified the family life by making it as the nidus of the spiritual genesis. When the new kingdom began... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 12:2-3

And I will make of thee a great nation . A compensation for leaving his small kindred. The nation should be great And I will bless thee . Temporally (Pererius, Murphy), with every kind of good (Rosenmüller), in particular with offspring (Vatablus); but also spiritually (Rupertus, Bush), in the sense; e.g; of being justified by faith, as in Galatians 3:8 (Candlish). The blessing was a recompense for the deprivations entailed upon him by forsaking the place of his birth and kindred... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 12:2-3

Sevenfold promises. I. OF THE FEE - INCARNATE JEHOVAH TO ABRAM . 1. A great inheritance. 2. A great posterity. 3. A great name. 4. A great blessing. 5. A great alliance. 6. A great defense. 7. A great influence. II. OF THE INCARNATE WORD TO HIS DISCIPLES . 1. The kingdom of heaven. 2. Divine consolation. 3. Inheritance of the earth. 4. Divine satisfaction. 5. Divine mercy. 6. The vision of God. ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 12:1-9

- The Call of Abram6. שׁכם shekem Shekem, “the upper part of the back.” Here it is the name of a person, the owner of this place, where afterward is built the town called at first Shekem, then Flavia Neapolis, and now Nablous. אלון 'ēlôn “the oak;” related: “be lasting, strong.” מורה môreh In Onkelos “plain;” Moreh, “archer, early rain, teacher.” Here the name of a man who owned the oak that marked the spot. In the Septuagint it is rendered ὑψηγήν hupseegeen.8. בית־אל bēyt-'êl, Bethel,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 12:3

Genesis 12:3. In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed This promise crowned all the rest; for it pointed at the Messiah, “in whom all the promises are yea and amen.” Now, with what astonishing exactness has God fulfilled these promises, and yet how unlikely it was, at the time they were made, that they should be fulfilled! Surely we need no other proof that the historian wrote by inspiration of God! read more

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