Wayfinding Bible - Flipbook - Page 26
20
Genesis 12
PG 16
DIRECT
PG 18
SCENIC
11:27–12:9
11:27–12:9
8
9
THE CALL OF ABRAM
After God confuses their language at Babel, the peoples of the world scatter
north, south, east, and west, establishing great nations throughout the ancient
world. They migrate to Asia Minor and Europe, Africa and Arabia, Mesopotamia
and as far north as the Caucasus Mountains. Nine generations of people are
born, live, and die before God once again intersects with humans. This time, he
appears to one special but very old man living in Mesopotamia—a man named
Abram. God makes a promise to him, and Abram accepts.
UR OF THE CHALDEANS
Gen 11:28
Ur was an important city in Mesopotamia,
established centuries before Abram was
born. It had a complex system of government and trade, as well as a writing system
that was used for issuing receipts, making
contracts, and drafting other legal documents. Sir Leonard Woolley’s excavation of
Ur in 1922–1934 disclosed that the civilization was highly developed. The city itself
contained streets, drains, two-story houses,
a temple tower, and roads linking it with
other cities in the region.
THE FAMILY OF TERAH
This is the account of Terah’s family. Terah
was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran;
and Haran was the father of Lot. 28 But Haran
died in Ur of the Chaldeans, the land of his
birth, while his father, Terah, was still living.
29
Meanwhile, Abram and Nahor both married.
The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the
name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah. (Milcah and
her sister Iscah were daughters of Nahor’s
brother Haran.) 30 But Sarai was unable to become pregnant and had no children.
31
One day Terah took his son Abram, his
daughter-in-law Sarai (his son Abram’s wife),
and his grandson Lot (his son Haran’s child)
and moved away from Ur of the C
haldeans.
He was headed for the land of Canaan, but
they stopped at Haran and settled there. 32 Te
rah lived for 205 years* and died while still in
Haran.
27
THE CALL OF ABRAM
12
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave
your native country, your relatives, and
your father’s family, and go to the land that
I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great
nation. I will bless you and make you famous,
and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will
bless those who bless you and curse those
who treat you with contempt. All the families
on earth will be blessed through you.”
4
So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was
seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 He
took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all
his wealth—his livestock and all the people he
had taken into his household at Haran—and
headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, 6 Abram traveled through the
land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp
beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area
was inhabited by Canaanites.
7
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and
said, “I will give this land to your descendants.*” And Abram built an altar there and
dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared
to him. 8 After that, Abram traveled south and
set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel
to the west and Ai to the east. There he built
another altar and dedicated it to the Lord,
and he worshiped the Lord. 9 Then Abram
continued traveling south by stages toward
the Negev.
ABRAM AND SARAI IN EGYPT
At that time a severe famine struck the
land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to
10
11:32 Some ancient versions read 145 years; compare 11:26 and 12:4.
12:7 Hebrew seed.
