Old Testament Commentary - Genesis 12

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 12 Abram shall become a great nation—He and his seed shall bless all the families of the earth—He travels from Haran to the land of Canaan—Because of famine he goes down into Egypt—Abram and Sarai tested in Pharaoh's court.
1 NOW the LORD had ^asaid unto ^bAbram, ^cGet thee out of thy ^dcountry, and from thy ^ekindred, and from thy ^ffather's house, unto a ^gland that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a ^agreat ^bnation, and I will ^cbless thee, and make thy ^dname great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will ^abless them that bless thee, and ^bcurse him that ^ccurseth thee: and in thee shall all ^dfamilies of the earth be ^eblessed.		1^a TG Creation ^b Isa. 45:12; D&C 29:36; D&C 38:1; D&C 45:1; Moses 3:1; Abr. 5:1 2^a OR done ^b HEB stopped, ceased; from the verb shavat, the noun shabbat (Engl. Sabbath) means a stopping of cessation; D&C 77:12; Moses 3:2; Abr. 5:2 (1-3); TG Rest ^c TG Industry 3^a TG Sabbath ^b Ex. 20:11; Mosiah 13:19 (16-19); D&C 77:12; Moses 3:3 (1-3); Abr. 5:3 (1-3); TG Sacred ^c Ex. 31:17 ^d OR created through working
4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was ^aseventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 5 And Abram took ^aSarai his wife, and ^bLot his ^cbrother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had ^dgotten in ^eHaran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.		1^a TG Creation ^b Isa. 45:12; D&C 29:36; D&C 38:1; D&C 45:1; Moses 3:1; Abr. 5:1 2^a OR done ^b HEB stopped, ceased; from the verb shavat, the noun shabbat (Engl. Sabbath) means a stopping of cessation; D&C 77:12; Moses 3:2; Abr. 5:2 (1-3); TG Rest ^c TG Industry 3^a TG Sabbath ^b Ex. 20:11; Mosiah 13:19 (16-19); D&C 77:12; Moses 3:3 (1-3); Abr. 5:3 (1-3); TG Sacred ^c Ex. 31:17 ^d OR created through working
6 ¶ And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem^a, unto the plain of Moreh. And the ^aCanaanite was then in the land. 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram^a, and said, ^aUnto thy ^bseed will I give this ^cland: and there builded he an ^daltar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.	6^a Sichem This is Sechem or Shechem which was situated in the plains of Moreh. This 'plain (or oak) of Moreh' is probably the same district 'Moriah' where was found the mountain on which Isaac was offered in sacrifice (Genesis 22:2). The nearest mount is Mount Gerizim though Mount Ebal is only a third of a mile distance. Mount Gerizim is the place where instructions are given that a blessing should be 'set' on Mount Gerizim and a curse on Mount Ebal (Deut. 11:29; 27:12; Josh. 8:33). Jotham's parable was delivered from Gerizim (Judg. 9:7). Joseph's tomb in located in this area (Josh. 24:32). Rehoboam came to this location to be crowned (1 Kgs. 12:1; 2 Chr. 10:1). Shechem is associated with Mount Ephraim. It is where Joshua called the elders of Israel for their heads adn judges and officers to be presented before God (Josh. 24:1). The old location of the tabernacle was mid-way between Shechem and Bethel, the two sights of the alters and visions of Abraham and Jacob. The Samaritian Temple site is there at Shechem. Jacob's Well is at ancient Shechem, the sight where the Savior met with and spoke with the women at the well (John 4:1-42). As can be seen, there is great significant relavance to this sight. The 'tradition' that Mount Moriah was the same as the hill on which Solomon built the temple was not recorded until Josephus first records it as such. This is well within the time periodd where the Jewish traditions attempt to take over everything and make it all relate to the Jewish perspective. 7^a the LORD appeared unto Abram The LORD had previously appeared unto Abraham in response to the prayer of Abraham and Lot in Haran (See Abraham 2:6-13) and there presented Abraham with the promises and blessings that would be given as well as introducing Himself as Jehovah (see particularly verse 8). Thus when the LORD appears unto Abraham near Bethel,	1^a Gen. 10:18 (15-19); Gen. 13:7; Moses 7:7 (7-8); Abr. 1:22 (21-25); Abr. 2:18; Joseph's Land When removed from the Jewish perspective to the perspective of Joseph, Ephraim and the Covenant of Abraham all being centered in and about Shecham, one must truely consider that Ephraim was named as the Firstborn in Israel. It was from Mount Gerizim that Abraham proclaimed the name of his alter as being 'Jehovah-Jireh', meaning 'The Lord will provide'. From the land of Abraham, Jacob, Jospeh and Ephraim, is the provision of redemption given through the Promised Covenant of the Fathers, that Covenant which included from before the foundation of the earth the promise of Messiah, even Messiah ben Joseph who is the same as Messiah ben David (See Messiah ben Joseph ~ Messiah ben David).
8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of ^aBeth-el, and pitched his tent, having ^bBeth-el on the west, and ^cHai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and ^dcalled upon the ^ename of the LORD. 9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
10 ¶ And there was a ^afamine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he ^asaid unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: 12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. 13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my ^asister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
14 ¶ And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians ^abeheld the woman that she was very fair. 15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. 16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
17 And the LORD ^aplagued Pharaoh and his house with great ^bplagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. 18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast ^adone unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 19 Why saidst thou, She is my ^asister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. 20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.