Tag: Lot

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Genesis Chapter Fourteen, War in The Plains of Shinar!

[1] And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;
[2] That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
[3] All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
[4] Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
[5] And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
[6] And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness.
[7] And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar.
[8] And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;
[9] With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.
[10] And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.
[11] And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
[12] And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
[13] And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eschol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
[14] And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
[15] And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
[16] And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
[17] And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.
[18] And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
[19] And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
[20] And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
[21] And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
[22] And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
[23] That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
[24] Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

Commentary on Genesis Chapter Fourteen

As we enter upon the history of the ancient world events found here, it would appear that this chapter is somewhat out of place in the Scriptural narrative . Until this point we have been observing the line of the families which will ultimately result in the earthly ministry of Jesus, The Messiah. Here we find the historical documentation of the first war recorded in the Bible. The kings which set about waging these campaigns number four. They are kings which dwell to the north of the fertile lands which are inhabited by the five cities of the plains that included Sodom and Gomorrah.

As do many of these ancient conflagrations , this one began with rebellion over an annual tribute, a tax if you will, that the subjects of Chedorlaomer had been required to deliver unto him for twelve years. In a rage of fury this king cobbles together an alliance with three other rulers who combine to form one massive army under his command. Of note to us among them there is one king in this text called Amraphel king of Shinar. In the study of Scripture, I often find that God’s people stumble over the lack of knowledge of the many names, which we find listed in a given chapter, because they seem to just be a needless record of people that we care nothing about. That is an unfortunate thing , for these names, like the names in the geneological records found throughout Scripture, are inportant in establishing the truth and accuracy of the Scriptures, as well as identifying the time frames for the existence of the individuals which are so very important in Biblical history.

One such name is Amraphel king of Shinar. For many years some scoffers doubted that this man even existed since there was , they would claim , “no extra biblical evidence” to document such existence. That claim is negated by the tracing back of the origin of this king who , by the way, just happens to be one of the most highly regarded figures in Ancient Sumerian history. The linguistics involved in such a tracing lead us to the name of The Ancient Law Giver, Ḫammurabi! It was he who codified the first set of laws into written form which today is known by those who study ancient history as the Code of Ḫammurabi!

In this chapter therefore we come face to face with the concept that Abram was in fact a contemporary of this man because we are told here that he made war against him! There is also evidence that this man , Ḫammurabi!, was in fact the Nimrod of Genesis ten. He is also therefore the central character in the famed Epic of Gilgamesh, for Nimrod and Gilgamesh are believed to be one and the same ! It all fits together if careful study is undertaken.

These things make for fascinating study in their own right, but what does this have to do with the ongoing revelation of God which is the central theme of The Scriptures? We encounter these wars because Lot, Abram’s kinsman, will be the cause of Abram being drawn into the frey as he attempts to rescue his nephew. We find Lot and his family now entrenched in the city of Sodom as we read this chapter. In setting the stage we find written the following.

“[1] And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;
[2] That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
[3] All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
[4] Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
[5] And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
[6] And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness.
[7] And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar.”

(Genesis 14:1-7)

The success of the kings from the north is evident as you see the listing of the many peoples which they subdued before they even got to their intended targets! The course of attack was directly down a well known route in the Ancient World called the Kings Highway. This was perhaps the most well used trade route in that part of the world. The plunder attained by this approach would have been extensive and massively valuable.

As a defense strategy, it would appear that the five cities of the plain had sought to draw the armies of the north into the murky, boggy, slime pits, which were prevelent in the area between the two armies, and slaughter them as they bogged down in the mire of that land.

It did not work.

We are told the following.

“[8] And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;
[9] With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.
[10] And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.”

(Genesis 14:8-20)

It is now told unto us why all of these things are recorded here. Among the spoils of war, which woud have been added to the vast treasure trove that was accumulated along the way , these four victorious kings took the spoils that Sodom and Gomorrah and the other cities of the plain held. Among these were several people who would be either sold or made slaves of the kings who were victorious. One of these was Lot, Abram’s kinsman.

It is written.

“12] And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
[13] And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eschol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.”

( Genesis 14:12-13)

Let us remember that the only reason Lot was there was his lust and greedy desire to expand his holdings as we saw when he chose what appeared to be the best part of the land for himself to the exclusion of Abram. How gracious is the action of Abram in the following verses where we find written;

“14] And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
[15] And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
[16] And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

(Genesis 14:14-16)

Two things stand out here. The first is that Abram must have been a very wealthy man to be able to mount an army of the servants from within his own household. Also, as you read carefully the account of his involvement in this war it becomes apparent that Abram, who was in his mid eighties by most accounts , was a master strategist. He defeated the kings which five combined armies could not stop, and he did so with a vastly smaller numerical force of soldiers!

Knowing the things we have looked at is important. It grants unto us the greater abillity to grasp what we are about to observe as Abram encounters two different figures while making his way home. One of these will place a great temptation in the path of Abram. The other I believe to be God Himself who has come to commune with Abram. It is written before us.

“[17] And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.
[18] And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
[19] And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
[20] And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
[21] And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.”

(Genesis 14:17-21)

Here we first meet a most mysterious character named Melchizedek. He does not show up in too many other places in the Scriptures , yet I hold Him to be of the utmost importance when read the Bible. He is mentioned in only one other Old Testament Passage which is Messianic by nature. In Psalms 110 verse four we find this written.

“The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”

(Psalms 110:4)

I would suggest reading that entire Psalm to grasp this Messianic character of what is there. There is much to say in the New Testament concerninig this mystarious one which can be found in The Epistle to the Hebrews. The seventh chapter in particular speaks of Him. In that passage we discover the following things concerning Him.

  • He is called the Priest of The Most High God again (Hebrews 7:1)
  • He is called The King of Righteousnes ( Hebrews 7:2)
  • He is referred to as The King of Peace ( Hebrews 7:2)
  • Abram gave a tenth of all which he had acquired during this war.( Hebrews 7:2)
  • He was without Father or Mother (Hebrews 7:3)
  • He had no record of descent, that is He had no Geneological record, (Hebrews 7:3)
  • He had no beginning of days (Hebrews 7:3)
  • He had no end of life ( Hebrews 7:3)
  • He was not from the tribe of Levi! (Hebrews 7:9-10)

This listing is only a partial enumeration of what is spoken of this “man” whom Abram encountered. This is a Priest of The High God who appears long before the law under which the priesthood pertaining to Israel under Moses was created. Yet He is titled, and recognized by Abram to be, The Priest of The Most High God. What man could meet all of these characteristics? The obvious answer is none! This is God , in the form of a preincarnate apppearance of Jesus Christ!

Look at the passages relating to this encounter closely and you will see that Melchizedek comes forth to meet Abram bringing the elements of communnion, which were used in the last supper recorded in The New Testament Gospel Accounts , which were bread and wine! Also note that it was Melchizedek which first encountered Abram. The second encounter, with the king of Sodom, was nothing like this first meeting. To understand what was going on here it is important to grasp the following.

It was customary in the days of these events for those who had triumphed in battle to divide the spoils which had been acquired among themselves as they saw fit. This did include people taken captive as well as all else. Knowing that such was the expected custom , The king of Sodom attempted to assert his claim to a portion of the loot, but also shrewdly set forth a proposition which revealed his debauched character. It is written.

“[21] And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
[[21] And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
[22] And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
[23] That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
[24] Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.
[24] Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

(Genesis 14:21-24)

The King of Sodom wanted the people for nefarious purposes more than he wanted the wealth which was signified by all of the gold , silver, and precious stone or other items within the booty. The filthy, debased, abuse and misuse of people in the history of the five cities of the plains is legendary. Some have said it is beyond comprehenion of the civilized mind. What is before us is something akin to that damnable practice of human trafficking which we fight in this our day. The temptation, which would have been made even more alluring by the presence of the great horde of spoils right before Abram, could very easily have caused a lesser man to cave to such a proposition.

Yet this was God’s man who but a few moments ago we found in close communion with God Himself. The disdain which Abram rightly displayed by refusing this proposition in the way he did was more than warranted. He wanted nothing to do with the Sodomites then or in the future. Recognizing that taking anything, anything at all, from this evil monarch would taint his reputation, by allowing the king of Sodom to claim that he had made Abram wealthy, was enough for Abram to vehemently refuse this offer. Let us be aware that in refusing this deal Abram was affirming his reliance upon, and faith in, The High God. It is written.

“[21] And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
[22] And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
[23] That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
[24] Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”

(Genesis 14:21-24)

Here is the secret of the magnificent character of Abram. He was beginning to trust The High God for all which he would receive in this life and not depend upon himself or others. This is a lesson that far too many Christians today never grow to understand as they walk through this life. As surely as Abram depended upon God for these things , we too who are the spiritual descendants of Abraham, ought to lean hard upon God who promises to meet our needs and desires through His magnificent supply!

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Genesis Chapter Thirteen, Lot Pitches His Tents Toward Sodom

[1] And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
[2] And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
[3] And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;
[4] Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
[5] And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
[6] And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
[7] And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
[8] And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
[9] Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
[10] And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
[11] Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
[12] Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
[13] But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
[14] And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
[15] For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
[16] And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
[17] Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
[18] Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Commentary on Genesis Chapter Thirteen

As we follow the life of this man, Abram, it becomes apparent that he is learning to worship this Great God who had called him out of the spiritual darkness which pervaded his birthplace, Ur of The Chaldees. It is easy to look at such a pillar of faith, as we now know him to have been, and lift him up in our thinking so that we fail to see his humanity. Abram was indeed a great man of faith, but he was most certainly a man just as you and I are.

He did have moments of doubt. He did have lapses in his trust in God. Yet he always found that the road to return unto God was open for him. At the beginning of this chapter, we find him walking that road which leads him back to the place of true worship of the One True God. It is written.

“And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
[2] And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
[3] And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;
[4] Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.”

(Genesis 13:1-4)

We are given a few details concerning this man which help us to discern the true nature of his character. He was a man of massive wealth. Wealth during the time of Abram was usually accepted as the aggregate sum of those items of value which were portable. Note that we are told that he had much gold and silver. He also had great flocks and herds. He was favored with a most beautiful wife who walked beside him. By all measurements which the world would use, this was a successful man! Take care to understand that Abram was one who chose to worship God in spite of his wealth and not in order to attain more, nor preserve what he already possessed. His journey took him back from Egypt to the altar which he had built in Bethel.

Note three things concerning the events before us. First take note that in his journeyings God had told him to leave his family members behind and go to the place of promise which God had prepared for him and all of his posterity. Why is this important? The fact that we find mention of his nephew, Lot, among the people who came back from Egypt tells us that he had not followed the commands of God in their totality. He had been practicing only partial obedience up to this point. The result of such a state of events is that there was strife among family members and their households so that it became necessary to part ways.

We are never told that Lot participated in the worship of God. We are told that his presence caused trouble. So often in our lives as we try to follow God, it is the members of our own families who become the greatest hindrances to such worship. I have seen many people that I have known over the years who have been shipwrecked in their faith by means of those who you would have expected to be among their greatest supporters. When God calls one to follow Him it is, sadly, far too often the case that family finds a reason to disapprove of the response of one who heeds that call. Most usually the conflict will arise concerning the clash of that which God desires, which is eternal in nature and expectation of reward, with the desires of some member of one’s family who is bound to the view of current things, which caters to the desires of the fleshly nature of man. It might be a mother or father who resists the idea that their son or daughter has been called for service as a missionary to a foreign society.

It might be a brother or sister who becomes jealous of the attention which is lavished upon the one called of God and therefore diverted from them. Whatever the reason for their objections you may be sure that it is rooted in a low view of God’s character and nature. They do not view God as being sovereign and having the full authority to direct His servants as He sees fit. Let us learn from Abram’s failure to fully separate from his family as he had been told to do by God. Such action always results in trouble of some sort.

In the case before us that trouble manifested itself through the “range wars “ which erupted between the herdsmen of Lot’s house and Abram’s household. Take note of the gracious efforts on behalf of Abram to make peace. It is written;

“And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
[7] And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
[8] And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
[9] Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”

(Genesis 13:6-9)

In the society of that day, it was customary for the elder relative of any family encounter to choose how matters of this nature would be settled. In this case that would be Abram, for he bien the uncle would have had the right of first choice. In order to make peace, however, and to prevent the strangers who dwelt alongside of these two households from perceiving them as weak, Abram graciously deferred the choice in this thing unto his nephew.

Lot wasted no time in taking what he thought was the best and most profitable portion of the land before them. His interest was strictly in the ability to advance his earthly status as we see by the following verses.

“And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
[11] Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
[12] Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
[13] But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.”

(Genesis 13:10-13)

In seeing only the allure to wealth, Lot failed to recognize the great and severe threat to the spiritual health of himself and all of his household. He placed them all adjacent to the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah without any mention of consulting with God. It is often the case that the pursuit of material wealth leads to giving God a back seat to any and all endeavors which are undertaken. Do not misunderstand me. There is nothing wrong in the possession of wealth in and of itself. When that becomes the thing which drives the direction of your life instead of the worship of God Himself your wealth has become an idol and taken the place of worship reserved only for God.

This is the status in which we see lot as he is revealed here before us. He has become an Idol worshipper. By contrast let us note that after Lot departed from Abram God once again spoke with Abram to reaffirm His covenant with Him. It is written;

“And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
[15] For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
[16] And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
[17] Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
[18] Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

(Genesis 13:14-18)

Note that as long as Lot was present God did not converse thus with Abram. Let us mark the lesson here which is that as long as sin is tolerated within our lives, no matter what the source, God will not bless us as He would wish to do. As we go throughout the scriptures, we will have this principle affirmed repeatedly. It is not that God cannot bring about blessings and abundance in our lives. It is rather that we have chosen to allow those things and associations into our lives which cause the flow of His blessings to cease.

There are several things noted in this affirmation which are relevant to the world situation of our day, my friend. Note the following components of this covenant.

  •  1. The land which Abram saw in every direction was given by God unto him.
    • 2. It was given as a perpetual inheritance to all of Abram’s progeny forever.
    • 3. The descendants of Abram would be innumerable.
    • 4. Abram was to traverse this land in every direction
    • 5. Abram responded immediately by removing his house from where Lot and he parted unto the plains of Mamre, which was the opposite direction that Lot had taken. This is important to note for in doing this he removed his household from the influence of the sinful lifestyle of the cities of the plain.
    • 6. When Abram had done as commanded the first thing he did was make provision for the worship of God by building an altar.

Let us ask ourselves what we are prone to do when facing those circumstances in life which require a decision from us as to the course of action we will take. Do we consider God first? Or rather do we calculate the benefits that we can see and touch before thinking of Him? It is sad but true that far too often lives have been ruined and the faith of many individuals has been shipwrecked due to such actions. Let us learn to model Abram in our consideration of events and in doing so allow God to take care of the results which we face.

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Genesis Chapter Twelve. A Man Called Abram Encounters God.

[1] Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
[2] And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
[3] And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
[4] So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
[5] 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.
[6] And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
[7] And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
[8] And he removed from 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 altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
[9] And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
[10] And there was a famine 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 said 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 sister: 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 beheld 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 plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.
[18] And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
[19] Why saidst thou, She is my sister? 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.

Commentary On Genesis Chapter Twelve

As we enter this chapter, we find that the world was in rebellion against God once more. The different ethnicities which sprang from the three sons of Noah had dispersed but not before the religion of ancient Babylon had taken hold. In addition to this there was one that had arisen which desired to be the ruler of the human race who was called by the title, Nimrod. The situation was such that it would seem that the worship of the One True God was a rarity among humanity.

Against this background we encounter a man called Abram. It is written.

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
[2] And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
[3] And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

(Genesis 12:1-3)

Embedded in these three verses which God spoke unto this man are four great promises upon which hangs the entirety of all of the following Scriptures. Look carefully and you will find the following things promised here.

  • Abram is promised a land which God will show him.
  • Abram is promised that God will make of him a great nation and cause his name to be made great in all the earth.
  • All who bless Abram and his descendants shall also be blessed while all who curse them shall themselves be cursed.
  • All of the families of the earth shall receive blessings which shall come through him.

It is well for one who would know the truths of Scripture to seek to understand in every passage how it relates to these promises. At times the issue will be the possession of the land that was promised. At other times the issue will be how the blessings which mankind has received down through the ages since these words were spoken by God have materialized. There are other instances where the direct context of a passage deals with the nations which have come from Abram. Take this to heart in your quest to understand God’s Scriptures and never forget that in all of these God is in the process of revealing Himself unto mankind.

In response to the calling of God, this man Abram, took action based upon faith and faith alone. This we are told in the epistle written unto the Hebrews. There we find the following written.

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
[9] By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
[10] For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

(Hebrews 11:8-10)

Take note of several things concerning the exercise of faith by this man. First note that the action he took was not based upon familiarity of the place, nor the circumstances, into which he was venturing. He began his journey by simply believing that as he went God would supply his needs and direct him every step of the way. This is how true faith works my friend. True faith is not dependent upon human rationalization nor sight of what may be instore when we are told to do a thing by God! Lest one might be tempted to place limitations or preconditions upon obedience to God let us examine the life of Abram which he possessed at the time he was called. It is written.

“So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
[5] 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.
[6] And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
[7] And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
[8] And he removed from 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 altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

(Genesis 12:4-8)

This was no man in his youth without any strings attached! Abram was 75 years of age when this call was entertained. Note that he was married and had long standing family obligations and relationships. He also appears to have amassed a certain degree of wealth and possessions which would have needed his attention. This man was certainly well established in a lifestyle of his choosing when God spoke to him. Think for a moment upon the many excuses he could have responded with unto God’s calling and note that he used none of them. We know from additional Scriptures that Abram was actually in Ur of The Chaldees when God summoned him, for in the Book of Acts it is written.

” And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
[3] And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
[4] Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
[5] And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.”

(Acts 7:2-5)

In his marvelous defense before the council Deacon Stephen began with the origin of his people and he clearly states that Abram dwelt in Ur. It was from this point that Abram departed yet when we see the events of Genesis twelve the place noted is Haran. The name of that place, by translation, means “crossroad “. You will note by a close examination of the events we are studying that the faith of Abram was a at first only partial obedience. Look closely and you will see the following things involved here.

  • Abram’s father and much of his extended family went out with him.
  • The entire party stopped at Haran.
  • They did not continue until Abram’s father died.
  • While in Haran they apparently conducted some business, for we are told that they had “obtained souls” and gathered substance there in verse five of this chapter.

Do not be overly critical of Abram. Remember that the prevailing religious practices of the place where he spent the first seventy-five years of life were predominantly that of pagan idol worship which would have been based upon the astrological worship of Ancient Babylon. To obey the voice of this “strange, new God ” was a tremendous act of faith upon his part, running contrary to everything he had been exposed to in his religious life. This is very important to note because this is in reality an action of repentance on the part of Abram. It is necessary to engage in such action if one truly chooses to follow God.

Far too often people attempt to compromise their commitment unto God by bringing some portion of their former religious beliefs into the experience of the new birth which thereby negates that experience entirely. Some claim that they are “Christian ” yet hold unto manmade doctrines which they claim are necessary to hold in addition to what God says. They may claim that a certain book must be adhered to because the Scriptures alone are not complete and sufficient for the task of bringing us closer to God.

Others will claim to be “Christian” but still hold that they must partake of certain rituals in order to be made clean before God. It may be the receiving of a certain sacrament, or the confession unto a priest in a private booth which they claim must be observed. In all of the cases I have noted here it is to be recognized that the origins of these binding things can be traced right back to the worship deployed by the Ancients of Babylon.

Abram left all of that behind and never returned to any such worship. His faith in God was placed solely in God and His revealed word. We are not told of anything which he added unto what God had said nor are we told of anything which he detracted from what God spoke in this encounter. The obtaining of the promises was linked solely unto his actions undertaken by faith alone. In the Scriptures it is written.

  • “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
    [2] For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
    [3] For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
(Romans 4:1-3)

it is also written.

“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
[2] This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
[3] Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
[4] Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
[5] He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
[6] Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
[7] Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
[8] And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
[9] So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

(Galatians 3:1-9)

and once more you will find.

” Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
[20] But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
[21] Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
[22] Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
[23] And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”

(James 2:19-23)

Through the exercise of faith, the aforementioned promises made by God were sought as the obvious endowment which Abram was to receive. Has God kept his covenants with this man? Some would say He has not! As we examine the promises made, we find that God did indeed make of him a great nation. God did indeed bless the whole earth through the coming of Jesus, The Christ, who died and was resurrected for our sins. God also blessed the entire earth through giving all families the Scriptures, which came through the Jewish peoples but are for all men everywhere, that we would know His intention and plan for our redemption.

The name of Abraham is revered among three separate belief systems upon the earth to this day! The Jewish religion, that of Islam, and certainly that of Christianity, all hold this name in very high regard. Those who contend that God has not kept His covenants always point to the absence of the Jewish people from the vast land which was promised in this chapter. To do this it is necessary for one to believe that God must operate upon a timeline which they have established. A very important word comes into play when discussing the land which in fact belongs to Israel but is not currently occupied by them. That word is the little three letter word, “yet.“.

God’s timing is independent of ours. He does not answer to me, nor to you, concerning when He chooses to exercise certain facets of His sovereign direction of the universe which He owns by right of creation. When the necessary preparations are made and the circumstances are aligned according to His will, what He has said He will do, He does.

In the case of Abram, it was needful that God call him out of his birth environment. One might ask why this was so and that would be a legitimate question. Consider the conditions of the world of humanity at that time. Mankind had slipped into rebellion against God once more. The worship of idols and things created in place of the Creator Himself was rampant. Lest we forget, Nimrod was on a rampage intent upon world domination during this period. Something new was called for to draw mankind back unto Himself. That something new … was the calling out of Abram through whom He could execute His Master Plan.

Those who question all the historical accuracy of these events were quieted when a Bedouin shepherd boy named Muhammed ed-Dib, who was dwelling in the Bethlehem at the time, threw a rock into a cave in the hills of the Judean desert in the year of 1947. Hearing the sound of breaking pottery, he decided to investigate, and this was the earliest discovery of what are now known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Among the earliest of these which the scholars were able to acquire and examine is one which contains a commentary written upon chapters 12, 13, 14, and 15 of the book of Genesis. The events which we are reading about here were confirmed by this ancient writing which God concealed for nearly two thousand years.

The truth of the covenants made herein between God and Abram have significant ramifications for the world in which we find ourselves today. The exploration of Canaan by Abram was obviously incomplete, but it is central to the narrative of Scripture. The land of Canaan belongs unto Israel and at the appointed time Israel will dwell therein. Abram, in obedience unto God, walked throughout that land. However, as I have pointed out earlier the faith of Abram, while magnificent to ponder, was at times only a partial faith.

It is written.

“And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
[7] And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
[8] And he removed from 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 altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
[9] And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
[10] And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.”

(Genesis 12:6-10)

Abram DID walk to and from in the land as he was instructed. However, there came an incident that caused him to stumble a bit. There came a famine in Canaan. This must have been fairly severe, for in order to maintain the life of his herds, flocks, and his people he reasoned that it was necessary to journey in Egypt. There are two things which ought to be noted in this decision. One was that before making this choice Abram did not consult God. The second is that this man who had left all and gone into a strange land at God’s command, failed to trust the same God for the provision he needed to stay in that land.

It is a good thing to understand that Abram was very much human just as you and I are. He made mistakes and yet God was merciful and gracious unto him. What we are about to see needs to be viewed from the context of that great warfare between the serpent of Eden Satan, and The Creator and Sustainer of this universe. There is more here at stake than the immediate events which occurred. Just as Satan had tried to pervert the line of the coming Messiah before, he would attempt at this point to cause the plans for the redemption of humanity to go astray by the corrupting of that one woman who was to be the mother of Christ’s lineage, Sarai. It is written.

” And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said 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 sister: 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 beheld 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 plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.
[18] And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
[19] Why saidst thou, She is my sister? 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.”

(Genesis 12:11-20)

The beauty of Sarai caused Abram to stumble in that he formulated a lie in which he trusted which he asked her to agree to perpetuate. Is this not the man who is renowned as the rock of faith even now all around the world? Yes, it is he, my friend. Let us not be too harsh upon him for he is human as we are. Remember also that he is in that process of learning about the faithfulness of the God whom he has trusted.

In doing what he did, Abram placed Sarai at risk. He placed Pharoah and all his house at risk. He also placed the entire design of God’s redemption at risk, in a human sense, for this woman was to be the mother of the nation through which would come the tribe of Judah out of which The Messiah was to be born. Yet God saw to it that all of this worked for the highest good of humanity. The designs of God will not be thwarted by any entity which exists. Remember this, for when it looks all is about to be lost, that is the time to expect God to show Himself in might and power.

Pharoah was not to be faulted for his actions here, for he acted in accordance with the customs of that day by bestowing upon Abram what amounted to a huge dowry for Sarai. He did not simply take her as many lesser honorable men would have done. I hold that for this reason God plagued Pharoah and his house in such manner that the cause was evident unto Pharoah.

In his discourse with Abram, once again note that Pharoah reacted with an honorable response. He could have attempted to kill Abram and Sarai and their entire party for this deception which led to the plaguing of his household. He did not, but rather dispatched them on their way while allowing them to retain all that he had bestowed upon them. This was God at work in the heart of even a heathen king. let us note that the Scriptures tell us plainly that God does do this, for it is written.

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”

(Proverbs 21:1)

It is vital to not lose fact of the truth that when Abram ventured down into Egypt, he acquired among other things a certain slave girl named Hagar. While not mentioned here, she will become vital in coming chapters as we watch God work and as we watch the tendency of humanity, which will be out on display by Sarai, to desire to “help God along by use of our human reasoning and logic at times. However, that is for another time my friend.

For now, let us follow Abram as he journey’s back into Canaan and continues to follow God while he patiently awaits more direction and illumination concerning the promises, faithfulness, and very character of the God which had called him out of the world of paganism.

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