Genesis Chapter 12
The Ancestors of Shem: 11:10-23 God now narrows the field from all the nations, to the line which would become the nation of Israel. The rest of the Old Testament will deal primarily with God’s dealings with the descendants of Abraham. Kidner describes this section as “Towards the chosen people”. Concerning the genealogy in this section, Morris notes, “If there are no gaps in these chronologies, then Shem was still living at the time of Abraham, since he did not die until 502 years after the Flood. As a matter of fact, Abraham died thirty-five years before Shem! Even Noah lived after the Flood (Genesis 9:28), so that Abraham was fifty-years old when Noah died. Now none of these situations are impossible, but they do seem strange” (The Genesis Flood, p. 308). From other places in the Biblical record we know that the term “begat” does not necessarily denote a direct father-son relationship (compare Matthew 1:8 with 2 Chronicles 21-16). Hence the genealogy in this chapter may have some gaps in it. Observe that the human life-span is steadily decreasing from the pre-flood world to the time of Abraham (175) and Joseph (110). “More significantly, in view of the promised birth of Isaac, the age of parenthood has dropped to a point not far above its present level” (Genesis, Derek Kidner p. 111).
Terah: 11:26-32 The father was Abraham was Terah (TEE ruh). Since Terah died when Abraham was 75 (11:32; 12:4), it appears that Abraham was the youngest son of Terah and is placed first in this verse because of his prominence. Hence Terah’s first child was born when Terah was 70, and Abraham was born when his father was 130.
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Abraham’s brother Haran had died even before Abraham had left Ur (11:28), which means that Haran could have been quite a bit older than Abraham. The following is a breakdown of Terah’s family:
Terah
Nahor
Abraham
Bethuel
Ishamel/Isaac
Haran Iscah/Milcah/Lot Laban/Rebekah
Esau/Jacob
11:31 From other passages we will learn that God had called Abraham while he was living in Ur (Genesis 15:7; Nehemiah 9:7; Acts 7:2-3). Apparently, Terah decided to journey with his son. Joshua reveals that Abraham’s family had been idol worshippers at one time (Joshua 24:2; 15). The distance from Ur to Haran was approx., 600 miles. “Only two routes were really possible from Mesopotamia to Canaan: one crossed the great Arabian Desert, which would have been impossible for large flocks or herds; the other crossed the Fertile Crescent along the Euphrates, passed through a narrow desert of northern Syria, and followed the Orontes Valley south into Canaan” 1 The city of Ur is located half way between Bagdad and the Persian Gulf, a few hours southwest of the Euphrates River. During this period of time Ur was a very important city. “Ur was a town with a complex system of government and a well-developed system of commerce, one with writing in common use for the issue of receipts, the making of contracts, and many other purposes. There were town drains, streets, two-storied houses, a great temple tower (ziggurat), trade routes joining the town with other great towns to the north and the south” 2 This is the city from 1 2
Paradise To Prison: Studies In Genesis, John Jefferson Davis, p. 153 The Bible And Archaeology, J.A. Thompson, pp. 15-16
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which Abraham was first called (Genesis 11:31; Acts 7:2-4). It was located about 160 miles north of the Persian Gulf and 220 miles south of modern Baghdad. The ruins of this city are 10 miles west of the present course of the Euphrates River. During the time of Abraham, the city may have housed at many as half a million people. Ur was a religious city, a place of pilgrimage and a desired place of burial. “Throughout the history of Babylonia until the sixth century B.C., the sacred area linked to the great ziggurat was the most important temple area in Mesopotamia” 3 The chief god at Ur was the Moon-god. All of this agrees with the statement made by Joshua that the relatives of Abraham had been idol worshippers (Joshua 24:14-15). “Excavations of the royal cemetery from about 2900-2500 B.C., have revealed a surprisingly advanced culture, particularly in the arts of crafts. Uncovered were beautiful jewelry and art treasures, including head-wear, personal jewelry, and exquisite china and crystal” (Nelsons p. 1082).
Chapter 12 12:1 After the death of Terah, God now calls Abram in the city of Haran. Abraham would stay here until his father died (Genesis 11:31-32). From here, Abraham would be called once again by God to proceed further (12:1ff). The village of Haran is still an actual town to this day, and it is still called Haran and is located in southern Turkey. In ancient times this was an important station on the trade route between Mesopotamia to the Mediterranean. From Haran to Canaan is a distance of over 400 miles. The trade route which ran from Haran to Canaan, went “south to Tadmor and southwest to Damascus. From Damascus, he had at least three choices. He could have followed one trail that skirted the base of Mount Hermon and crossed the Jordan River north of Lake Huleh, near the river’s source. A second route crossed the Jordan about six miles north of the Sea of Galilee” 4 12:1-3 Abraham is given three basic promises which are played out in the rest of the Old Testament and New Testament. The promise of land (12:1), which land was given to the nation of Israel during the conquest (Joshua 21:43-45), and which Solomon ruled over (Genesis 15:18; 1 Kings 4:21). The promise that his descendants will become a great nation (12:2), which was fulfilled in the nation of Israel and all the nations will be blessed by one of Abraham’s descendants which was and still is being fulfilled in Jesus Christ and the preaching of the gospel 3 4
p. 603 The History And Geography Of The Bible Story, Bob And Sandra Waldron, p. 40
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message (12:3; Galatians 3:16). For Abraham’s response to this call see Hebrews 11:8ff. God calls Abraham, not when Abraham was young, but when he was in middle age. When he was prosperous, settled and comfortable! “There were welltrodden trade routes throughout these lands and we have no reason to think that Abraham left the usual roads when he made his journey….Not only were there great roads from Ur to Haran, but other roads connected northern Mesopotamia with the Mediterranean coast and with Palestine…It is interesting to discover that the towns visited by Abraham according to the Bible records lie today in the zone where the rainfall is between ten and twenty inches annually. This is the zone where sheep can live” (Thompson p. 21). Don’t let the comfort and security of your present position make you miss God’s plan for you! Hebrews 11:8
The Power of One Man Abraham was just one man, and though the land of Canaan was small in comparison with other nations and land, it would become a local point of history —as it continues to be today. Abraham was but one man, yet this one man continues to have an impact upon modern history.
The Time Period of Abraham From 1 Kings 6:1 we know that the Exodus had taken place 480 years prior to the fourth year of Solomon’s reign (931 B.C.), therefore the Exodus occurred around 1445 B.C. This means that Jacob’s family had arrived in Egypt 430 years before the Exodus (Ex. 12:40), or in the year 1875 B.C. Jacob was 130 when he entered Egypt (Gen. 47:9) and therefore had been born in 2005 B.C. Isaac was sixty when Jacob was born (Gen. 25:26), and Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born (Gen. 21:5). Therefore Abraham was born around 2165 B.C. 12:4 Lot was the son of Haran who had died in Ur (11:28,31), the nephew of Abraham. 12:5 The persons which “they” had acquired in Haran probably included various servants, though some say that Abraham had converted various individuals to belief in the true God.
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12:6 “Shechem”: Pronounced (SHEK uhm), is located at the eastern end of a pass between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim, some 40 miles north of Jerusalem. This city is mentioned in the Armarna Tablets and in some older Egyptian documents. The “oak of Moreh” (MOH reh), probably refers to a tree which was viewed as sacred by the Canaanites. Such supposed sacred trees or oak groves were common among the Canaanites. 12:7-8 Kidner notes, “The only structures he (Abraham) left behind him were altars: no relics of his own wealth” (p. 115). Even though the Canaanite was already in the land, and had built their shines in this land---God gives it to Abraham. At a supposed stronghold of other gods, God reveals Himself. “Indeed, when Abram died his only real estate was a cave he had bought for his family’s burials (Genesis 23:17-20)” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 47). Even during this time, Abraham was looking for a land which was beyond Canaan (Hebrews 11:16). Such altars spoke of communion with God, worship, and a reminder of God’s promises. Often built of stones they remained in place for years as a continual reminder of God’s existence and His promises. Part of Abraham’s faith was worshipping God regularly. 12:8 About 20-35 miles south of Shechem was the city of Bethel. Here Abraham pitched his tent on a hilltop between Bethel and Ai. Note how Abraham is continuing to call upon the Lord. He is placing all his confidence in God and seeking God’s counsel and guidance. While he is living in tents, he builds permanent altars for God. 12:9 “Negev” pronounced (NEG ev), is a word that means dry or parched. This word applies to an area west and south of the Dead Sea. “A dry region of some 4,500 square miles, stretching south from Beersheba to the Sinai highlands. Here there is pasturage for nomadic flocks and herds” 5
The Famine and Egypt 12:10 Abraham is not long in Canaan before the land seemingly fails him and his family. Famines were uncommon in Egypt, during Genesis three major famines are mentioned (12:10; 26:1; 41:56). “Canaan’s agriculture, unlike Egypt’s, was dependent upon rain” (Davis p. 175). Egypt was known as the bread-basket of the ancient world because of its abundant grain crops. 5
Eerman’s Handbook To The Bible, p. 136
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12:11 As Abraham nears Egyptian territory Abraham begins to manifest a lack of faith in God’s protection (12:3), and devises his own security system. “In enemy territory a husband could be killed for his wife. But if Abram were known as her brother, someone wanting her would have to make marriage arrangements with him” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 49). Even though Sarah is around 65 at this time, she is described as a beautiful woman. Hence, her sixties would be equivalent to our thirties or forties. “Certainly it is obvious that Sarai was no decrepit old lady at the age of 60” (Aalders p. 275). 12:13 Genesis 20:12 informs us that Sarai indeed was Abram’s sister—that is his half sister. They had the same father but different mothers. Yet the problem with a half-truth is that you end up telling the wrong half. And as we see here, lying only multiplies and complicates the problem. It may bring a short-lived deliverance, only to take us from the frying pan into the fire. At various times people will try to argue that in certain situations a lie might be necessary. Yet Davis reminds us, “God honors truth. It is presumptuous for a man ever to assume that circumstances might turn out badly if he does not lie. His faith in the providential care of God is weak” (p. 177). Such a weakness on the part of Abraham reveals: 1. He was not perfect and he was a human being just like any of us. 2. The Bible is completely honest, nothing is swept under the rug and neither is this a book of propaganda or only one side of the story. The Bible does not tell us the “legend of Abraham”, but the “life of Abraham”. 12:15-16 So much for human wisdom! Situation ethics does not deliver, rather it only further entangles us. Abraham is now in over his head. There are two basic assumptions with situation ethics, one is that people “assume” when the situation will end (in reality the situation never ends but only continues into other situations), secondly, people assume that the “end” will be a good end. So it looks like Abram has kept his life—the only problem is that he has lost Sarai in the process! “Abram got wealthy…but this bound Abram to an obligation from which he was not able to deliver himself. His scheme nearly lost him his wife, and without Sarai his promised blessing would be doomed” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 49). 12:17 We are not told the nature of these plagues but they must have been severe. Pharaoh evidently learned or was told the full truth about Sarah.
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12:18 What a contrast! The father of the faithful being rebuked by a pagan king! Unbelievers may not want all the truth, but they don’t like to be lied to either. 12:19-20 Evidently Pharaoh was too proud to take the gifts back and quickly had Abraham and Sarah escorted out of Egypt.
Closing Observations So much for rationalizations and trying to manipulate circumstances instead of trusting in God. Why is it that we insist on trusting in our own wisdom rather than in the promises of God? Situation Ethics isn’t spiritual or loving, rather it is a lack of faith, it is the wisdom of this world, a wisdom which is earthly, sensual and demonic (James 3:14-16). Morris notes, “As they journeyed back home, it must have been largely in embarrassed silence. Outwardly, of course, everything had gone well. They had not only escaped the Canaanite famine, but had come out of Egypt with increased goods. Sarai was still with Abram and neither had been injured in any way. If they had been worldly people, no doubt they would have been very selfsatisfied. But they were not. They had suffered a deep rebuke” (p. 300). There is another great lesson here. At times people will argue, “Well I bent the rules and everything worked out!” Everything physically worked out for Abraham only because God intervened! Lying didn’t save Abraham, God did! Yes, people sin and things work out, but not because sin solves the problem or delivers, but because God is merciful!
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