Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God doesn't just tell Abram to leave, but commands him to leave "thy country," "thy kindred," and "thy father's house." This isn't a casual suggestion; it's a radical separation from everything familiar and safe, emphasizing that Abram's new life is wholly dependent on God's directive, not on his own earthly ties.
Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God calls Abram from his home, telling him to leave his country, family, and father's house for a land God will reveal. This command marks the beginning of Abram's journey of faith, setting him apart as the ancestor of a chosen people and the progenitor through whom all nations will eventually be blessed. The narrative immediately follows with Abram's obedience and God's confirmation of the promise, leading into their journey and the challenges they face.
Imagine receiving a divine directive to leave everything behind – your home, your family, your entire life as you know it. This wasn't just a suggestion; it was a command that demanded absolute trust.
God's call to Abram in Genesis 12:1 is one of the most pivotal moments in biblical history. It's not a gentle nudge but a radical summons.
A Complete Upheaval
This triple emphasis highlights the totality of the separation required. It wasn't about changing locations; it was about a fundamental shift in belonging and identity, all initiated by God's direct word.
God told Abram to go to a land He would show him. He didn't provide a map or a travel itinerary. Why this uncertainty?
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The phrase 'unto a land that I will show you' is more than just a geographical direction; it's a test of faith.
The Purpose of the Unknown
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The proper name of the God of Israel, the self-existent, eternal, covenant-keeping Creator who reveals Himself to His people. It signifies His holiness, sovereignty, and faithfulness to His promises.
This call wasn't just a geographical move; it was a radical uprooting, forcing Abram to trust God completely, even when circumstances (like famine and encountering hostile people) made the promise seem distant or impossible.
c. 2091 BC
Terah leaves Ur of the Chaldeans
Terah, Abram's father, leads his family, including Abram, out of Ur with the intention of going to Canaan, but they settle in Haran.
c. 2066 BC
Terah dies in Haran
Terah passes away in Haran, marking a point where Abram must take the lead.
c. 2066 BC— this verse
God calls Abram to leave Haran
The LORD speaks to Abram, commanding him to leave his country, relatives, and father's household for a land God will show him.
c. 2066 BC
Abram enters the land of Canaan
Abram, his wife Sarai, and nephew Lot journey into the land of Canaan, obeying God's command.
c. 2066 BC
Abram encounters Canaanites
Upon arrival, Abram finds the Canaanites already inhabiting the land, presenting an immediate challenge.
c. 2065 BC
Abram travels to Egypt due to famine
A severe famine forces Abram and his household to temporarily sojourn in Egypt, leading to a crisis involving Sarai.
This passage directly references Abraham's obedience to God's call, highlighting his faith in leaving his homeland without knowing its exact destination, echoing the core of Genesis 12:1.
Joshua 24:2-3This passage reveals that Abraham's ancestors, including his father Terah, were idolaters, providing the context and justification for God's command to Abraham to separate himself from his 'country and kindred' and 'father's house'.
Acts 7:3-4Stephen's sermon in Acts recounts God's initial appearance to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees, instructing him to leave his land and kindred, which directly illuminates the origin and timing of the call described in Genesis 12:1.
Galatians 3:16Paul's letter to the Galatians connects the promises made to Abraham, stemming from this foundational call, to Christ, showing how Abraham's departure was the first step in God's plan to bless all nations through a descendant.
calvinGenesis 12:1-20: "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:"
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.
Et cepit Abram Sarai uxorem suam, et Lot filium fratris sui, et omnem substantiam q…
gillGenesis 12:1: "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:"
Now the Lord had said unto Abram,.... In Ur of the Chaldees, before he came and dwelt in Charran, as seems from Acts 7:2 and so Aben Ezra interprets it; but Jarchi and others think, that what follows was said to him in Haran, and so the words may be more literally rendered (u), "and the Lord said unto Abram"; after the death of Tera…
God doesn't just tell Abram to leave, but commands him to leave "thy country," "thy kindred," and "thy father's house." This isn't a casual suggestion; it's a radical separation from everything familiar and safe, emphasizing that Abram's new life is wholly dependent on God's directive, not on his own earthly ties.
God calls Abram from his home, telling him to leave his country, family, and father's house for a land God will reveal. This command marks the beginning of Abram's journey of faith, setting him apart as the ancestor of a chosen people and the progenitor through whom all nations will eventually be blessed. The narrative immediately follows with Abram's obedience and God's confirmation of the promise, leading into their journey and the challenges they face.
God calls Abram from his home, telling him to leave his country, family, and father's house for a land God will reveal. This command marks the beginning of Abram's journey of faith, setting him apart as the ancestor of a chosen people and the progenitor through whom all nations will eventually be blessed. The narrative immediately follows with Abram's obedience and God's confirmation of the promise, leading into their journey and the challenges they face.
"Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you." — God doesn't just tell Abram to leave, but commands him to leave "thy country," "thy kindred," and "thy father's house." This isn't a casual suggestion; it's a radical separation from everything famil…
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Last reviewed October 2026