Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse subtly highlights Abram's precarious position: he's literally "passing through" the land, not settling, and the Canaanites are already there, implying he's a foreigner in a land with established inhabitants. This detail underscores that God's promise of the land was not about immediate ownership but a future inheritance, tested by Abram's faith amidst an existing presence.
Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God has just called Abram out of his homeland and promised him a great nation and a land. Abram obeys and enters the land of Canaan, but he doesn't settle immediately. He travels through the land, reaching the area of Shechem, a significant place known for a prominent tree, where he makes a temporary camp. This journey immediately highlights that the promised land isn't empty; it's already occupied by the Canaanites, presenting Abram with a potential challenge and a test of faith right from the start.
God promises Abram a land, but when he arrives, it's already occupied by a people described as wicked and dangerous. How does this tension shape Abram's faith?
When Abram first enters Canaan, the text immediately notes that "the Canaanite was then in the land." This isn't just a historical detail; it's a crucial element in understanding Abram's journey of faith.
A Promised Possession, A Present Reality
God had called Abram to go "unto a land that I will shew thee" (Genesis 12:1). Yet, upon arrival, he finds it inhabited. The Canaanites were not just residents; they were a people known for their spiritual and moral corruption. This presented Abram with a significant challenge:
This immediate encounter with the Canaanites highlights that God's promises often unfold in complex realities. Abram's faith wasn't about arriving at an empty, perfect destination, but about learning to live faithfully in an imperfect, occupied world, trusting God for the future fulfillment of His word.
Ask a follow-up
Abram stops at Shechem, a significant place marked by a specific tree. Why is this location mentioned, and what does it reveal about Abram's interaction with God in this new land?
The specific mention of Shechem and the "oak of Moreh" isn't just geographical. It points to a significant moment where Abram transitions from simply arriving in the land to actively engaging with God within it.
Encountering God in a Pagan Landscape
Shechem, often described as a sacred place or shrine, became the site of Abram's first significant divine encounter after entering Canaan. The "oak of Moreh" may have been a landmark recognized by the Canaanites, possibly associated with their religious practices.
Shechem, therefore, marks a pivotal point where Abram, though in a land inhabited by others, experiences God's direct affirmation and responds with worship, setting a pattern for his faith journey as a pilgrim.
Understand the original words
Abram · Hebrew Noun (Proper)
A proper noun referring to the first patriarch of the Jewish people, chosen by God to be the father of a nation through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. His life serves as a primary model of faith and obedience to God’s call.
Shekhem · Hebrew Noun (Proper)
A prominent site in Canaan, historically significant as a place of religious encounter and later associated with the covenant renewal of God’s people. It signifies the place where God’s promises meet human geography.
Kena'ani · Hebrew Noun (Proper)
The inhabitants of the land of Canaan, generally characterized in the Bible by their idolatrous practices and resistance to the covenant purposes of God. Their presence highlights the challenge of living as a pilgrim in a land not yet fully possessed by faith.
c. 2000 BC - 1800 BC
Abrahamic Covenant Initiated
God calls Abram from Ur to leave his homeland and kin, promising to make him a great nation and bless the world through him. This marks the beginning of God's specific covenant relationship with Abram and his descendants.
c. 1900 BC— this verse
Abraham Enters Canaan
Abram, now in Canaan, journeys through the land and sets up camp near Shechem under the terebinth of Moreh. This is the first recorded instance of Abram's faith being tested in the promised land.
c. 1900 BC
Famine Drives Abraham to Egypt
A severe famine compels Abraham to sojourn in Egypt, leading to a crisis where he falsely claims his wife Sarah is his sister.
c. 1900 BC
Abraham's Return and Separation from Lot
After leaving Egypt, Abraham's wealth has increased. He later separates from his nephew Lot due to disputes between their herdsmen.
c. 1800 BC - 1700 BC
Period of Patriarchal Sojourning
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob live as semi-nomadic peoples within Canaan, often interacting with local Canaanite populations and facing various trials.
This passage directly follows Abram's journey and also mentions the Canaanite and Perizzite dwelling in the land, highlighting that Abram was entering a territory already inhabited by these groups.
Deuteronomy 7:1This verse speaks of the future conquest of the land of Canaan by the Israelites, explicitly naming the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites as the nations to be driven out, underscoring the presence of these peoples that Abram encountered.
Joshua 24:11This passage recounts historical events leading up to the Israelites' possession of the land, referencing the Amorites who possessed Jericho and the Canaanites who lived in the plains, confirming the inhabitants Abram found.
Hebrews 11:9This New Testament passage highlights Abram's faith, stating he lived as an alien in the promised land, dwelling in tents, emphasizing his status as a sojourner among the existing inhabitants, which is the context of Genesis 12:6.
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 12:6: "And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land."
And Abram passed through the land,.... Entering the northern part of it, as appears by his going southward, Genesis 12:9 he went on unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh; the place afterwards called Shechem, from a prince of that name in the times of Jacob; and so it was called when Moses wrote, and therefore, by way of anticipation, calls it s…
The verse subtly highlights Abram's precarious position: he's literally "passing through" the land, not settling, and the Canaanites are already there, implying he's a foreigner in a land with established inhabitants. This detail underscores that God's promise of the land was not about immediate ownership but a future inheritance, tested by Abram's faith amidst an existing presence.
God has just called Abram out of his homeland and promised him a great nation and a land. Abram obeys and enters the land of Canaan, but he doesn't settle immediately. He travels through the land, reaching the area of Shechem, a significant place known for a prominent tree, where he makes a temporary camp. This journey immediately highlights that the promised land isn't empty; it's already occupied by the Canaanites, presenting Abram with a potential challenge and a test of faith right from the start.
God has just called Abram out of his homeland and promised him a great nation and a land. Abram obeys and enters the land of Canaan, but he doesn't settle immediately. He travels through the land, reaching the area of Shechem, a significant place known for a prominent tree, where he makes a temporary camp. This journey immediately highlights that the promised land isn't empty; it's already occupied by the Canaanites, presenting Abram with a potential challenge and a test of faith right from the start.
"Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land." — The verse subtly highlights Abram's precarious position: he's literally "passing through" the land, not settling, and the Canaanites are already there, implying he's a foreigner in a land with establ…
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Last reviewed October 2026