Genesis 12:6
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)
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The verse highlights that the Canaanites "were in the land" not just as inhabitants, but specifically that they occupied the very places Abram was passing through. This wasn't simply a passive observation; it underscores the immediate challenge and potential danger Abram faced, forcing him to rely solely on God's promise in a land already claimed by others.
God has just commanded Abram to leave his homeland and go to a land God will show him, promising to make him a great nation and bless the world through him. Abram obeys, packing up his family and possessions, and travels into the land of Canaan. As Abram journeys through the land, he reaches Shechem, a significant valley where he stops, noting that the Canaanites, a potentially hostile people, are the current inhabitants.
God promised Abram a land, but when he arrived, it was already occupied by others. What does this tension teach us about God's promises?
God called Abram to leave his home and go to a land He would show him. When Abram finally arrives in Genesis 12:6, the text notes, 'At that time the Canaanites were in the land.' This wasn't a mistake or a sign that God's promise failed. Instead, it highlights a crucial element of faith:
Trusting God Amidst Occupied Territory
This situation reminds us that God's promises often unfold in ways that require deep trust, especially when our circumstances don't immediately reflect those promises. We might feel like strangers in our own situations, but God is working out His purposes.
Abram stops at Shechem, a place later known for both significant spiritual events and conflict. Why this specific location?
The text places Abram at 'the place of Sichem, unto the oak of Moreh.' This wasn't just any random spot; it held significance:
A Crossroads of Faith and Idolatry
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.
The text highlights Abram's faith not in a vacuum, but amidst the real-world challenges of entering a land already occupied by a foreign, often hostile culture, and facing natural disasters like famine.
c. 2000 BC— this verse
Abram's Call and Departure
God calls Abram from Ur (or Haran) to leave his homeland and relatives, promising to make him a great nation and give him a land. This marks the beginning of Abram's journey of faith.
c. 2000 BC
Arrival in Canaan
Abram enters the land of Canaan, fulfilling the initial part of God's command. He is a foreigner in a land already inhabited by various peoples.
c. 2000 BC
Encounter with Canaanites
Upon reaching the area of Shechem, Abram finds the land occupied by the Canaanites, a people known for their wickedness and idolatry.
c. 2000 BC
Famine in Canaan
A severe famine strikes the land, forcing Abram to leave Canaan and sojourn temporarily in Egypt for survival.
This passage also mentions the 'oaks of Moreh' in relation to the land of Canaan, reinforcing the significance of this location as a place of encounter and divine revelation for the Israelites.
Judges 7:1This verse describes the 'Spring of Harod' which is near the 'hill of Moreh,' further connecting the name 'Moreh' to specific geographical locations significant in Israel's history.
Joshua 24:26Joshua sets up a great stone under an oak tree at Shechem, symbolizing a covenant renewal, echoing Abram's encounter with God at a significant tree in Shechem.
Galatians 3:16Paul connects the promises made to Abram, including those related to the land, directly to Christ, highlighting that Abram's journey into Canaan was a foundational step in God's redemptive plan.
Hebrews 11:8-10This passage emphasizes Abram's faith in obeying God's call to go to a land he would later receive, underscoring that his journey through Canaan, despite the Canaanites being present, was an act of trusting in God's future promises.
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 highlights that the Canaanites "were in the land" not just as inhabitants, but specifically that they occupied the very places Abram was passing through. This wasn't simply a passive observation; it underscores the immediate challenge and potential danger Abram faced, forcing him to rely solely on God's promise in a land already claimed by others.
God has just commanded Abram to leave his homeland and go to a land God will show him, promising to make him a great nation and bless the world through him. Abram obeys, packing up his family and possessions, and travels into the land of Canaan. As Abram journeys through the land, he reaches Shechem, a significant valley where he stops, noting that the Canaanites, a potentially hostile people, are the current inhabitants.
God has just commanded Abram to leave his homeland and go to a land God will show him, promising to make him a great nation and bless the world through him. Abram obeys, packing up his family and possessions, and travels into the land of Canaan. As Abram journeys through the land, he reaches Shechem, a significant valley where he stops, noting that the Canaanites, a potentially hostile people, are the current inhabitants.
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This encounter at Shechem teaches us that God often leads us into places that are spiritually significant but also challenging. These locations can become crucial training grounds where our faith is tested and refined amidst competing spiritual influences.
c. 1990 BC
Exodus from Egypt
Abram and his household are forced to leave Egypt after an incident involving his wife Sarai and Pharaoh, with Pharaoh providing them safe passage.
c. 1990 BC
Return to Canaan and Separation from Lot
Abram returns to Canaan, now wealthy from his time in Egypt. His growing possessions lead to a dispute with his nephew Lot, resulting in their peaceful separation.
"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 highlights that the Canaanites "were in the land" not just as inhabitants, but specifically that they occupied the very places Abram was passing through. This wasn't simply a passive observ…
