The Call of Abram

(Genesis 26:1–5, Acts 7:1–8)

12 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.[fn]

2 I will make you into a great nation,

and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

so that you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you

and curse those who curse you;

and all the families of the earth

will be blessed through you.[fn]”

4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan.

When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak [fn] of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.

7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.[fn]” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

8 From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.

9 And Abram journeyed on toward the Negev.