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Expanded Comments |
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| 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 show thee:
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Now the LORD had – Previously, before he left Ur. "The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran." (Acts 7:2) B45
Said unto Abram – Individually--not to Terah or Nahor or Haran or anyone else. R2846:6
To one whose heart was full of trust in God. R5809:5
Abram's name signifies "exalted faith." R5169:3
Thy father's house – Thy brethren, etc. B45
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| 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: |
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| 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. |
I will bless them – Favor them. R3938:5
That bless thee – That favor thee, Abram, or thy natural or spiritual seed. R3938:5
And curse him – Show disfavor toward. R3938:5
All will be destroyed who do not thus become true Israelites. R5810:4
That curseth thee – Injureth. R5169:5
That shows disfavor toward thee or thy seed. R3938:5
And in thee – "And in thy seed, which is Christ." (Gal. 3:16) T83; R5057:3, R4939:3; SM7:1; R5761:4, R5769:5
When your seed shall come. HG120:5
Shall – In due time. E22
This covenant is unconditional. R3108:3
All of God's dealings with the Israelites were in accord with this oath. R5285:3
All families – Not merely the Jews. A58
Every member of our race. CRI40:2; R4715:2
Including those who are in their graves. R5154:1, R4440:5, R5015:6
Be blessed – With an opportunity to return to harmony with God, and with everlasting life. R4557:3, E384; R4537:6, R4939:3, R5057:3, R5177:6, R5269:4, R5768:3; SM93:T, SM7:1; OV193:2
This promise was the good root of the olive tree of Rom. 11:17. R5023:3
By the wonderful provisions of the great Sabbath day. R5072:1
By knowledge, opportunity and assistance. R3108:4
Not by ignoring the law of God, but by being gradually restored so that they can keep it. T83
By the great King and Priest, Jesus; and by the Church, as assistant priests and kings, CR250:3
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| 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. |
So Abram departed – "When his father was dead he removed." (Acts 7:4) B46
Typifying the course of the true Church in coming out of Babylon. No doubt Abram's relatives all opposed his course, especially as he "came out not knowing whither he went. (Heb. 11: 8) R2847:1
Was 75 years old – At the time the covenant was made with him. B231
2081 years after the fall in Eden. R3460:2
2081 years before Cornelius' conversion. R3460:2
Out of Haran – As Stephen declared, "when his father was dead." (Acts 7:4) B46
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| 5 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. |
And said – Making the covenant previously promised. B45; R1617:1
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| 8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. |
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| 9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. |
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| 10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. |
There was a famine – Which must have greatly tested Abram's faith. R3938:2
Down into Egypt – Possibly contrary to the Lord's wishes. R3938:3
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| 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: |
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| 12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. |
Save thee alive – History records the case where one of the kings of Egypt thus forcibly took a beautiful wife away from her husband. Abram had probably heard of this. R2848:2
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| 13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. |
Say, I pray thee – This is the only blot recorded against Abram's character. This impartiality establishes the truthfulness of the Scriptures. R3938:3
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| 14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. |
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| 15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. |
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| 16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. |
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| 17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. |
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| 18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? |
Called Abram – This rebuke from a heathen king doubtless proved a great blessing to Abram ultimately. R3938:3
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| 19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. |
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| 20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had. |
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