The Call of Abram

12 The Lord said to Abram:

Go from your land,
your relatives,
and your father’s house
to the land that I will show you.(A)
I will make you into a great nation,(B)
I will bless you,(C)
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.(D)
I will bless those who bless you,
I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt,(E)
and all the peoples on earth
will be blessed[a] through you.[b](F)

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Footnotes

  1. 12:3 Or will find blessing
  2. 12:3 Or will bless themselves by you

The Call of Abram

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household(A) to the land(B) I will show you.(C)

“I will make you into a great nation,(D)
    and I will bless you;(E)
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.[a](F)
I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;(G)
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.(H)[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 12:2 Or be seen as blessed
  2. Genesis 12:3 Or earth / will use your name in blessings (see 48:20)

The Abrahamic Covenant

15 After these events, the word of the Lord came(A) to Abram in a vision:

Do not be afraid,(B) Abram.
I am your shield;(C)

your reward will be very great.

But Abram said, “Lord God, what can you give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” [a] Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a slave born in[b] my house will be my heir.”

Now the word of the Lord came to him: “This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body[c] will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.”(D)

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 15:2 Hb obscure
  2. 15:3 Lit a son of
  3. 15:4 Lit loins

The Lord’s Covenant With Abram

15 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram(A) in a vision:(B)

“Do not be afraid,(C) Abram.
    I am your shield,[a](D)
    your very great reward.[b](E)

But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord,(F) what can you give me since I remain childless(G) and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?(H) And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant(I) in my household(J) will be my heir.”

Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.(K) He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars(L)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”(M)

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 15:1 Or sovereign
  2. Genesis 15:1 Or shield; / your reward will be very great
  3. Genesis 15:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  4. Genesis 15:5 Or seed

15 God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah[a] will be her name. 16 I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her.(A) I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

17 Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed(B) and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?” 18 So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable[b] to you!”

19 But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac.[c] I will confirm my covenant with him as a permanent covenant for his future offspring.

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Footnotes

  1. 17:15 = Princess
  2. 17:18 Lit alive
  3. 17:19 = He Laughs

15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai(A) your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.(B) 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her.(C) I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations;(D) kings of peoples will come from her.”

17 Abraham fell facedown;(E) he laughed(F) and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?(G) Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”(H) 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael(I) might live under your blessing!”(J)

19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son,(K) and you will call him Isaac.[a](L) I will establish my covenant with him(M) as an everlasting covenant(N) for his descendants after him.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 17:19 Isaac means he laughs.