Genesis 12 explained

Before Genesis 12, Genesis says "cursed" five times; in God's first words to Abram it says "bless" or "blessing" five times, ending with all the families of the earth. Peter says God sent Jesus to bring that blessing.

Before this chapter, Genesis uses the Hebrew word arar, "cursed", five times: the serpent (3:14), the ground (3:17), Cain (4:11), the ground again (5:29) and Canaan (9:25). ("I will not again curse the ground" in 8:21 is a different Hebrew word.) Then God speaks to Abram, and in two verses "bless" or "blessing" comes five times: "I will bless you… You will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you… All the families of the earth will be blessed through you" (12:2-3). A curse is still there, once, for "him who treats you with contempt" (12:3).

Genesis gives no reason for choosing Abram. The call simply begins: "Now the LORD said to Abram…" (12:1). Joshua later says Abram's family "served other gods" (Joshua 24:2), and Nehemiah says God chose Abram, then "found his heart faithful" (Nehemiah 9:7-8).

Genesis 12:1 · Joshua 24:2-3 · Nehemiah 9:7-8

Genesis 12:7→leads toGalatians 3:16

This is the first time God promises Abram anything "to your offspring". Paul doesn't name one verse: he says the promises were spoken "to Abraham and to his offspring", that "To your offspring" is singular, "as of one", and that the offspring "is Christ". The same words come again in 13:15, 17:8 and 24:7.

בָּרַךְbarakhsay ba-RAKH

To bless (Brown-Driver-Briggs: "kneel, bless"; with God as the one blessing, "God blesses men"). The verb comes four times in 12:2-3, and the noun berakhah (H1293), "blessing", once: "You will be a blessing." The verb first appears when God blessed the creatures of the sea and sky (1:22), then the first people (1:28). Here it becomes the promise: "All the families of the earth will be blessed through you."

God told Abram to leave before telling him where he was going. What would be hardest for you to leave?