Genesis 12:1-9

The Call of Abraham, his Migration to Canaan, and Yahweh's Promise to Him. From J, except Genesis 12:4 b, Genesis 12:5, which is clearly from P. Abraham is called to leave country, kindred, and home for an unnamed land. His faith is thus challenged at the outset (Hebrews 11:8); at the call of God, without question or demur, he abandons the tangible certainties of the present for a vague destination, and the hazards of travel and settlement in a new land. But he goes in confidence, staking his all on the faithfulness of God's promise, that He would make of him a mighty nation, the incarnation of blessedness, to such a degree that all nations would bless themselves by him, that is, use his name in the invocation of blessing on themselves, saying, May we be as fortunate as Abraham. So he took his family and possessions and came to Canaan (p. 26), presumably by the usual route (described by Driver, p. 146), but no details of the journey are given. He then passed down the country from the north till he reached the place, i.e. the sanctuary, of Shechem, where a terebinth (mg.) or turpentine tree grew. This is described in RV as of Moreh; but the Heb. means directing or director; it is, therefore, the oracle-giving terebinth, or terebinth of the oracle-giver. This was accordingly a sacred tree connected with the sanctuary at Shechem; the deity resident in the tree gave oracles to the inquirer (cf. Deuteronomy 11:30; Judges 9:37). Shechem (p. 30) is Nablus to the SE. of Samaria, between Ebal and Gerizim, important in later history (1 Kings 12:1 *). Here Abraham learns that the land, the promise of which had been suggested to him, is Canaan, and the promise is now definitely made that it will be given to his descendants. He moves on 20 miles further S., near to Bethel, where he builds an altar, and travels by stages thence towards the Negeb (p. 32).

Genesis 12:3. be blessed: this rendering or bless themselves is permissible, the conjugation used (the Niphal), while properly reflexive, being often used as a passive. But in Genesis 22:18; Genesis 26:4 the conjugation is the Hithpael, which must mean (cf. mg.) bless themselves. The view that the religion of Israel was to become the religion of the world is not so early as this passage.

Genesis 12:6 b was written after the Canaanites had been displaced by the Hebrews.