Overview
Genesis 12–22 narrates the story of Abram/Abraham, his family, God's promises, the covenant, acts of faith, and tests, including the birth of Isaac and the near-sacrifice on Mount Moriah. Key themes include obedience, faith, God's covenant, and divine intervention.
The Call and Journey of Abram
- God calls Abram to leave his homeland for a land He will show him, promising to make him a great nation.
- Abram obeys, traveling with Sarai, Lot, and their possessions to Canaan.
- God promises the land of Canaan to Abram's descendants.
- Abram builds altars and worships God at various locations.
Trials and Protection in Egypt
- Due to famine, Abram goes to Egypt and claims Sarai is his sister.
- Pharaoh takes Sarai, but God afflicts Pharaoh's household, leading to Abram's departure.
Separation and Rescue of Lot
- Abram and Lot separate due to wealth and quarreling between their herders.
- Lot settles near Sodom; Abram stays in Canaan.
- Lot is captured during a regional conflict but is rescued by Abram.
God’s Covenant and Promises
- God makes a covenant with Abram, promising numerous descendants and land.
- Abram believes God, which is credited as righteousness.
- God foretells the bondage and eventual liberation of Abram's descendants.
Hagar, Ishmael, and the Covenant of Circumcision
- Sarai gives Hagar to Abram; Hagar bears Ishmael.
- God establishes circumcision as the sign of the covenant.
- Abram's name changes to Abraham; Sarai’s to Sarah.
- God promises a son, Isaac, through Sarah, continuing the covenant through him.
Divine Visitors and the Promise of Isaac
- Three visitors appear; one announces Sarah will bear a son.
- Sarah laughs due to old age, but God affirms His promise.
Sodom and Gomorrah
- Abraham pleads with God to spare Sodom if righteous people can be found.
- Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed; Lot and his daughters escape, but Lot’s wife perishes.
Abraham’s Encounters with Abimelek
- Abraham again claims Sarah as his sister; God warns Abimelek.
- Abimelek returns Sarah, and Abraham prays for his household.
The Birth of Isaac and Hagar Sent Away
- Sarah gives birth to Isaac as promised.
- At Sarah’s urging, Hagar and Ishmael are sent away but are cared for by God.
The Treaty at Beersheba
- Abraham and Abimelek make a treaty over a disputed well at Beersheba.
- Abraham calls on the Lord and settles in Philistine territory.
The Testing of Abraham
- God tests Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac.
- Abraham obeys but is stopped by God, who provides a ram as a substitute.
Decisions
- Abram leaves his homeland in obedience to God.
- Abram and Lot separate to avoid conflict.
- Abram accepts circumcision and changes names to Abraham and Sarah.
- Abraham agrees to send away Hagar and Ishmael.
- Treaty made between Abraham and Abimelek.
- Abraham is willing to sacrifice Isaac as an act of faith.