MPV Commentary

1. The Lord had said to Abram: God revealed Himself to Abraham in a remarkable way, perhaps through a miracle. This event is one of the most notable conversions in Bible history.

Get out of your country and go to the land I will show you. This call included two promises: first, that the land would belong to his descendants; second, that through them all the earth would be blessed (Ge 12:2). Abraham obeyed, and this act of faith is often cited in the New Testament as an example of trusting God (Heb 11:8).

5. Abram arrived with his wife and a nephew in the land of Canaan. He reached his destination safely, fulfilling the first promise.

6. They came to the place of Sichem, also known as Shechem, which was then an unoccupied pastoral valley (compare Ge 33:18). The plain of Moreh, likely a grove of terebinth trees with their inviting shade, made it an attractive spot for Abram's encampment.

7. I will give this land to your descendants, God said. He was not speaking solely as Abram's personal God but also as the God of future generations. This land would be home to his people for centuries and serve as a hub for spreading divine knowledge to all humanity. Its geographical location made it an ideal place for a divine revelation that would impact the world.

There, Abram built an altar to the Lord, publicly declaring his faith in God's promise and establishing the worship of the true God.

10. A famine struck the land, and Abram went down into Egypt. He did not return to his homeland, as if regretting his decision to leave (Heb 11:15), but instead withdrew temporarily into a neighboring country.

11-13. Sarai's complexion was fair compared to the sallow faces of Egyptian women. However, Abram advised her to claim she was only his sister, which was a deception intended to deceive the Egyptians. This behavior was inconsistent with Abram's character as a servant of God and demonstrated a reliance on worldly policy rather than trust in God's promise.

14. When Abram arrived in Egypt, he found that it had been ruled by monarchs for several centuries. The seat of government was in the Delta region, where Abram likely entered. The Egyptians were a people of shepherd-kings who maintained close ties with the Canaanites.

15. Pharaoh took Sarai into his household, as was customary for Eastern kings to do with unmarried women they favored. Although her father or brother might have lamented this development, the king's right to claim such women was never disputed.

16. Abram received gifts from Pharaoh due to Sarai's presence in his court. These presents were typical of what one pastoral chief would give to another.

18-20. God intervened and rebuked Abram for his actions. Had He not done so, Abram might have been tempted to stay in Egypt and forget the promise (Ps 105:13, 15). This incident serves as a reminder that this world is not our ultimate home.