Genesis 12:8 kjv
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
Genesis 12:8 nkjv
And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 12:8 niv
From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 12:8 esv
From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD.
Genesis 12:8 nlt
After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the LORD, and he worshiped the LORD.
Genesis 12 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:1-4 | The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country... So Abram went, as the LORD had told him.” | Abram's initial obedience to God's call. |
| Gen 12:7 | Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD. | First altar built in Canaan, promise of land. |
| Gen 4:26 | ...then people began to call upon the name of the LORD. | Earliest record of calling on the Lord's name. |
| Gen 8:20 | Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on it. | Noah's post-flood worship on an altar. |
| Gen 13:3-4 | And he journeyed on... to the place where he had built an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the LORD. | Abram returns to Bethel to worship. |
| Gen 26:25 | Isaac built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD and pitched his tent there. | Isaac follows Abram's example of worship. |
| Gen 28:10-22 | Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran... called the name of that place Bethel. | Jacob's dream at Bethel and renaming the place. |
| Gen 35:7 | There he built an altar and called the place El-Bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him... | Jacob builds an altar at Bethel/El-Bethel. |
| Exo 20:24-26 | "An altar of earth you shall make for me... in every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you." | Laws for altar building and God's presence. |
| Josh 8:30-31 | At that time Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. | Israelite altar building for corporate worship. |
| 1 Kgs 18:30-32 | Then Elijah said... “Gather all Israel... Rebuild the altar of the LORD that has been torn down.” | Elijah rebuilding an altar in defiance of Baal. |
| Psa 37:23 | The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way. | God directs the path of the obedient. |
| Psa 39:12 | Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry; do not be deaf to my tears. For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. | Expresses the transient nature of faithful. |
| Psa 116:13 | I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. | A form of public thanksgiving and invocation. |
| Joel 2:32 | And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. | Future promise tied to calling on God's name. |
| Hos 12:4-5 | Jacob "struggled with the angel and overcame him... The LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD is his memorial name!" | Reference to Jacob's encounter near Bethel. |
| Rom 10:13 | For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." | New Testament reaffirmation of salvation through invoking God. |
| Heb 11:8-10 | By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called... He went out, not knowing where he was going. For he was looking forward to the city... | Abram's faith, nomadic life, and heavenly hope. |
| Heb 11:13-16 | All these died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them... they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | Faith of patriarchs as sojourners awaiting heavenly home. |
| 1 Pet 2:11 | Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh... | Christian believers as sojourners in this world. |
| Acts 2:21 | And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. | Peter's sermon, calling on Lord for salvation. |
| Acts 22:16 | And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name. | Paul's conversion, instruction to call on His name. |
| 1 Cor 1:2 | To the church of God that is in Corinth... with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. | Reference to calling upon Jesus' name by early believers. |
Genesis 12 verses
Genesis 12 8 Meaning
Genesis 12:8 records Abram's continued obedience to God's call, describing his move from Shechem to the hill country east of Bethel, where he pitched his tent. In this strategic location, he demonstrated his profound faith and dedication by building an altar to the LORD (Yahweh) and publicly calling upon His name. This act signifies his commitment to worship the One True God, marking the land as a place of divine presence, and asserting his identity as a pilgrim dependent on God in a foreign territory.
Genesis 12 8 Context
Genesis chapter 12 marks a pivotal turning point in biblical history, initiating God's redemptive plan through Abram. It begins with God's sovereign call to Abram to leave his land, kindred, and father's house for an unknown destination (vv. 1-3), accompanied by extraordinary promises of a great nation, blessing, a great name, and universal blessing. Verse 8 describes Abram's second major stop in the promised land, following his initial arrival and altar-building in Shechem (v. 7).
Historically, Abram's life unfolds in the Early Bronze Age in Canaan, a land dominated by diverse Canaanite city-states and their polytheistic religious practices. As a recent immigrant from Mesopotamia, Abram's actions of pitching tents and building altars distinctively underscore his identity as a faithful sojourner. His avoidance of settling in pagan cities and his establishment of exclusive Yahwistic worship points are clear affirmations of his unique relationship with the One True God, challenging the prevailing religious landscape through a personal devotion rather than political power.
Genesis 12 8 Word analysis
- And he removed (וַיַּעְתֵּק, vayya‘teq): Derived from a verb meaning 'to pull up (pegs),' signifying breaking camp. This conveys the intentional act of detaching from one place to move towards another. It highlights Abram's continuous journey of faith, his life characterized by obedient movement rather than static settlement.
- from thence (מִשָּׁם, mishsham): From the previous location identified in Shechem. This indicates a progression in Abram's pilgrimage, moving deeper into the promised land under divine guidance.
- unto a mountain (הָהָרָה, haharah): Refers to the elevated terrain or "hill country." This area offered both strategic advantage and perhaps separation from dense urban centers. It was a common nomadic dwelling preference, emphasizing his unattached lifestyle.
- on the east of Bethel (מִקֶּדֶם לְבֵית־אֵל, miqqedem lebeit-'El): "Bethel" literally means "House of God," though this name was specifically given by Jacob later (Gen 28:19). It was an already known significant geographical landmark. This positioning established a future central spiritual site for the Israelites.
- and pitched his tent (וַיֵּט אָהֳלֹה, vayyet 'oholo): To set up a portable dwelling. This emphasizes Abram's nomadic lifestyle and his identity as a temporary resident, a pilgrim in a land not yet fully possessed. It signifies his faith in God's future promise, rather than earthly acquisition.
- having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east: Provides precise geographical orientation. Ai (הָעַי, ha‘Ay) means "The Ruin." The naming of both existing Canaanite locations contrasts Abram's worshipping space—dedicated to Yahweh—with the surrounding pagan areas.
- and there he builded an altar (וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ, vayyiven mizbeakh): "Built" implies a deliberate, structured act. An "altar" (מִזְבֵּחַ) is a designated place for offering sacrifices and worshipping God. This repeated action (from v. 7) marks territory for Yahweh, signifying dedication and making a public statement of faith in a foreign land.
- unto the LORD (לַיהוָה, laYahweh): To Yahweh, the covenant name of God, revealing His personal relationship with His people. This emphasizes the singular devotion to the one true God, explicitly distinguishing Him from the numerous local Canaanite deities.
- and called upon the name of the LORD (וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה, vayyiqra' beshem Yahweh): This phrase signifies not merely a whisper or private prayer, but an active, often public, invocation of God's character, power, and presence. It includes worship, thanksgiving, proclamation of faith, and supplication. It echoes earlier acts of faith (Gen 4:26) and underscores Abram's reliance on God in every aspect of his journey.
Words-group Analysis:
- "From there he moved on... and pitched his tent": This sequence illustrates Abram's continued obedient response to God's command to "Go" (Gen 12:1). His constant movement and dwelling in temporary structures demonstrate his pilgrim status, acknowledging that his ultimate security and fulfillment of promise lie beyond fixed earthly possessions.
- "with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east": The precise geographical framing emphasizes the reality of Abram's physical journey in Canaan. Placing his tent and altar between two identifiable, though unholy, Canaanite settlements implicitly sets his worship of Yahweh apart as a distinct counter-cultural presence amidst a polytheistic landscape.
- "There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD": This combined act is the culmination of Abram's spiritual response to God's presence and promise. The physical altar marks a sacred space, a place of encounter and dedication. "Calling on the name of the LORD" is the active, spiritual dimension of worship, signifying public acknowledgment, invocation of God's power, and personal communion. It signifies the establishment of Yahweh's claim on the land and His active relationship with His chosen servant.
Genesis 12 8 Bonus section
- The repetition of altar-building and calling on the name of the Lord (vv. 7-8, and later Gen 13:4) signifies a consistent spiritual practice. These acts are not accidental but central to Abram's identity as the patriarch chosen by God, symbolically consecrating the land God promised even before he possessed it.
- Abram's choice to remain in tents, even in fertile areas, underlines a fundamental theological principle: his true hope and ultimate dwelling are not earthly but found in God and the fulfillment of His promises. This concept resonates through the New Testament (Heb 11), describing believers as sojourners awaiting a heavenly city.
- The specific mention of Bethel (House of God) before its explicit renaming by Jacob later indicates a pre-existing awareness of this place's unique spiritual significance, perhaps known to God's divine plan even before human revelation fully unfolded. Abram's act there adds to its sacred history.
Genesis 12 8 Commentary
Genesis 12:8 portrays Abram's consistent, faith-filled response to God's divine call. His pilgrimage is marked by two defining actions: persistent movement and fervent worship. Each time Abram settles, even temporarily, his first act is to erect an altar to the LORD and publicly invoke His name. This establishes spiritual landmarks in a physically uncertain and foreign territory. The location, east of Bethel and between Bethel and Ai, is geographically precise yet religiously profound; Abram deliberately pitches his tent, symbolizing his transient existence, distinctly apart from permanent pagan cities. Building an altar is an act of covenant affirmation, a dedication of himself and the very ground he stands on to Yahweh. "Calling on the name of the LORD" signifies more than prayer; it's a bold proclamation of Yahweh's sovereignty in a land saturated with idolatry, an expression of utter dependence, and an invitation for divine blessing. This verse illustrates the essential life of faith: ongoing obedience, setting apart places for God, and continually communing with Him as the source of all promise and security. Abram's example challenges believers to similarly prioritize worship and God's presence amidst life's journey, making Him known wherever they sojourn.