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Lenten Season · Second Sunday in Lent · Year A

Genesis 12:1-4a

The Call of Abram

March 1, 2026

Abraham's Journey from Ur to Canaan, József Molnár
Abraham's Journey from Ur to Canaan, József Molnár, 1850Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
A Hungarian Romantic painting of the whole household on the move: camels, tents, livestock and children, halted at evening.Go from your country and your kindred to the land that I will show you: the reading is the instruction, and this is the logistics of obeying it.Hungarian National Gallery, BudapestHungary's collection of its own art, housed in the former royal palace on Buda hill.Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelJohn 3:1-17Jn 3:1-17 orMatt. 17:1-9Mt 17:1-9
EpistleRom. 4:1-5, 13-17Rom 4:1-5, 13-17
Old TestamentGen. 12:1-4aGn 12:1-4a
PsalterPs. 121Ps 121

Overview & Insights

Now the Lord said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)

God calls Abram to leave everything familiar for a land not yet named, and attaches to that call a promise of blessing for Abram and, through him, for every family on earth. Abram's only recorded response is that he went, as the Lord had told him.

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Take it further: Genesis 12:1-4a

Commentary

Commentary on Genesis 12:1-4aCommentary on Gn 12:1-4a Working Preacher

Working Preacher's Year A commentary calls this one of the most dramatic transitions in the Old Testament story.

Genesis 12:1-4a CommentaryGn 12:1-4a Commentary CEP (cepreaching.org)

The Center for Excellence in Preaching frames the call as Lent's own invitation to leave what is familiar.

Genesis 12 Bible CommentaryGn 12 Bible Commentary Enduring Word

David Guzik's chapter commentary covers the terms of the promise God makes to Abram before he takes a step.

Genesis 12 CommentaryGn 12 Commentary Precept Austin

Precept Austin calls Genesis 12 the watershed chapter of the whole book and annotates the call verse by verse.

Genesis 12 - Barnes' NotesGn 12 - Barnes' Notes StudyLight

Barnes' Notes explains the scope of the promise that all families of the earth will be blessed through Abram.

The Church Fathers

Genesis 12, patristic commentaryGn 12, patristic commentary Catena

Verse by verse commentary from the church fathers on this chapter, gathered from the catenae.

Background & Word Study

Genesis 12:1 InterlinearGn 12:1 Interlinear BibleHub

The Hebrew interlinear shows the string of promises, blessing, name and land, stacked in verses 2 and 3.

Genesis 12 (Hebrew and English)Gn 12 (Hebrew and English) Sefaria

Sefaria's Hebrew text lets readers read the call of Abram alongside classic Jewish commentators.

Book of Genesis Summary (Part 2)Book of Gn Summary (Part 2) BibleProject

BibleProject's overview of Genesis 12-50 opens with this same call and traces the family story it starts.

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