Bible Commentary

Genesis 12:4

Genesis 12:4

Little Bible — for children and parents · Growth Figures · © Growth Figures. All rights reserved.

The brevity of verse 4 is extraordinary: three words in Hebrew — 'so Abram went.' No deliberation described, no argument, no asking for a sign. He heard, and he went. This is the faith that Paul holds up in Romans 4 and Galatians 3 as the model of justifying faith. Age is no barrier to beginning a journey of obedience.

Memory phrase: He heard God's voice, and he went.

Talk about it: Abram was 75 years old when he began his greatest adventure! Does that surprise you? Why is it never too late to say yes to God?

Prayer: God, when You speak, help me obey quickly — like Abram. I don't want to make excuses. I want to say yes.

Recommended reading

More for Genesis 12:4

Continue with other commentaries and DiscipleDeck content connected to this verse, chapter, or topic.

Other commentaries

Genesis 12 — OverviewGenesis 12 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleThe pedigree and family of Abram we had an account of in the foregoing chapter; here the Holy Ghost enters upon his story, and henceforward Abram and his seed are almost the only subject of the sacred history.…Genesis 12 — OverviewGenesis 12 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeGenesis 12:1, God calls Abram, and blesses him with a promise of Christ; Genesis 12:4, He departs with Lot from Haran, and comes to Canaan; Genesis 12:6, He journeys through Canaan, Genesis 12:7, which is promised to…Genesis 12 — OverviewGenesis 12 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleIn this chapter an account is given of the call of Abram to depart from his own country, with a promise of a divine blessing, Ge 12:1 of his obedience to it, Ge 12:4 of his journey through the land of Canaan, and of the…Genesis 12 — OverviewGenesis 12 · Little Bible — for children and parentsGenesis 12 is the pivotal turning point of the whole Bible. After the chaos of Babel and the scattering of nations, God calls one man — Abram — to leave his country, his family, and his father's house and go to a land…Genesis 12:1-5Genesis 12:1-5 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITIONGenesis 12:1-5Genesis 12:1-5 · The Pulpit CommentaryDesigned to trace the outward development of God's kingdom on the earth, the narrative now concentrates its attention on one of the foregoing Terachites, whose remarkable career it sketches with considerable minuteness…