Genesis 12:8

Genesis 12:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth–el, and pitched his tent, having Beth–el 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.
• New International Version (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.
• English Standard Version (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.
• New King James Version (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.

Context of Genesis 12:8

6Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the [great] terebinth (oak) tree of Moreh. Now the Canaanites were in the land at that time. 7Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” So Abram built an altar there to [honor] the Lord who had appeared to him. Then he moved on from there to the mountain 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 on the name of the Lord [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving]. 9Then Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev (the South country of Judah). 10Now there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to live temporarily, for the famine in the land was oppressive and severe.

Genesis 12:8 word by word

וַיַּעְתֵּ֨ק מִשָּׁ֜ם הָהָ֗רָה מִקֶּ֛דֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וַיֵּ֣ט אָהְָל֑וֹ בֵּֽית־אֵ֤ל מִיָּם֙ וְהָעַ֣י מִקֶּ֔דֶם וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֤ם מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he removedעָתַק‛âthaq · to proceedH6275
• from thence unto a mountainהַרhar · mountain: hill countryH2022
• on the eastקֶ֫דֶםqedem qêdmâh · front: eastH6924
• of Beth–elבֵּֽיתְ־אֵלbêyth-'êl · BethelH1008
• and pitchedנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• his tentאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• on the westיָםyâm · sea: westH3220
• and Haiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• and there he buildedבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• an altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• upon the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034

Cross-references for Genesis 12:8

• Genesis 28:19He named that place Bethel (the house of God); the previous name of that city was Luz (Almond Tree).
• Genesis 35:3then let us get up and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.”
• Joshua 8:17Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who had not gone out after Israel; so they left the city open and unguarded and they pursued Israel.
• Joshua 18:22and Beth-arabah and Zemaraim and Bethel,
• Nehemiah 11:31The sons (descendants) of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its towns,
• Joshua 7:2Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
• Joshua 8:3So Joshua set out with all the people of war to go up against Ai; then Joshua chose thirty thousand valiant men, and sent them out at night.
• Isaiah 10:28The Assyrian has come against Aiath [in Judah], He has passed through Migron [with his army]; At Michmash he stored his equipment.
• Genesis 4:26To Seth, also, a son was born, whom he named Enosh (mortal man, mankind). At that [same] time men began to call on the name of the Lord [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving].
• Genesis 13:4where he had first built an altar; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord [in prayer].
• Genesis 21:33Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord [in prayer], the Eternal God.
• Psalms 116:4Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, please save my life!”
• Joel 2:32And it shall come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Will be saved [from the coming judgment] For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the Lord has said, Even among the remnant [of survivors] whom the Lord calls.
• Acts 2:21And it shall be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking, adoring, and worshiping the Lord Jesus] shall be saved (rescued spiritually).’
• Romans 10:12For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer].
• 1 Corinthians 1:2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified (set apart, made holy) in Christ Jesus, who are selected and called as saints (God’s people), together with all those who in every place call on and honor the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

Commentaries on Genesis 12:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Beth-el - The place which was afterwards called Beth-el by Jacob, for its first name was Luz. See Genesis 28:19. אל בית beith El literally signifies the house of God. And pitched his tent - and - builded an altar unto the Lord - Where Abram has a tent, there God must have an Altar, as he well knows there is no safety but under the Divine protection. How few who build houses ever think on the propriety and necessity of building an altar to their Maker! The…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-9Verses 1-9 - The Call of Abram 6. שׁכם shekem Shekem, “the upper part of the back.” Here it is the name of a person, the owner of this place, where afterward is built the town called at first Shekem, then Flavia Neapolis, and now Nablous. אלון 'ēlôn “the oak;” related: “be lasting, strong.” מורה môreh In Onkelos “plain;” Moreh, “archer, early rain, teacher.” Here the name of a man who owned the oak that marked the spot. In the Septuagint it is rendered…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-9Verses 6-9 Abram found the country peopled by Canaanites, who were bad neighbours. He journeyed, going on still. Sometimes it is the lot of good men to be unsettled, and often to remove into various states. Believers must look on themselves as strangers and sojourners in this world, He 11:8, 13, 14. But observe how much comfort Abram had in God. When he could have little satisfaction in converse with the Canaanites whom he found there, he had abundance of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8he called on the name of the LORD: Calling on the name (identity and character) of the Lord is central to worship and witness (compare 4:26; see Exodus 34:5–7). Abram needed to distinguish his sacrificial worship from that of the pagan Canaanites.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201. Now the Lord had said unto Abram--It pleased God, who has often been found of them who sought Him not, to reveal Himself to Abraham perhaps by a miracle; and the conversion of Abraham is one of the most remarkable in Bible history. Get thee out of thy country--His being brought to the knowledge and worship of the true God had probably been a considerable time before. This call included two promises: the first, showing the land of his future posterity…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 12:8

• Abraham
• Altar
• Beth-El
• Courage
• Family
• Hai
• High Places
• Prayer
• Religion
• Tent
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Ai
• Appear
• Bethel
• Fair
• Grievous
• Journey
• Moreh
• Noah
• Sojourn

Commentaries on Genesis 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings