Genesis 12:1-8

1The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country and the people of your father's family. Go to the land that I will show you.

2I will cause your descendants to become a great nation. I will bless you. Everyone will know your name. You will bring my blessing to other people.

3I will bless those people who bless you. But I will curse anyone who insults you. Through you, I will bless all the families of people on the earth.’

4Abram did what the Lord had told him. He left Haran. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Lot went with him.

5Abram took his wife Sarai, and his nephew Lot. He took everything that belonged to them. He also took the people that worked for them in Haran. They all left to go to the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan,

6Abram walked through the land. He went as far as Shechem, to the special oak tree of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites lived in this land.

7The Lord appeared to Abram there. He said, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ So Abram built an altar in that place to worship the Lord. He did that because the Lord had appeared to him.

8Then Abram left Shechem. He went to the hills that are on the east of Bethel. He put up his tent in that place. Bethel was towards the west, and Ai was towards the east. Abram also built an altar there to worship the Lord.