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 Living Translation (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.

Context of Genesis 12:8

6Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. 7Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 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. 9So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South. 10Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.

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 28:19And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.
• Genesis 35:3Then let us arise 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 in the way which I have gone.”
• Joshua 8:17There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. So they left the city open and pursued Israel.
• Joshua 18:22Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
• Nehemiah 11:31Also the children of Benjamin from Geba dwelt in Michmash, Aija, and Bethel, and their villages;
• Joshua 7:2Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the country.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
• Joshua 8:3So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night.
• Isaiah 10:28He has come to Aiath, He has passed Migron; At Michmash he has attended to his equipment.
• Genesis 4:26And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Ē´nosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.
• Genesis 13:4to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.
• Genesis 21:33Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
• Psalms 116:4Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”
• Joel 2:32And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.
• Acts 2:21And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’
• Romans 10:12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
• 1 Corinthians 1:2To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs 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