Genesis 12:8
in Genesis 12From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto Jehovah, and called upon the name of Jehovah.
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.
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This verse in Genesis 12
Commentary
8 notes on this verseWhere there is Bethel, that is, the house of God, there is also the altar. Where there is the altar, there is also the calling on the name of God. It is not by chance that he made such great progress. He hoped in the help of God. The athlete of God exercised and strengthened himself in adversity. He went into the desert.
This site's exposition
called on the name of the LORD
on Genesis 12:8-9
East of Bethel he pitches his tent and builds a second altar, Bethel lying to the west of him and Ai to the east. The tent moves when he moves, the altar stays where it was built, and there he calls on the name of the LORD. Then he moves on toward the Negev.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
And thence, crossing to the mountain that was east of Bethel, he pitched his tent there, having Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. He also built an altar there to the Lord and called on His name.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel,....
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel,....
Abram had left the land of his nativity: "Well," says God, "I will give thee this land," Matt. xix. (4.) God reveals himself and his favours to his people by degrees; before he had promised to show him this land, now to give it to him: as grace is growing, so is comfort. (5.) It is comfortable to have land of God's giving, not by providence only, but by promise.
Note, The fear of man brings a snare, and many are driven to sin by the dread of death, Luke xii. The grace Abram was most eminent for was faith; and yet he thus fell through unbelief and distrust of the divine Providence, even after God had appeared to him twice.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Beth-el - The place which was afterwards called Beth-el by Jacob, for its first name was Luz. See Gen 28:19. בית אל 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 words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעְתֵּ֨ק | vaiya'tek | and he moved on | H6275 → | |
| מִשָּׁ֜ם | misham | from there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| הָהָ֗רָה | haharah | the hill country towards | H2022 → | 546 times |
| מִקֶּ֛דֶם | mikedem | from [the] east | H6924 → | 87 times |
| לְבֵֽית־ | leveit- | of Beth- | H1008 → | 142 times |
| אֵ֖ל | ʾel | -el | H1008 → | 142 times |
| וַיֵּ֣ט | vaiyet | and he pitched | H5186 → | 214 times |
| אָהְָל֑וֹ | ʾoholo | tent his | H168 → | 345 times |
| בֵּֽית־ | beit- | Beth- | H1008 → | 142 times |
| אֵ֤ל | ʾel | -el | H1008 → | 142 times |
| מִיָּם֙ | miyam | [was] from [the] west | H3220 → | 396 times |
| וְהָעַ֣י | vehaai | and <the> Ai | H5857 → | |
| מִקֶּ֔דֶם | mikedem | [was] from [the] east | H6924 → | 87 times |
| וַיִּֽבֶן־ | vaiyiven- | and he built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| שָׁ֤ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ | mizbeach | an altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
| לַֽיהוָ֔ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיִּקְרָ֖א | vaiyikra' | and he called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| בְּשֵׁ֥ם | beshem | on [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וַיַּעְתֵּ֨קand he moved on
vaiya'tekH6275 →
מִשָּׁ֜םfrom there
mishamH8033 →834 times
הָהָ֗רָהthe hill country towards
haharahH2022 →546 times
מִקֶּ֛דֶםfrom [the] east
mikedemH6924 →87 times
לְבֵֽית־of Beth-
leveit-H1008 →142 times
אֵ֖ל-el
ʾelH1008 →142 times
וַיֵּ֣טand he pitched
vaiyetH5186 →214 times
אָהְָל֑וֹtent his
ʾoholoH168 →345 times
בֵּֽית־Beth-
beit-H1008 →142 times
אֵ֤ל-el
ʾelH1008 →142 times
מִיָּם֙[was] from [the] west
miyamH3220 →396 times
וְהָעַ֣יand <the> Ai
vehaaiH5857 →
מִקֶּ֔דֶם[was] from [the] east
mikedemH6924 →87 times
וַיִּֽבֶן־and he built
vaiyiven-H1129 →376 times
שָׁ֤םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙an altar
mizbeachH4196 →401 times
לַֽיהוָ֔הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיִּקְרָ֖אand he called
vaiyikra'H7121 →733 times
בְּשֵׁ֥םon [the] name of
beshemH8034 →864 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 4:26And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.
it leads to
- Zephaniah 3:9
For then I will restore pure lips to the peoples, that all may call upon the name of the LORD and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 116:17
I will offer to You a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.
- 1 Kings 18:24
Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered,…
- Joel 2:32
And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has promised, among the remnant called by…
- Zephaniah 3:9
Through
Genesis 21:33And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 1:17
Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Isaiah 40:28
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching…
- 1 Timothy 1:17
Through
1 Corinthians 1:2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their…
it leads to
- Romans 1:7
To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 6:9–11
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual…
- Romans 1:7
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, ON ABRAHAM 1.2.6; Bede, Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.