Genesis 12:1–3
God calls Abram and promises blessing for all the families of the earth
Study it word by word1YHWH said to Abram, “Go from your land, from your kindred, and from the house of your father to the land that I will show you.
2I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, and I will make great your name; and be a blessing.
3I will bless those who bless you, and the one who treats you with contempt I will curse; and in you all the families of the ground will be blessed.”
In its context
…
4So Abram went, just as YHWH had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he went out from Haran.
5Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot the son of his brother, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the persons that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. And they came to the land of Canaan.
Its words in the original
- יֹּאמֶרyomer· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- אַבְרָםavram· Abram
Abram, the name of Abraham before God changed it (Genesis 17:5). It means "exalted father".
- לֶךְlech· go, walk
Go, walk, depart; in the causative form, lead or bring.
- אַרְצְarts· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- מּוֹלַדְתְּmoladt· birthplace, kindred
The place where one was born; one's native land and family of origin; also offspring.
- בֵּיתbet· house, household
House. Also the family that lives in it ("the house of Noah") and someone's descendants ("the house of David"); also a temple, "the house of God".
- אָבִיavi· father
Father; also ancestor ("our fathers"), and the founder or head of a family or group.
- אַרְאֶare· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- אֶעֶשְׂees· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- גוֹיgoy· nation
Nation, a people with its land. In the plural, "the nations": all the peoples of the world, and especially those who are not Israel.
- גָּדוֹלgadol· great
Great in size, number, age or importance; also "the elder" of two; "high priest" is "great priest".
- אֲבָרֶכְavarech· bless, kneel
Bless. When God blesses, he gives good: life, children, fruit, prosperity. When a person "blesses God", he gives him nothing: he praises and thanks him. Between people, it is wishing the other the good that comes from God; also greet. The root also means kneel.
- אֲגַדְּלָהagadla· grow up, become great
Grow up, become great; in the causative form, make great, magnify; also be proud.
- שְׁמֶsheme· name
Name. In the Bible a name says who someone is; so it also means fame, renown or reputation.
- הְיֵהheye· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- בְּרָכָהberacha· blessing
Blessing: the good that God gives (life, children, prosperity) and the words with which it is asked for or declared. Also a gift.
- מְקַלֶּלְmekalel· be light, curse
Be light or of little account. Said of waters, go down. Said of people, treat with contempt; in the intensive form, curse.
- אָאֹרaor· curse
Curse: declare someone or something under punishment, deprived of blessing. It is the opposite of bless.
- מִשְׁפְּחֹתmishpchot· family, clan
Family in a wide sense: clan, a group of relatives; of animals, kind.
- אֲדָמָהadama· ground, land
The ground, the soil that is tilled; also the territory where people live. In Hebrew "adamah" sounds like "adam", the human being formed from it.