God told Abram to leave his country, his relatives, and his father’s household and go to a land God would show him. The command came with a promise. God would make Abram into a great nation, bless him, and make his name great. Those who blessed Abram would be blessed, and all the families of the earth would receive blessing through him.
Abram departed as God had told him, and his nephew Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old. He took his wife Sarai, Lot, their possessions, and the people who belonged to their household in Haran. Together they set out for Canaan and arrived there.
Abram traveled as far as the oak of Moreh at Shechem. Canaanites were then living in the land. God appeared to Abram and promised to give that land to his descendants. Abram built an altar there to the God who had appeared to him.
The destination was not named before Abram left. He departed with only the description of a land God would show him. Leaving involved more than crossing a boundary: Sarai, Lot, the members of the household, livestock, and accumulated possessions all had to move away from the stability of Haran.
The blessing also reached beyond Abram’s private future. God promised a nation, a great name, protection in his dealings with others, and blessing for every family of the earth. Yet in Canaan Abram still lived in tents among people who already occupied the land. At Shechem and again near Bethel, his concrete response was to build an altar.
He moved on to the hills east of Bethel, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. Abram pitched his tent, built another altar, and called on God’s name. Then he continued by stages toward the Negev.