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“Go forth from your land…”
Concerning this matter, the narration of Stephen in Acts 7 must be carefully considered, since it ought not to be contradicted by any exposition. For it did not happen—as it might appear from Genesis—that God spoke to Abraham to depart from his land and kindred only after the death of Terah. Rather, God spoke to him while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, after he had gone forth from the land of the Chaldeans. Thus we must understand that God spoke to him during that journey.
Stephen recounts it in this way: “Then Abram, having gone forth from the land of the Chaldeans, dwelt in Haran; and from there, after his father died, God removed him into this land.” This presents no small difficulty for the explanation that relies on simple recapitulation. It seems that Abraham received the command of the Lord while journeying in Mesopotamia, after departing from Chaldea and going toward Haran; and after his father’s death he fulfilled it, when it is said that he dwelt in Haran and from there, after his father died, God placed him in this land.
The question therefore remains: if Abraham was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran, how can this be true, unless Stephen’s words—“then Abram went forth from the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran”—are understood to mean: he went forth at the time when the Lord spoke to him? For he was already in Mesopotamia when he heard the Lord’s word. Stephen, by the rule of recapitulation, intended to combine the account—indicating both whence he departed and where he dwelt—when he said: “Then Abram went forth from the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran.” In the interval between the departure from Chaldea and the dwelling in Haran, God spoke to him.
When Stephen adds, “and from there, after his father died, God removed him into this land,” it should be noted that he does not say: “after his father died he departed from Haran,” but rather that from there God placed him in this land. Thus he was established in Canaan after dwelling in Haran—not that he departed only after his father’s death, but that he was placed in the land of Canaan after that dwelling.
The order may therefore be understood thus: He dwelt in Haran; from there God placed him in this land; after his father died, he was established there—namely when he received his grandson, from whom all his seed was destined to reign by inheritance promised by God. For from Abraham were born Ishmael by Hagar and sons by Keturah, and from Isaac came Esau, to whom the inheritance did not belong. But from Jacob, the son of Isaac, all his offspring pertained to that inheritance. Thus Abraham was established in that land when he lived there until the birth of Jacob.
Gen 12:1 “Go forth from your land…”
It should be noted that Abraham had already gone forth from his land, but previously he had departed bodily, not in mind and will; for he still intended to return. Therefore he was told: “Go forth…” that is, depart completely.
Morally, Christ left the land and kindred of the Jews and was magnified among the nations.
For us, who must go forth from our land—that is, from earthly possessions and riches—and from our kindred, meaning the habits of vices that cling to us from birth as though by blood relationship; and from our father’s house, that is, from the memory and customs of the world—by renouncing these we may be enlarged with the people of God and, in due time, be led into the land of heavenly promise.
Gen 12:2-3 “I will make you a great nation…”
Two things are promised to Abraham. First, the land of Canaan, which his seed would possess when it is said: “Come into the land which I will show you.” Second, something far more excellent: not concerning carnal seed, but spiritual seed, by which he would become the father not only of the Jewish nation but of all nations who follow his faith. This is promised when it is said: “In you shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”
The Structure of Moses’ Narrative
After Moses described the multiplication of the human race and the distinction of the faithful from the unfaithful through the first two stocks—Adam and Noah—he now does the same through a third stock, namely Abraham. This description proceeds in three parts: first through Abraham, then through Isaac (chapter 25), and finally through Jacob (chapter 27).
Concerning Abraham, it is shown how he advanced from imperfection to perfection: first as a beginner (here), then as one progressing (chapter 17), and finally as perfect (chapter 22). At first his conduct toward God is described, namely his obedience and subjection.
Gen 12:3 “Now the Lord said to Abram…”
Rabbi Solomon (Rashi) says this was spoken sixty years before his father’s death, because Terah and Nahor had turned to idolatry. But this view depends upon the assumption that Abraham was Terah’s firstborn, which was disproven earlier. Therefore it must be said that the command came after Terah’s death.
“Go forth from your land”—that is, from Chaldea, where he was born. Some say he had departed bodily but not mentally, intending to return; yet this is unlikely, since Nimrod still ruled (Genesis 14). Therefore it is better understood according to the Hebrew form: “Go for yourself”—that is, for your own good and benefit; go farther away.
“And from your father’s house.” Even if the father were already dead, the household can still be named from him.
“Into the land…” The land was not yet revealed to him, in order to show Abraham’s obedience in going to an undetermined place.
Gen 12:2 “I will make you a great nation”—in multitude, though Sarah was barren.
“I will bless you”—in spiritual and temporal goods.
“I will magnify your name”—by increasing your fame.
“You shall be a blessing.” In Hebrew it reads: “You shall be blessing,” as if blessing itself in the abstract. The Hebrews explain that the priestly blessing would begin with his name: “May the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob bless you.”
Morally, the calling of Abraham signifies the calling of a learned man to religion, as happened with Augustine, Gregory, and many others who greatly benefited the Church. He is told to leave possessions, carnal friends, and worldly customs; otherwise he cannot assume the religious habit. The devil, if he sees secular manners under a religious appearance, reclaims such a one to his service.
“Come into the land…” that is, the land of the living—the life of grace now, and afterward the life of glory. The grace given in religious life is an earnest (arrha) of glory. This land of grace flows with milk (instruction, as 1 Corinthians 3:2: “I gave you milk to drink”) and honey (devotion, a foretaste of future sweetness).
The Chronological Question
If Terah begot Abraham at seventy and died at 205, how was Abraham seventy-five when he left Haran? The Hebrews say Terah departed from the fire of the Chaldeans and that Abraham was delivered from Babylonian flames when he refused to adore idols; and from that confession his years are reckoned.
But more probably Abraham was not Terah’s firstborn; rather sixty years intervened between the birth of Terah’s firstborn and Abraham’s birth. Thus when Terah died at 205, Abraham was seventy-five.
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