Old Testament Lesson

Gen. 12:1-7 (NRSV)

Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your
father's house to the land that I will show you. 2I will make of you a great nation, and
I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3I will bless
those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the
earth shall be blessed.'

4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five
years old when he departed from Haran. 5Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother's son
Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired
in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of
Canaan,

6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time
the Canaanites were in the land. 7Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, 'To your
offspring I will give this land.' So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to
him.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.