God promised Abram he would bless him and make him the father of a great nation. Those who blessed his descendants would be blessed by God and those who cursed his descendants would be cursed.
Abram obeyed and set off with his wife Sarai, his father Terah and his nephew Lot.
When they got to Haran they stopped to settle. During this time Abram’s father Teran died.
By now Abram was 75 years old. God told him to continue on his journey to the land of Canaan.
Abraham obeyed and they traveled south into the land of the Canaanites
They came to a great tree at Shechem and settled there
God told Abram, ‘I will give this land to your offspring.’
Abram built an altar to the Lord at Shechem and worshiped Him.
Abram and those with him then moved south to Bethel.
Once he arrived he built an altar to God in honour of His name.
There was a famine in the land; food became scarce and many became hungry.
Abram and his family decided to travel south through the desert to Egypt to find food.
As they entered Egypt Abram became worried. His wife Sarai was very beautiful. He feared that Pharaoh might kill him so he could take Sarai as his wife. So, he told Sarai to pretend she was not his wife but his sister.
Pharaoh’s officials told Pharaoh how beautiful Abram’s ‘sister’ was and he took her into his palace. He gave Abram cattle, donkeys servants and gifts
God however inflicted Pharaoh and his household with serious diseases. When Pharaoh found out Sarai was already married he summoned Abram. ‘Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?’ he exclaimed. ‘Take her and go!’
Pharaoh gave orders to his officials to send Abram, Sarai and everyone with him out of Egypt – along with all their possessions.
They set off on the way back to Canaan with the cattle servants and gifts Pharaoh had given them.
They arrived back at Bethel and settled there to live. Abram prayed to God calling on His name
Abram could now settle in the land of Canaan - the land God had promised him and his descendants. However he and his wife Sarai had no children and both were getting older.
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