under his blessing. For Abraham, this place is the land (Gen. 12:1), and this promise runs like a scarlet thread through the rest of the biblical narrative. The story of Abram begins with God’s calling him to leave his home to the land that God will show him. Although Genesis 12:1–3 does not specify which land Abram will possess, the promise that God will make of him a great nation implies promise of the land, for you cannot have a great nation without land.7 The Lord confirms his promise to Abram
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