Acts 7:3

3 and said unto him, `Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.'

Acts 7:3 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:3

And said unto him
Not the words in ( Genesis 12:1 ) for they were said in Haran, these in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt there, and besides, these are different from them; no mention is here made of getting out from his father's house, as there; because his father's house sent along with him, or rather he with them from Mesopotamia to Haran:

get thee out of thy country;
from Ur of the Chaldees, where he was born:

and from thy kindred;
his relations that lived in the same place, who did not go along with him:

and come into the land which I shall show thee;
not telling him the place whither he was to go; wherefore when he had his first call, and first set out, he knew not whither he went; see ( Hebrews 11:8 ) . This was an emblem of the calling of the saints out of the world, from their former course of life, and from among their old companions and friends, to follow Christ whithersoever he is pleased to lead them; and who at last will bring them safe to the land afar off, the better and heavenly country.

Acts 7:3 In-Context

1 Then said the high priest, "Are these things so?"

2 And Stephen said, "Men, brethren and fathers, hearken! The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,

3 and said unto him, `Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.'

4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Haran; and from thence, when his father was dead, He removed himself into this land wherein ye now dwell.

5 And He gave him no inheritance in it -- no, not so much as to set his foot on; yet He promised that He would give it to him as a possession and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.