Acts 7:3

3 and told him, 'Leave your country and family and go to the land I'll show you.'

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 the Chief Priest said, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

2 Stephen replied, "Friends, fathers, and brothers, the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was still in Mesopotamia, before the move to Haran,

3 and told him, 'Leave your country and family and go to the land I'll show you.'

4 "So he left the country of the Chaldees and moved to Haran. After the death of his father, he immigrated to this country where you now live,

5 but God gave him nothing, not so much as a foothold. He did promise to give the country to him and his son later on, even though Abraham had no son at the time.