Acts 7:3

3 and said to him, Go out of thy land, and of thy kindred, and come into the land, which I shall show to 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 And the prince of priests said to Stephen, Whether these things have them so?

2 Which said, Brethren and fathers [Which saith, Men, brethren, and fathers], hear ye. [The] God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before that he dwelt in Charran [before he dwelt in Charran],

3 and said to him, Go out of thy land, and of thy kindred, and come into the land, which I shall show to thee.

4 Then he went out of the land of Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran. And from thence after that his father was dead, he translated him into this land, in which ye dwell now.

5 And he gave not to him heritage in it, neither a pace of a foot, but he promised to give [to] him it into possession, and to his seed after him, when he had not a son.