The Lord said He would give Abram’s descendants the land of Canaan, 12:7. Abram’s response was to build an altar there, 12:8. When a famine drove him from the land, 12:10, he went to Egypt but he didn’t remain there, 13:3.
When he returned, the Lord told him again that He would give the land to his descendants, 13:15. He moved his tent and settled by the “oaks of Mamre.”
“. . . in the neighborhood of Hebron . . . the ‘oak grove’ or the ‘wood of Mamre,’ thus designated after Abraham’s ally. . . . ‘the oak of rest’ . . .” biblestudytools.com/dictionary/mamre/
Abram believed God would keep His promise. He didn’t try to make it happen. He didn’t declare war on Mamre, his ally, and try to take his inheritance by force. He rested in God’s promise at the “oak of rest.”
Sarai received a promise, too. When it was not fulfilled according to her timetable, she took matters into her own hands. Ishmael was the father of all Arabs. Isaac was the father of all Jews. They are still fighting today!
Abram taught us the proper way to wait on a promise – sit on it.
Genesis 13:12, “…Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan…” Modern English Version
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