What does Genesis 12:4 mean?
In the previous three verses, God gave Abram a command and a set of powerful, astonishing promises. Abram was to leave his home behind and go to a place God would show him. Pointedly, Abram is told both to "go from" his old life and culture, and "go to" a new land and a new future. In the going, Abram would receive unimaginable blessings from God.However Abram responded to these words from God, it would be an act dependent on Abram's faith. Either he would trust God or he would not. As it turns out, Abram went. At the age of 75, Abram leaves his country, his people, and his home and heads toward whatever God has in store for him. He trusts God, which is the essence of the Bible's depiction of faith (Psalm 31:6; 1 Peter 2:6; 2 Corinthians 3:4). Interestingly, Abram will later fail to express this faith, leading to controversy. However, after being renamed Abraham, he will perform one of the greatest acts of trust recorded in Scripture (Genesis 22; Hebrews 11:17–19).
Among those Abram takes with him are his wife, Sarai, and his late brother's son, Lot.