Genesis 12:5 · Bible study
Genesis 12:5 Commentary: The Souls They Had Gotten in Haran
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does 'souls they had gotten' mean in Genesis 12:5? Abram's migration to Canaan included a household whose identity, slaves or converts, has been debated for centuries.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Abram left Haran with his wife, nephew, possessions, and the people (servants/proselytes) they had acquired, entering Canaan as an act of obedient faith.
- Key words: 'took' (laqach), 'souls' (nephesh, persons/servants), 'gotten' (asah, made/acquired), 'went forth' (yatsa), 'came' (bo).
- Main debate: Were the 'souls' literal slaves (Calvin, Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible) or converts to the true God (Jewish Targums, Wesley, Clarke)? Both interpretations have ancient support.
- Theological theme: Obedience to divine call involves the whole household; God's blessing passes through one man but draws many into the story.
- Best use: A case study in costly discipleship and the communal nature of faith; also an example of careful interpretation when the original language allows multiple readings.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
WEB World English Bible 2000
Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. They entered into the land of Canaan.
KJV King James Version 1769
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Abram taketh Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they have gained, and the persons that they have obtained in Charan; and they go out to go towards the land of Canaan; and they come in to the land of Canaan.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had acquired, and the souls that they had obtained in Haran, and they went out to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all the substance which they had gathered, and the souls which they had gotten in Haran: and they went out to go into the land of Chanaan. And when they were come into it,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y tomó Abram á Sarai su mujer, y á Lot hijo de su hermano, y toda su hacienda que habían ganado, y las almas que habían adquirido en Harán, y salieron para ir á tierra de Canaán; y á tierra de Canaán llegaron.
E tomou Abrão a Sarai sua mulher, e a Ló filho de seu irmão, e todos os seus pertences que haviam ganhado, e as almas que haviam adquirido em Harã, e saíram para ir à terra de Canaã; e à terra de Canaã chegaram.
Abram prit Saraï, sa femme, et Lot, fils de son frère, avec tous les biens qu’ ils possédaient et les serviteurs qu’ ils avaient acquis à Charan. Ils partirent pour aller dans le pays de Canaan, et ils arrivèrent au pays de Canaan.
Also nahm Abram sein Weib Sarai und Lot, seines Bruders Sohn, mit aller ihrer Habe, die sie gewonnen hatten, und die Seelen, die sie erworben hatten in Haran; und zogen aus, zu reisen in das Land Kanaan. Und als sie gekommen waren in dasselbe Land,
En Abram nam Sarai, zijn huisvrouw, en Lot, zijns broeders zoon, en al hun have, die zij verworven hadden, en de zielen, die zij verkregen hadden in Haran; en zij togen uit, om te gaan naar het land Kanaan, en zij kwamen in het land Kanaan.
E Abramo prese Sarai sua moglie e Lot, figliuolo del suo fratello, e tutti i beni che possedevano e le persone che aveano acquistate in Charan, e partirono per andarsene nel paese di Canaan; e giunsero nel paese di Canaan.
Wziął też Abram Saraj żonę swoję, i Lota syna brata swego, i wszystkę swą majętność, której nabyli, i dusze, których nabyli w Haranie, i wyszli, aby szli do ziemi Chananejskiej; i przyszli do ziemi Chananejskiej.
И взял Аврам с собою Сару, жену свою, Лота, сына брата своего, и все имение, которое они приобрели, и всех людей, которых они имели в Харране; и вышли, чтобы идти в землю Ханаанскую; и пришли в землю Ханаанскую.
亞伯蘭 將 他妻子 撒萊和 姪兒 羅得，連 他們在哈蘭 所 積蓄的 財物、 所 得 的人口，都帶 往 迦南 地 去。他們就到了 迦南 地。
And Abram took Sarai, his wife, and Lot, his brother's son, and all their goods and the servants which they had got in Haran, and they went out to go to the land of Canaan.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 12:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the basic storyline: Abram, obedient to God's call, left Haran with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all their possessions, and a group of people described as 'the souls that they had gotten in Haran.' The clear fact is that Abram's household was sizable, wealthy enough to later field three hundred eighteen trained men (Genesis 14:14).
Where commentators diverge is on what 'gotten' means for those souls. Clark and Wesley, following the Chaldee paraphrases, see them as proselytes, people Abram and Sarai converted to the worship of the true God. Calvin, Keil & Delitzsch, and the Cambridge Bible read them as male and female servants, acquired by purchase or born into the household. Gill carefully notes both possibilities: literal slaves and spiritual converts, citing the Targums of Onkelos, Jerusalem, and Jonathan for the proselyte interpretation. The verb ʿāśû ('they had made/acquired') and the noun nepeš ('soul/person') are broad enough to sustain either reading. Most scholars today treat the phrase as a reference to the entire body of retainers, while the ancient Jewish tradition of proselytes continues to resonate pastorally as a sign of Abram's influence beyond his own kin.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Servants/slaves (literal): The same term (nephesh) is used elsewhere for slaves and retainers (Genesis 36:6; Exodus 12:44), and Abram's wealth makes the acquisition of slaves likely.
- Proselytes/converts (figurative): Ancient Jewish paraphrases (Targums) and some Christian commentators (Wesley, Clarke) see the verb 'asah' as 'make' in a religious sense, reflecting Abram's witness in Haran.
- Mixed or ambiguous: Many modern scholars note that the phrase could refer to both categories; the text does not clearly distinguish, and the community included both servants and those drawn to Abram's faith.
What is clear: Abram, acting on God's call, left Haran with his immediate family (Sarai and Lot), his entire movable wealth, and a group of dependent people, and arrived safely in Canaan—an act of faith that the New Testament (Hebrews 11:8, Acts 7:4) commends.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'souls' (nefesh) | The term refers to persons belonging to Abram's household, numbering more than just his immediate family. | Some interpreters see them as servants/slaves purchased with money (Calvin, Keil). Others, following the Targums, understand them as proselytes Abram and Sarai converted to the worship of God (Wesley, Clarke, and the Jewish paraphrases). |
| The verb 'gotten' (asah) | The Hebrew verb asah ordinarily means 'make' or 'do,' indicating intentional acquisition. | Does it imply buying (a commercial transaction) or making (by instruction/influence)? The context of Haran as a trade center supports purchase; the missionary tone of the call supports conversion. |
| Role of Lot | Lot, Abram's orphaned nephew, accompanied Abram willingly, as part of the family. | Was Lot's inclusion a blessing (companionship) or a risk (later conflict over land)? The text records it neutrally; later events show both. |
| Obedience vs. preparation | Abram obeyed God's call and left Haran. | Did he leave immediately or wait until he had accumulated possessions and people? Gill suggests a stay of five years; others note Abram's wealth as a sign of God's blessing even before the call. |
| Typological reading | The journey from man's country to God's land is a pattern of faith. | Some (Clarke, applying the verse pastorally) see an allegory of the Christian journey. Others (Calvin, Barnes) keep the reading strictly historical, emphasizing Abram's literal departure as a model of, not a type for, personal faith. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Genesis 12:5 sits within the larger migration story that began in Ur of the Chaldees. Terah, Abram's father, had set out for Canaan but stopped in Haran (Genesis 11:31). After Terah's death (Acts 7:4), Abram resumed the journey at God's command. Haran was a thriving trade city in northern Mesopotamia, a crossroads for caravans; it is likely that Abram accumulated his wealth, and his household, during the years he lived there.
In the ancient Near East, a wealthy clan leader's household included multiple generations, hired servants, and slaves. The term nepeš (plural nefāšôt) is used elsewhere for persons who belong to a patriarch's domain. For instance, Genesis 14:14 counts 'three hundred eighteen trained men, born in his house.' Genesis 36:6 uses the same language for Esau's household. The phrase 'souls that they had gotten' could refer to any mix: children born to servants, people bought with money, or even clients attached to the family.
The journey from Haran to Canaan involved crossing the Euphrates, passing through Syria, and entering northern Palestine. The Cambridge Bible describes this as 'a large migration, such as was not infrequent among the nomad peoples of Western Asia.' The route was well known. At Shechem, Abram built his first altar, marking the land as belonging to the God who called him. The land itself was already occupied by Canaanites (Genesis 12:6), making Abram's faith all the more striking, he trusted a divine promise against visible reality.
This verse also raises the uncomfortable reality of slavery in the biblical world. Calvin reflects that servitude was a violation of the original created order, 'the order of nature…violently infringed' by human sin. Yet Abram's possession of servants is simply noted, not condemned, as part of ancient social structures.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources do not note any significant textual variants for Genesis 12:5. The verse reads consistently across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions (including the Septuagint and Syriac). The key terms nepeš ('souls') and rākāšû ('they had accumulated') appear without textual disturbance. The debate is interpretive, not textual.
Reception History
Jewish interpretation of this verse has long read 'the souls they had gotten' as proselytes. The Targums Onkelos, Jerusalem, and Jonathan all paraphrase the phrase as 'the souls that they had made subject to the law' or 'the souls of the proselytes.' Jarchi, the great medieval rabbi, explains that Abram converted the men and Sarai the women, a picture of active, household-based mission. In early Christian readings, the journey itself was seen typologically: Ambrose and Augustine drew parallels between Abram's faithful departure and the believer's call. Reformation commentators like Calvin shifted the focus to social history, emphasizing that slavery was a tragic but legal reality in the ancient world. Modern evangelical scholarship often keeps both possibilities open, noting that the text does not force a choice, but the older Jewish missionary reading continues to inspire sermons and studies on evangelism within the family.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Obedience on the move. Abram's departure was specific, costly, and prompt. He left Haran with everything he had, pursuing a land God would show him.
- Not alone. Abram brought his family and his household. Sarai, Lot, the possessions, and the souls, every element of his life was uprooted and brought under God's call.
- Arrival and promise. They entered Canaan. The journey was completed; the land was now under their feet. The promise of blessing had begun its fulfillment.
Five-point outline
- The call resumed. After Terah's death, Abram renewed the migration to Canaan (cf. Acts 7:4). God's timing is sovereign.
- Family ties. Abram took Sarai (his wife) and Lot (his orphaned nephew). Faith is lived out in relationships.
- Material and human resources. All their possessions and the souls they had acquired, nothing is left behind. Faith uses what God has given.
- The verb 'went forth.' The Hebrew wayyēṣe'û implies a decisive departure. They left the security of Haran.
- Into the land. The repetition 'they went forth to go…and they came' contrasts intention with arrival. God brought them safely.
Illustration hooks
- A family relocates for a job, bringing children, pets, furniture, and decades of memories. In the same way, Abram's move involved his whole life, not just his faith.
- An entrepreneur starts a new venture, taking his entire team with him. Abram's 'souls' represent a network of people drawn into God's mission.
- A refugee story from the modern world: a family flees conflict, carrying only what they can. Abram left comfort for promise, not safety.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Were these 'souls' slaves? How does that fit with God's call?
- Why did Lot go with Abram, and what does that mean for our own spiritual influence on family?
- How prepared do I need to be before I obey God's call? Abram gathered for years, did he wait too long, or was that part of God's plan?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures Abram's entire household in transition. The meaning of 'souls they had gotten' invites us to consider what it means to bring others along as we follow God. Is faith a solitary journey, or does it always involve a community, even a mixed one of believers and servants? Use these questions to explore the text together.
Discussion questions
- Read Genesis 12:1, 5. What stands out about Abram's obedience? How does his age (75) underscore his faith?
- The verse lists Sarai, Lot, possessions, and souls. How might each part of this list represent a different kind of commitment?
- Commentators disagree on whether 'souls they had gotten' means servants or converts. Why does this matter for how we read the chapter? Does it change our picture of Abram?
- The Hebrew verb ʿāśû ('they had made/acquired') is the same word used for 'make' or 'do.' In what sense did Abram and Sarai 'make' these people? Consider Genesis 14:14 and the size of Abram's household.
- Hebrews 11:8 praises Abram's faith: 'he went out, not knowing where he went.' How does the detail of verse 5, people, possessions, the journey itself, support that description of faith?
- What does it mean for you to 'take' everything in your life, family, resources, relationships, and follow God's call? What would you leave behind?
- Lot went with Abram, but later he chose the well-watered Jordan Valley (Genesis 13:10, 11). How can following another person's faith be both a gift and a risk?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 10:19 | The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon—as you go toward Gerar—to Gaza—as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim—to Lasha. |
| Genesis 11:31 | Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there. |
| Genesis 14:14 | When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out his three hundred eighteen trained men, born in his house, and pursued as far as Dan. |
| Genesis 14:21 | The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and take the goods for yourself.” |
| Genesis 46:5 | Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. |
| Genesis 46:26 | All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct offspring, in addition to Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty-six. |
| Acts 7:4 | Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans and lived in Haran. From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land where you are now living. |
| Hebrews 11:8 | By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights two possible meanings for the souls Abram and Sarai gained in Haran: either servants or converts to the true God, which the ancient Chaldee paraphrases favor. He then reads Abram's determined journey to Canaan as a pattern for the Christian life, urging the reader to press on toward heaven without stopping short of the goal.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that God's call of Abram was never meant to be narrow or exclusive. Both Old and New Testaments agree in offering mercy to all people, and Abram's call is specifically designed as the channel through which blessing would eventually reach every family on earth.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin acknowledges that slavery violates the natural equality God intended among people, yet he does not condemn it outright. He argues that while servitude began through human sin—war or poverty—its long-standing acceptance by custom and necessity makes the practice not unlawful, as seen in Abram owning servants.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that the word "substance" is a distinctive term used in the Priestly source, appearing repeatedly in Genesis. "Souls" refers to Abram's slaves and retainers, indicating the migration from Haran was large-scale. An ancient tradition even claims Abram conquered Damascus on the way.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes call attention to the phrase "the soules they had gotten in Haran," explaining these were servants or converts Abram and Sarai had instructed in the true religion. This detail shows Abram was already teaching and winning people to faith even before reaching Canaan.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that "the souls they had gotten in Haran" refers mainly to converts to the true religion, not just servants or children. He points out that Abram made proselytes among the men and Sarai among the women, showing their industriousness in spreading faith alongside gathering wealth.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that Abram's safe arrival in Canaan with his wife and orphan nephew fulfilled the very first promise God had given him. The journey ended exactly as pledged, making the initial guarantee already a reality.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight Abram's cheerful obedience and note that his age marks the start of a new epoch in human history. They also clarify that "the souls they had gotten" refers to slaves Abram and Lot had acquired, not children born to them.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights that Abram’s journey to Canaan involved taking not only his wife and nephew but also all their accumulated wealth and the people they had gathered in Haran. This emphasis on "souls" alongside substance shows that his migration was a comprehensive movement of an entire household, establishing the patriarchal family as the foundational unit for the future nation of Israel.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Abram's obedience was immediate and unquestioning, not consulting with natural reason or reluctance. He also notes the significance of Abram's age, seventy-five, as an old convert willing to start over, and the comfort of having his wife Sarai and nephew Lot join him in the journey of faith.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that the "souls they had gotten" refers to proselytes persuaded to worship the true God and accompany them to Canaan. He uses a rabbinic image: these converts were gathered under the wings of the divine Majesty, highlighting the spiritual conversion and inclusion.