The Call of Abram

Abram was a descendent of Shem, whose lineage would become the chosen people of God. However, the descendants of Shem had not remained faithful to the divine principles. The Lord said to Abram: "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing and I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all people on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people they had acquired in Haran. And they set out to the land of Canaan. When they arrived there, the first place were they stopped was Shechem. The Lord appeared to Abram and said: "To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 11, 12