Come, Follow Me
Old Testament Lesson 7:
February 7–13
“To Be a Greater Follower of Righteousness”
Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2
Illustration of Abraham and Sarah, by Dilleen Marsh
As you read about Abram and Sarai (later called Abraham and Sarah) and their family, ponder how their examples inspire you. Record impressions about what you can do “to be a greater follower of righteousness” (Abraham 1:2).
Genesis 12: Abram will become a great nation—He and his seed will bless all the families of the earth—He travels from Haran to the land of Canaan—Because of famine, he goes down into Egypt—Abram and Sarai are tested in Pharaoh’s court.
Genesis 13: Abram returns from Egypt—He and Lot part—The Lord will make Abram’s seed as the dust of the earth in number—Abram settles in Hebron.
Genesis 14: Lot is captured in the battles of the kings—He is rescued by Abram—Melchizedek administers bread and wine and blesses Abram—Abram pays tithes—He declines to accept the spoils of conquest.
Genesis 15: Abram desires offspring—The Lord promises him seed in number as the stars—Abram believes the promise—His seed will be strangers in Egypt—Then, after four generations, they will inherit Canaan.
Genesis 16: Sarai gives Hagar to Abram as his wife—Hagar flees from Sarai—An angel commands Hagar to return and submit herself to Sarai—Hagar bears Ishmael.
Genesis 17: Abram is commanded to be perfect—He will be a father of many nations—His name is changed to Abraham—The Lord covenants to be a God unto Abraham and his seed forever—Also, the Lord gives Abraham the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession—Circumcision becomes a token of the everlasting covenant between God and Abraham—Sarai’s name is changed to Sarah—She will bear Isaac, with whom the Lord will establish His covenant—Abraham and the men of his house are circumcised.
Resources on ChurchofJesusChrist.org
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Come, Follow Me—For Aaronic Priesthood Quorums and Young Women Classes (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Come, Follow Me—For Primary (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
“I Want to Live the Gospel,” Children’s Songbook, 148.
Thoughts to Keep in Mind: The Covenant- The Abrahamic Covenant Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2, Liahona – Come, Follow Me: Old Testament
- Old Testament Symbols Genesis 6–27, Liahona – Come, Follow Me: Old Testament
Additional Material on ChurchofJesusChrist.org
Chapter 08: Abraham
- Old Testament Seminary Student Material: Lesson 22: Genesis 10–11; Abraham 1
- Old Testament Seminary Student Material: Lesson 23: Genesis 12; Abraham 2
- Old Testament Seminary Student Material: Lesson 25: Genesis 13–14
- Old Testament Seminary Student Material: Lesson 27: Genesis 15–17
- Old Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students: Unit 4: Day 3, Genesis 10–11; Abraham 1:1–7
- Old Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students: Unit 4: Day 4, Abraham 2; Genesis 12
- Old Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students: Unit 5: Day 2, Genesis 13–14
- Old Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students: Unit 5: Day 3, Genesis 15–16
- Old Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students: Unit 5: Day 4, Genesis 17–18
- Old Testament Institute Student Manual Genesis-2 Samuel: Genesis 12–17: Abraham—Father of the Faithful
- The Pearl of Great Price Institute Student Manual: Abraham 1:1–3
- The Pearl of Great Price Institute Student Manual: Abraham 1:4–31; Facsimile 1
- The Pearl of Great Price Institute Student Manual: Abraham 2:1–13
- The Pearl of Great Price Institute Student Manual: Abraham 2:14–25
Resources on Interpreter Foundation
- Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 7: Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2, Jonn Claybaugh
-
Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Old Testament Lesson 7 (Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2)
- Nibley Lectures: Come, Follow Me Old Testament Lesson 7 (Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2)
Additional Posts & Roundtables on the Interpreter Foundation Website
- KnoWhy OTL09A — Must Every Disciple Make an Abrahamic Sacrifice?, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, February 27, 2018
- KnoWhy OTL07A — If “All Are Alike Unto God,” Why Were Special Promises Reserved for Abraham’s Seed?, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, February 12, 2018
- Abraham and Jehovah, David J. Larsen, August 23, 2014
- KnoWhy OTL08E — Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 5: Mamre, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, February 20, 2018
- KnoWhy OTL08D — Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 4: Ancient Hebron, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, February 17, 2018
- KnoWhy OTL08C — Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 3: Jacob’s Well and the Tombs of Joseph and Rachel, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, February 16, 2018
- KnoWhy OTL08B — Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 2: The Tomb of the Patriarchs, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, February 14, 2018
- KnoWhy OTL08A — Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 1: Introduction, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, February 13, 2018
- Raising the Abrahamic Discourse: An Essay on the Nature of Dialogues About the Book of Abraham, Kerry Muhlestein, August 25, 2020
- Scholarly Support for the Book of Abraham, Administration, August 25, 2020
- The Book of Abraham with Robin Scott Jensen, LDS Perspectives, October 7, 2018
- John Gee’s “Introduction to the Book of Abraham”: A Lifetime of Book of Abraham Scholarship Distilled into a Valuable Book for a Broad Audience, Jeff Lindsay, October 10, 2017
- Book Review: An Introduction to the Book of Abraham, Stephen O. Smoot, September 29, 2017
- Stephen Smoot on “The Book of the Dead as a Temple Text and Its Implications for the Book of Abraham”, Administration, May 11, 2015
- "By His Own Hand, Upon Papyrus": Another Look, Stephen O. Smoot, October 14, 2013
- Iconotropy and the JS Abraham Facsimiles, William J. Hamblin, April 7, 2013
Articles in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
- The People of Canaan: A New Reading of Moses 7, Adam Stokes, September 17, 2021
- Four Idolatrous Gods in the Book of Abraham, John Gee, July 17, 2020
- Understanding Ritual Hand Gestures of the Ancient World: Some Basic Tools, David M. Calabro, June 8, 2020
- The Lives of Abraham: Seeing Abraham through the Eyes of Second-Temple Jews, Taylor Halverson, May 31, 2019
- Was Adam a Monotheist? A Reflection on Why We Call Abraham Father and Not Adam, Taylor Halverson, March 8, 2019
- Isaiah 56, Abraham, and the Temple, Taylor Halverson, July 27, 2018
- “If Ye Will Hearken”: Lehi’s Rhetorical Wordplay on Ishmael in 2 Nephi 1:28–29 and Its Implications, Matthew L. Bowen, May 19, 2017
- Scriptures with Pictures: Methodology, Unexamined Assumptions, and the Study of the Book of Abraham, Mark J. Johnson, April 7, 2017
- Hagar in LDS Scripture and Thought, Andrew C. Smith, January 10, 2014
- The Brass Plates Version of Genesis, Noel B. Reynolds, October 15, 2019
- Sorting Out the Sources in Scripture, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, April 4, 2014
- The Case for the Documentary Hypothesis, Historical Criticism, and the Latter-day Saints, Colby J. Townsend, April 4, 2014
- Framing the Book of Abraham: Presumptions and Paradigms, Stephen O. Smoot, September 24, 2021
- Fantasy and Reality in the Translation of the Book of Abraham, John Gee, January 29, 2021
- Prolegomena to a Study of the Egyptian Alphabet Documents in the Joseph Smith Papers, John Gee, January 22, 2021
- “We May Not Understand Our Words”: The Book of Abraham and the Concept of Translation in The Pearl of Greatest Price, John S. Thompson, October 13, 2020
- Scriptures through the Jeweler’s Lens, Mark J. Johnson, February 28, 2020
- The Joseph Smith Papers Project Stumbles, John Gee, August 23, 2019
- A Precious Resource with Some Gaps, Jeff Lindsay, July 19, 2019
- Pressing Forward with the Book of Abraham, Stephen O. Smoot, April 20, 2018
- Assessing the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Introduction to the Historiography of their Acquisitions, Translations, and Interpretations, Kerry Muhlestein, September 23, 2016
- Shulem, One of the King’s Principal Waiters, John Gee, April 29, 2016
- Mormonism and the Scientific Persistence of Circles: Aristotle, Spacetime, and One Eternal Round, Elizabeth Nielson, April 15, 2016
- One Day to a Cubit, Hollis R. Johnson, February 15, 2013
Resources on Other Sites
- Come, Follow Me Week 7 – Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2, FAIR
- Book & Chapter Guide: Genesis 12, Bible Central
- Book & Chapter Guide: Genesis 13, Bible Central
- Book & Chapter Guide: Genesis 14, Bible Central
- Book & Chapter Guide: Genesis 15, Bible Central
- Book & Chapter Guide: Genesis 16, Bible Central
- Book & Chapter Guide: Genesis 17, Bible Central
- Old Testament Minute: Genesis 12-17, by Jeff Bradshaw, Bible Central
- Feb 7-13 (Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2) Come Follow Me Insights with Taylor and Tyler, Book of Mormon Central
- Part 2 – SPECIAL EPISODE: Feb 7-13 (Book of Abraham) Come Follow Me Insights with Taylor and Tyler, Book of Mormon Central
- Who was Abraham? (Week 7 Part 1/7) Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2 | Feb 7 – Feb 13, Book of Mormon Central
- The Power of the Abrahamic Covenants (Week 7 Part 2/7) Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2 | Feb 7 – Feb 13, Book of Mormon Central
- Where Do We Pitch Our Tents? (Week 7 Part 3/7) Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2 | Feb 7 – Feb 13, Book of Mormon Central
- God’s Covenant to Us (Week 7 Part 4/7) Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2 | Feb 7 – Feb 13, Book of Mormon Central
- What Does Melchizedek Mean? (Week 7 Part 5/7) Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2 | Feb 7 – Feb 13, Book of Mormon Central
- Abraham, Sarah and Hagar (Week 7 Part 6/7) Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2 | Feb 7 – Feb 13, Book of Mormon Central
- Abraham’s and Sarah’s New Name (Week 7 Part 7/7) Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2 | Feb 7 – Feb 13, Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me Old Testament Genesis 12-17; Abraham 1-2 (Feb. 7-13) Don’t Miss This, Don’t Miss This
- Come Follow Me – Genesis 12-17; Abraham 1-2: “Abraham & Sarah”, Unshaken
- “To Be a Greater Follower of Righteousness”—Come, Follow Me for Sunday School: Genesis 12-17; Abraham 1-2, Meridian Magazine
- Abraham: The Most Pivotal Figure in History?—Come Follow Me-Old Testament Podcast #7: Abraham 1,2; Genesis 11-18, Meridian Magazine
- February 7–13, 2022 Come, Follow Me Songs, Music for Latter-day Life
- Genesis 12-17; Abraham 1-2 – “To Be a Greater Follower of Righteousness”, BYU Studies
Additional Material on Book of Mormon Central
- Abraham and Idrimi, Pearl of Great Price Central, August 1, 2019
- Human Sacrifice, Pearl of Great Price Central, August 1, 2019
- The Plain of Olishem, Pearl of Great Price Central, August 1, 2019
- Sobek, The God of Pharaoh, Pearl of Great Price Central, August 21, 2019
- The Idolatrous God of Elkenah, Pearl of Great Price Central, August 15, 2019
- Zeptah and Egyptes, Pearl of Great Price Central, August 28, 2019
- How Can We Receive the Blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #408, February 15, 2018
- How Did Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Authors Use Chiasmus?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #340, July 16, 2017
BYU Religious Education Old Testament Roundtables
BYU Studies Recommended Reading
- “In the Land of the Chaldeans”: The Search for Abraham’s Homeland Revisited, Stephen O. Smoot, BYU Studies, Vol. 56, no 3
- Abraham, E. Douglas Clark, Encyclopedia of Mormonism
- Abraham and Idrimi, John Gee, Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scriptures, Vol. 22, no. 1
- Abrahamic Covenant, at LDS.org
- Abrahamic Covenant, Ellis T. Rasmussen, Encyclopedia of Mormonism
- An Expanded View of the Israelite Scapegoat, James L. Carroll, Selections from the Religious Education Student Symposium 2005
- Elements of Sacrifice in Abraham’s Time and Our Own, Blair G. Van Dyke, Religious Educator
- Melchizedek, Bruce Satterfield, Birger A. Pearson, Encyclopedia of Mormonism
- Melchizedek at Qumran and Nag Hammadi, Ann N. Madsen, Apocryphal Writings and the Latter-day Saints
- The Abrahamic Test, Larry E. Dahl, Sperry Symposium Classics: The Old Testament
- The Ebla Tablets and the Abraham Tradition, David Noel Freedman, Reflections on Mormonism: Judaeo-Christian Parallels
- The Great High Priest, Margaret Barker, BYU Studies, Vol. 42, no. 3–4
- The Lost Commandments: The Sacred Rites of Hospitality, Peter J. Sorensen, BYU Studies, Vol. 44, no. 1
- The Sacrifice of Isaac, Hugh W. Nibley, Abraham in Egypt
- The Sacrifice of Sarah, Hugh W. Nibley, Abraham in Egypt
- Thoughts on the Book of Abraham, Brian M. Hauglid, No Weapon Shall Prosper: New Light on Sensitive Issues.
