Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 12:7

"And Jehovah appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto Jehovah, who appeared unto him." — Genesis 12:7 (ASV)

The Lord appeared unto Abram. —This is the first time that any appearance of the Deity is mentioned. Previously, communications between God and humanity had always been direct, without the intervention of any visible medium.

Thus, God commanded Adam (Genesis 2:16); Adam and Eve heard His voice (Genesis 3:8), and He called them (Genesis 3:9). He said to Cain (Genesis 4:6–9) and to Noah (Genesis 6:13; Genesis 7:1), and spoke to him (Genesis 8:15; Genesis 9:8).

From that time onward, however, we repeatedly read of a divine appearance. This visible manifestation is subsequently connected with the phrase “an angel of Jehovah” (Genesis 22:11, and other passages), and less frequently “an angel of God” (Genesis 21:17; Judges 6:20; Judges 13:9).

Regarding the question of whether this was a created angel or an anticipation of the incarnation of Christ, see the Excursus on the “Angel of Jehovah” at the end of this book.

There builded he an altar unto the Lord. —By doing so, he took possession of the land for Jehovah and consecrated it to Him. The altar would, furthermore, be a place of public worship and sacrifice. In a similar spirit, Noah had taken possession of the renovated earth (Genesis 8:20).