John Calvin Commentary Genesis 12:3

"and I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." — Genesis 12:3 (ASV)

And I will bless those who bless you. Here the extraordinary kindness of God manifests itself, in that He personally makes a covenant with Abram, as people are accustomed to do with their companions and equals. For this is the accustomed form of covenants between kings and others, that they mutually promise to have the same enemies and the same friends.

This certainly is an inestimable pledge of special love, that God should so greatly condescend for our sake. For although He here addresses one man only, He elsewhere declares the same affection towards His faithful people. We may therefore infer this general doctrine, that God so embraced us with His favor, that He will bless our friends, and take vengeance on our enemies.

We are, moreover, warned by this passage, that however desirous the sons of God may be of peace, they will never be without enemies. Certainly, of all persons who ever conducted themselves so peaceably among people as to deserve the esteem of all, Abram might be considered among the chief; yet even he was not without enemies, because he had the devil for his adversary, who holds the wicked in his hand, whom he incessantly impels to harass the good.

There is, then, no reason why the ingratitude of the world should dishearten us, even though many hate us without cause and, when provoked by no injury, seek to do us harm; but let us be content with this single consolation, that God engages on our side in the war.

Besides, God exhorts His people to cultivate fidelity and humanity with all good people, and, further, to abstain from all injury. For this is no common inducement to excite us to assist the faithful, that if we discharge any duty towards them, God will repay it; nor should it alarm us less, that He denounces war against us, if we hurt anyone belonging to Him.

In you shall all families of the earth be blessed. Should anyone choose to understand this passage in a restricted sense, as if, by a proverbial mode of speech, those who bless their children or their friends are called after the name of Abram, let him enjoy his opinion; for the Hebrew phrase will bear the interpretation, that Abram is called a signal example of happiness.

But I extend the meaning further, because I suppose the same thing to be promised in this place, which God afterwards repeats more clearly (Genesis 22:18). And the authority of Paul brings me to this point, who says that the promise to the seed of Abraham, that is, to Christ, was given four hundred and thirty years before the law (Galatians 3:17). But the computation of years requires us to understand that the blessing was promised him in Christ when he was coming into the land of Canaan.

Therefore God (in my judgment) pronounces that all nations should be blessed in His servant Abram because Christ was included in his loins. In this manner, He not only intimates that Abram would be an example, but a cause of blessing, so that there should be an understood antithesis between Adam and Christ.

For since, from the time of the first man’s alienation from God, we are all born accursed, here a new remedy is offered to us. Nor is there anything contrary to this in the assertion that we must by no means seek a blessing in Abram himself, since the expression is used in reference to Christ.

Here the Jews petulantly object and heap together many testimonies of Scripture, from which it appears that to bless or curse in anyone is nothing else than to wish good or evil to another, using him as a pattern. But their cavil may be set aside without difficulty.

I acknowledge that what they say is often, but not always, true. For when it is said that the tribe of Levi is to bless in the name of God (Deuteronomy 10:8; Isaiah 65:16) and in similar passages, it is sufficiently evident that God is declared to be the fountain of all good, so that Israel may not seek any portion of good elsewhere.

Since, therefore, the language is ambiguous, let them grant the necessity of choosing one sense or the other, as is most suitable to the subject and the occasion. Now Paul assumes it as an axiom which is received among all the pious, and which ought to be taken for granted, that the whole human race is subject to a curse, and therefore that the holy people are blessed only through the grace of the Mediator.

From this he concludes that the covenant of salvation which God made with Abram is neither stable nor firm except in Christ. Therefore, I interpret the present passage as follows: God promises to His servant Abram that blessing which will afterwards flow down to all people. But because this subject will be more amply explained elsewhere, I now only briefly touch upon it.