What did God promise Abram in Genesis 12?
God promised Abram that he would have a son, and that out of that son would come a special race or nation of people. According to the context, Abram had already waited thirty-six years for this Genesis 12 promise to be fulfilled, and it still had not come to pass.
Les explains that this promise goes back to Genesis 12, where God told Abram he would have a son and that from that son would come a special race or nation. By the time the narrative reaches about verse 16, years have rolled by chronologically. Abram, still called Abram, has waited thirty-six years for that promise, and no child has been born. Sarai shows no sign of being able to have a child. Les notes this long waiting period and cautions against becoming impatient with Abram, since thirty-six years is a long time in any period of human history. The surrounding discussion also reminds listeners that it is written in the Old Testament that Abraham had two sons, one by a bondmaid and the other by a free woman.