Arcing and Genesis 12:1-3 by DeRouchie

Arcing seeks to trace the literary argument of the Hebrew (or Greek) text. 

Some Arcing Resources

If arcing (or bracketing) is new to you or you would like to review, here are some resources to check out:

• www.biblearc.com (choose the discourse arcing/bracketing option)—Several helps and tips are built into this site, for free! (Note that without a subscription, however, your work does not get saved, so make sure to hit print when you’re done!)
• Jason S DeRouchie, How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament (HUAOT), ch. 6 (DeRouchie stands in the stream of other great discourse and argument tracers such as Daniel P. Fuller, John Piper, and Tom Schreiner; he also interacts with and builds on Longacre, Runge-Westbury, and others). HUAOT provides examples of arcs for Deuteronomy 7:2–4; Genesis 12:1–3; Habakkuk 3:17–19; and Exodus 19:4–6.
• John Piper, Biblical Exegesis: Discovering the Meaning of Biblical Texts (click here for free pdf)
• Thomas Schreiner, Interpreting the Pauline Epistles, chs. 5–6—Although written for Paul’s NT epistles, the book discusses discourse categories that hold for both NT and OT.
• Andrew Naselli, How to Understand and Apply the New Testament, ch. 5—NB: Naselli is succinct and clear, but Piper, Schreiner and Naselli all contain basically the same material (I cite all three above so that you can reference what is most easy for you to access).

DeRouchie's Arc of Genesis 12:1–3

Arcing can produce some incredible exegetical-theological payoffs. For example, Jason DeRouchie arcs Genesis 12:1–3 as a redemptive-historical two-stage progression (vv1b–2c and vv2d–3c) based in part on the observation that vv1b and 2d are imperatives. Abraham accomplished v1b--Go!--and v2abc was realized in the OT, but v2d--be a blessing!--is still being realized today. Figure 6.8 below is in Jason DeRouchie, HUAOT, 248 (see p. 249 for the bracketing version). 

A sample of DeRouchie’s discussion on Genesis 12:1–3:

While every clause is part of the same text block, there are two clear sections to God’s commissioning of Abram, both distinguished by imperatives. The first imperative לֶךְ (“Go!”) is followed by three weyiqtol (waw + cohortative) verb forms, which is a common pattern in Hebrew for expressing purpose or consequence. Thus I have translated the weyiqtol forms in 2a–c “so that I may make you into a great nation, and may bless you, and may make your name great.” Often English translations fail to account for the second imperative וֶהְיֵה (“And be!”). The common thought is that when two imperatives are conjoined by וְ, then the second stands as a consequence of the first.  But while the second command form is contingent on the initial imperative, the second does not lose its imperatival force….

“By analyzing the grammar, we see that Genesis 12:1–3 has two distinct units, with the second being conditioned on the fulfillment of the first. Abram must “go” [Imperative in v1b] to the land in order to become a nation, and there he must “be a blessing” [Imperative in v2d] in order that the curse from Genesis 3 may be overcome and all the world may be blessed. The Old Testament makes clear that the patriarch’s descendants known as the nation of Israel experienced the fulfillment of stage 1 during the era of the Mosaic covenant. The patriarchal promises (e.g., Gen. 15:13–14; 17:8) grounded the inauguration of this covenant (e.g., Ex. 2:24; 6:4–8; Deut. 1:8; 9:5), and the ministries of Joshua and David/Solomon identified their fulfillment (cf. Gen. 15:18; 17:8; 22:17 with Josh. 21:43; 1 Kings 4:20–21; see also Neh. 9:8). But although some levels of representative obedience and international blessing were evident in this period (e.g., in the lives of Joseph [Gen. 39:5; 41:56–57] and David [1 Sam. 17:43–54]), Moses, Israel’s histories, and the Latter Prophets make clear that we must wait until the coming of Christ to see the ultimate realization of stage 2—blessing to the world (Ps. 72:17; Isa. 49:6; Amos 9:11–12; cf. Gen. 22:17b–18 with Acts 3:25–26; Gal. 3:8, 14, 16, 29). Stated succinctly, the first half of Abram’s commission focuses on what is accomplished in the Mosaic covenant (stage 1 fulfillment), whereas the second addresses a divine work of restoration that is accomplished only through Jesus Christ in the new covenant (stage 2 fulfillment).” (HUAOT, 210-11).