Genesis 12:12-20

12 1and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife '; and they will kill me, but they will let you live.
13 "Please say that you are 2my sister so that it may go well with me because of you, and that 3I may live on account of you."
14 It came about when Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
15 Pharaoh's officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and 4the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
16 Therefore 5he treated Abram well for her sake; and 6gave him sheep and oxen and donkeys and male and female servants and female donkeys and camels.
17 But the LORD 7struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because * of Sarai, Abram's wife.
18 Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, "8What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?
19 "Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her and go."
20 Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they escorted him away, with his wife and all that belonged to him.

Genesis 12:12-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 12

In this chapter an account is given of the call of Abram to depart from his own country, with a promise of a divine blessing, Ge 12:1-3 of his obedience to it, Ge 12:4,5 of his journey through the land of Canaan, and of the Lord's appearance to him in it, and his promise of it to his seed, and of Abram's building altars in it, and calling on the name of the Lord, Ge 12:6-9 and of a famine there, which occasioned him to go into Egypt, Ge 12:10 where, through fear of being slain, he desired his wife to call herself his sister, Ge 12:11-13 and she being greatly admired by the Egyptians for her beauty, it went well with Abram for her sake, Ge 12:14-16 but the Egyptians were plagued because of her, who, when they understood she was Abram's wife, sent them both away, and all that belonged to them, Ge 12:17-20.

Cross References 8

  • 1. Genesis 20:11
  • 2. Gen 20:2, 5, 12; Genesis 26:7
  • 3. Jeremiah 38:17, 20
  • 4. Genesis 20:2
  • 5. Genesis 20:14
  • 6. Genesis 13:2
  • 7. Genesis 20:18; 1 Chronicles 16:21; Psalms 105:14
  • 8. Genesis 20:9, 10; Genesis 26:10

Footnotes 5

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