Genesis 12:5-15

5 Avram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother's son, all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls who they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Kana`an. Into the land of Kana`an they came.

6 Avram passed through the land to the place of Shekhem, to the oak of Moreh. The Kana`ani was then in the land.

7 The LORD appeared to Avram, and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." He built an altar there to the LORD, who appeared to him.

8 He left from there to the mountain on the east of Beit-El, and pitched his tent, having Beit-El on the west, and `Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and called on the name of the LORD.

9 Avram journeyed, going on still toward the South.

10 There was a famine in the land. Avram went down into Mitzrayim to sojourn there, for the famine was sore in the land.

11 It happened, when he was come near to enter into Mitzrayim, that he said to Sarai his wife, "See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look on.

12 It will happen, when the Mitzrim will see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife.' They will kill me, but they will save you alive.

13 Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you."

14 It happened that when Avram had come into Mitzrayim, the Mitzrim saw that the woman was very beautiful.

15 The princes of Par`oh saw her, and praised her to Par`oh; and the woman was taken into Par`oh's house.

Genesis 12:5-15 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.