Genesis 12:7-17

7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land, and there he built an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

8 And he went from there unto a mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west and Hai on the east; and there he built an altar unto the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD.

9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the Negev (south desert).

10 And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land.

11 And it came to pass when he was come near to enter into Egypt that he said unto Sarai, his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon;

12 therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee that they shall say, This is his wife, and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

14 And it came to pass that when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

16 And he treated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep and oxen and he asses and menslaves and maidslaves and she asses and camels.

17 But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.

Genesis 12:7-17 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.