Genesis 12:14

14 cum itaque ingressus esset Abram Aegyptum viderunt Aegyptii mulierem quod esset pulchra nimis

Genesis 12:14 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 12:14

And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt,
&c.] To the city of Heliopolis; for there it was that Abram had his abode, as Eupolemus F18 says, when upon the famine he went into Egypt, and where he conversed with the Egyptian priests, and taught them astrology, and other things belonging to it; and of this descent of Abram into Egypt, and teaching astrology, Artapanus F19, another Heathen writer, speaks; Abram, he says, having learned the science of astrology, went first into Phoenicia and taught it the Phoenicians, and afterwards went into Egypt, and taught it there.

[The] Egyptians beheld the woman, that she was very fair;
Abram knew that Sarai was a fair woman; but in the eyes of the Egyptians she was very fair, exceeding fair, they not being used to see very beautiful women.


FOOTNOTES:

F18 Apud Euseb. ut supra. (Praepar. Evangel. c. 17. p. 418, 419.)
F19 Apud ib. c. 18. p. 420.

Genesis 12:14 In-Context

12 et quod cum viderint te Aegyptii dicturi sunt uxor ipsius est et interficient me et te reservabunt
13 dic ergo obsecro te quod soror mea sis ut bene sit mihi propter te et vivat anima mea ob gratiam tui
14 cum itaque ingressus esset Abram Aegyptum viderunt Aegyptii mulierem quod esset pulchra nimis
15 et nuntiaverunt principes Pharaoni et laudaverunt eam apud illum et sublata est mulier in domum Pharaonis
16 Abram vero bene usi sunt propter illam fueruntque ei oves et boves et asini et servi et famulae et asinae et cameli
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.