Genesis 12:11

11 As he drew near to Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarai, "Look. We both know that you're a beautiful woman.

Genesis 12:11 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 12:11

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into
Egypt
Just entering into it, having travelled from the mountain between Bethel and Hai, two hundred and forty miles F16; or when he "caused to come near" F17, either his camp, as Aben Ezra supplies it, or his tent, or his family, as others:

that he said unto Sarai his wife, behold now, I know that thou art
a fair woman to look upon;
though sixty five years of age, being ten years younger than her husband, see ( Genesis 17:17 ) who was now seventy five years old, ( Genesis 12:4 ) yet might still be a fair woman, having a good complexion and comely features, and having never bore children, and especially she would be reckoned so among the Egyptians, whose women were of a blackish, sallow, swarthy complexion.


FOOTNOTES:

F16 Travels of the Holy Patriarchs p. 56.
F17 (byrqh rvak) "quum admoveret, sub tentorium", so some in Vatablus; "familiam", Munster.

Genesis 12:11 In-Context

9 Abram kept moving, steadily making his way south, to the Negev.
10 Then a famine came to the land. Abram went down to Egypt to live; it was a hard famine.
11 As he drew near to Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarai, "Look. We both know that you're a beautiful woman.
12 When the Egyptians see you they're going to say, 'Aha! That's his wife!' and kill me. But they'll let you live.
13 Do me a favor: tell them you're my sister. Because of you, they'll welcome me and let me live."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.