Bereshis 12:14

14 And it came to pass, that, when Avram was come into Mitzrayim, the Egyptians beheld the isha that she was yafeh me’od.

Bereshis 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Bereshis 12:14 In-Context

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

13 Say, now, thou art my achot; that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my nefesh shall live on account of thee.

14 And it came to pass, that, when Avram was come into Mitzrayim, the Egyptians beheld the isha that she was yafeh me’od.

15 The sarim of Pharaoh also saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh; and the isha was taken into Bais Pharaoh.

16 And he treated Avram well for her sake: and he acquired sheep and oxen, and male donkeys, and avadim, and shfachot, and female donkeys, and camels.