Genesis 12:12-20

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, when Abram had come into Egypt, that 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 heasses, and menservants and maidservants, and sheasses and camels.

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

18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this that thou hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

19 Why saidst thou, `She is my sister,' so I might have taken her to me for a wife? Now therefore behold thy wife; take her and go thy way."

20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

Genesis 12:12-20 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.