Genesis 12:8-18

8 Then he traveled from Shechem to the mountain east of Bethel and set up his tent there. Bethel was to the west, and Ai was to the east. There Abram built another altar to the Lord and worshiped him.

9 After this, he traveled on toward southern Canaan.

10 At this time there was not much food in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live because there was so little food.

11 Just before they arrived in Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "I know you are a very beautiful woman.

12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This woman is his wife.' Then they will kill me but let you live.

13 Tell them you are my sister so that things will go well with me and I may be allowed to live because of you."

14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful.

15 The Egyptian officers saw her and told the king of Egypt how beautiful she was. They took her to the king's palace, and

16 the king was kind to Abram because he thought Abram was her brother. He gave Abram sheep, cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

17 But the Lord sent terrible diseases on the king and all the people in his house because of Abram's wife Sarai.

18 So the king sent for Abram and said, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me Sarai was your wife?

Genesis 12:8-18 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.