Genesis 12

Abram Journeys to Egypt

1Now [in Haran] the Lord had said to Abram,

“Go away from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father’s house,

To the land which I will show you;

2And #These verses (2, 3) give the basic outline of God’s covenant with Abraham.I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you [abundantly],

And make your name great (exalted, distinguished);

And you shall be a blessing [a source of great good to others];

3And I will bless (do good for, benefit) those who bless you,

And I will curse [that is, subject to My wrath and judgment] the one who curses (despises, dishonors, has contempt for) you.

And in you all the families (nations) of the earth will be blessed.”

4So Abram departed [in faithful obedience] as the Lord had directed him; and Lot [his nephew] left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had acquired, and the people (servants) which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the [great] terebinth (oak) tree of Moreh. Now the #I.e. the descendants of Ham’s son who was cursed by Noah.Canaanites were in the land at that time. 7Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” So Abram built an altar there to [honor] the Lord who had appeared to him. 8Then he moved on from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving]. 9Then Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev (the South country of Judah).

10Now there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to live temporarily, for the famine in the land was oppressive and severe. 11And when he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “Listen: I know that you are #Sarai was about sixty-five years old at this time.a beautiful woman; 12so when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me [to acquire you], but they will let you live. 13Please tell them that you are #Sarai was Abraham’s half sister. They had the same father, but different mothers (Gen 20:12).my sister so that things will go well for me for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you.” 14And when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful. 15Pharaoh’s princes (officials) also saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken [for the purpose of marriage] into Pharaoh’s house (harem). 16Therefore Pharaoh treated Abram well for her sake; he acquired sheep, oxen, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

17But the Lord punished Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her and go!” 20So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they escorted him on his way, with his wife and all that he had.

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Genesis 12

The Call of Abram

1The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2“I will make you into a great nation,

and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

and you will be a blessing.#12:2 Or be seen as blessed

3I will bless those who bless you,

and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all peoples on earth

will be blessed through you.”#12:3 Or earth / will use your name in blessings (see 48:20)

4So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

6Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring#12:7 Or seed I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

8From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.

9Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.

Abram in Egypt

10Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 11As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

14When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. 15And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

17But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.

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