Genesis 12
12
1 NOW [in Haran] the Lord said to Abram, Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country, from your relatives and your father's house, to the land that I will show you. [Heb. 11:8-10.]
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].
3 And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves]. [Gal. 3:8.]
4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had directed him; and Lot [his nephew] went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
5 Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the persons [servants] that they had acquired in Haran, and they went forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
6 Abram passed through the land to the locality of Shechem, to the oak or terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, I will give this land to your posterity. So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, Who had appeared to him.
8 From there he pulled up [his tent pegs] and departed 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 upon the name of the Lord.
9 Abram journeyed on, still going toward the South (the Negeb).
10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down into Egypt to live temporarily, for the famine in the land was oppressive (intense and grievous).
11 And when he was about to enter into Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, I know that you are beautiful to behold.
12 So when the Egyptians see you, they will say, This is his wife; and they will kill me, but they will let you live.
13 Say, I beg of you, that you are my sister, so that it may go well with me for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.
14 And when Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
15 The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into Pharaoh's house [harem].
16 And he treated Abram well for her sake; he acquired sheep, oxen, he-donkeys, menservants, maidservants, she-donkeys, and camels.
17 But the Lord scourged Pharaoh and his household with serious plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
18 And 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?
19 Why 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 get away [from here]!
20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him, and they brought him on his way with his wife and all that he had.
1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Genesis 12
12
Abram’s family moves to Canaan
1The LORD said to Abram, “Leave your land, your family, and your father’s household for the land that I will show you. 2I will make of you a great nation and will bless you. I will make your name respected, and you will be a blessing.
3I will bless those who bless you,
those who curse you I will curse;
all the families of the earth
will be blessed because of you.”#12.3 Or will bless themselves because of you; or will find a blessing because of you
4Abram left just as the LORD told him, and Lot went with him. Now Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. 5Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all of their possessions, and those who became members of their household in Haran; and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, 6Abram traveled through the land as far as the sacred place at Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. The Canaanites lived in the land at that time. 7The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I give this land to your descendants,” so Abram built an altar there to the LORD who appeared to him. 8From there he traveled toward the mountains 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 worshipped in the LORD’s name. 9Then Abram set out toward the arid southern plain, making and breaking camp as he went.
Abram and Sarai visit Egypt
10When a famine struck the land, Abram went down toward Egypt to live as an immigrant since the famine was so severe in the land. 11Just before he arrived in Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know you are a good-looking woman. 12When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife,’ and they will kill me but let you live. 13So tell them you are my sister so that they will treat me well for your sake, and I will survive because of you.”
14When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw how beautiful his wife was. 15When Pharaoh’s princes saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s household. 16Things went well for Abram because of her: he acquired flocks, cattle, male donkeys, men servants, women servants, female donkeys, and camels. 17Then the LORD struck Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What’s this you’ve done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She’s my sister,’ so that I made her my wife? Now, here’s your wife. Take her and go!” 20Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram, and they expelled him with his wife and everything he had.
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.