VERSE STUDY • KJV

Genesis 12:10-20

¹⁰ And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine [was] grievous in the land. ¹¹ And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou [art] a fair woman to look upon: 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, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, 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 entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, 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 to 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, and his wife, and all that he had.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

¹⁰ And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine [was] grievous in the land. ¹¹ And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou [art] a fair woman to look upon: 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, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, 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 entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, 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 to 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, and his wife, and all that he had.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

¹⁰ Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. ¹¹ As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman, ¹² and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. ¹³ Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared.” ¹⁴ So when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. ¹⁵ When Pharaoh’s officials saw Sarai, they commended her to him, and she was taken into the palace of Pharaoh. ¹⁶ He treated Abram well on her account, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels. ¹⁷ The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai. ¹⁸ So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? ¹⁹ Why 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!” ²⁰ Then Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram, and they sent him away with his wife and all his possessions.

WEB World English Bible

¹⁰ There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land. ¹¹ It happened, when he had come near to enter Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at. ¹² It will happen, when the Egyptians will see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive. ¹³ Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.” ¹⁴ It happened that when Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. ¹⁵ The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. ¹⁶ He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. ¹⁷ Yahweh plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. ¹⁸ Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you 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 therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.” ²⁰ Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they brought him on the way with his wife and all that he had.

ASV American Standard Version

¹⁰ And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land. ¹¹ And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: ¹² and it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will 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 that my soul may live because of thee. ¹⁴ And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. ¹⁵ And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. ¹⁶ And he dealt well with Abram for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels. ¹⁷ And Jehovah 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 that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. ²⁰ And Pharoah gave men charge concerning him: and they brought him on the way, and his wife, and all that he had.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

¹⁰ And there is a famine in the land, and Abram goeth down towards Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine is grievous in the land; ¹¹ and it cometh to pass as he hath drawn near to enter Egypt, that he saith unto Sarai his wife, ‘Lo, I pray thee, I have known that thou art a woman of beautiful appearance; ¹² and it hath come to pass that the Egyptians see thee, and they have said, ‘This is his wife,’ and they have slain me, and thee they keep alive: ¹³ say, I pray thee, thou art my sister, so that it is well with me because of thee, and my soul hath lived for thy sake.’ ¹⁴ And it cometh to pass, at the entering of Abram into Egypt, that the Egyptians see the woman that she is exceeding fair; ¹⁵ and princes of Pharaoh see her, and praise her unto Pharaoh, and the woman is taken to Pharaoh’s house; ¹⁶ and to Abram he hath done good because of her, and he hath sheep and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and handmaids, and she-asses, and camels. ¹⁷ And Jehovah plagueth Pharaoh and his house—great plagues—for the matter of Sarai, Abram’s wife. ¹⁸ And Pharaoh calleth for Abram, and saith, ‘What is this thou hast done to me? why hast thou not declared to me that she is thy wife? ¹⁹ Why hast thou said, She is my sister, and I take her to myself for a wife? and now, lo, thy wife, take and go.’ ²⁰ And Pharaoh chargeth men concerning him, and they send him away, and his wife, an all that he hath.

Surrounding context — Genesis 12

7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, [having] Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine [was] grievous in the land.

11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou [art] a fair woman to look upon:

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, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, 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 entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, 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 to 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, and his wife, and all that he had.

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HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

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