Focused Passage

Genesis 12:10-20

The LORD Calls Abram, Promises Blessing, and Begins His Redemptive Mission Through One Man

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Original words

Now there was וַיְהִ֥י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular a famine רָעָ֖ב H7458 Noun - masculine singular in the land בָּאָ֑רֶץ H776 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular So Abram אַבְרָ֤ם H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular went down וַיֵּ֨רֶד H3381 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to Egypt מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular to live there שָׁ֔ם H8033 Adverb for a while לָג֣וּר H1481 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct because כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the famine הָרָעָ֖ב H7458 Article | Noun - masculine singular - בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ H776 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular was severe כָבֵ֥ד H3515 Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

- וַיְהִ֕י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular As כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative he was about הִקְרִ֖יב H7126 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular to enter לָב֣וֹא H935 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Egypt מִצְרָ֑יְמָה H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular he said וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition his wife אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Sarai שָׂרַ֣י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular Look הִנֵּה־ H2009 Interjection . . . נָ֣א H4994 Interjection I know יָדַ֔עְתִּי H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular that כִּ֛י H3588 Conjunction you אָֽתְּ׃ H859 Pronoun - second person feminine singular [are] a beautiful יְפַת־ H3303 Adjective - feminine singular construct . . . מַרְאֶ֖ה H4758 Noun - masculine singular woman אִשָּׁ֥ה H802 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 12

Original words

and וְהָיָ֗ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular when כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the Egyptians הַמִּצְרִ֔ים H4713 Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural see you יִרְא֤וּ H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural - אֹתָךְ֙ H853 Direct object marker | second person feminine singular they will say וְאָמְר֖וּ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural This זֹ֑את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular is his wife אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Then they will kill וְהָרְג֥וּ H2026 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural me אֹתִ֖י H853 Direct object marker | first person common singular but וְאֹתָ֥ךְ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker | second person feminine singular will let you live יְחַיּֽוּ׃ H2421 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 13

Original words

Please נָ֖א H4994 Interjection say אִמְרִי־ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular you are אָ֑תְּ H859 Pronoun - second person feminine singular my sister אֲחֹ֣תִי H269 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular so that לְמַ֙עַן֙ H4616 Conjunction I will be treated well יִֽיטַב־ H3190 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . לִ֣י Preposition | first person common singular for your sake בַעֲבוּרֵ֔ךְ H5668 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular and on account of you בִּגְלָלֵֽךְ׃ H1558 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular my life נַפְשִׁ֖י H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular will be spared וְחָיְתָ֥ה H2421 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 14

Original words

So וַיְהִ֕י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular when Abram אַבְרָ֖ם H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular entered כְּב֥וֹא H935 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Egypt מִצְרָ֑יְמָה H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular the Egyptians הַמִּצְרִים֙ H4713 Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker saw וַיִּרְא֤וּ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural that כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the woman הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה H802 Article | Noun - feminine singular was very מְאֹֽד׃ H3966 Adverb beautiful יָפָ֥ה H3303 Adjective - feminine singular . . . הִ֖וא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Verse 15

Original words

When Pharaoh’s פַרְעֹ֔ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular officials שָׂרֵ֣י H8269 Noun - masculine plural construct saw וַיִּרְא֤וּ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural [Sarai] אֹתָהּ֙ H853 Direct object marker | third person feminine singular they commended וַיְהַֽלְל֥וּ H1984 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural her אֹתָ֖הּ H853 Direct object marker | third person feminine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition [him] פַּרְעֹ֑ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular and she הָאִשָּׁ֖ה H802 Article | Noun - feminine singular was taken וַתֻּקַּ֥ח H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - QalPass - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular into the palace בֵּ֥ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct of Pharaoh פַּרְעֹֽה׃ H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 16

Original words

He treated Abram וּלְאַבְרָ֥ם H87 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular well הֵיטִ֖יב H3190 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular on her account בַּעֲבוּרָ֑הּ H5668 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular and Abram acquired וַֽיְהִי־ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - ל֤וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular sheep צֹאן־ H6629 Noun - feminine singular and cattle וּבָקָר֙ H1241 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular male and female donkeys וַחֲמֹרִ֔ים H2543 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural . . . וַאֲתֹנֹ֖ת H860 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural menservants וַעֲבָדִים֙ H5650 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural and maidservants וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת H8198 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural and camels וּגְמַלִּֽים׃ H1581 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 17

Original words

The LORD, however יְהוָ֧ה׀ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker afflicted וַיְנַגַּ֨ע H5060 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Pharaoh פַּרְעֹ֛ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular and his household בֵּית֑וֹ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular with severe גְּדֹלִ֖ים H1419 Adjective - masculine plural - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker plagues נְגָעִ֥ים H5061 Noun - masculine plural because of עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . דְּבַ֥ר H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct Abram’s אַבְרָֽם׃ H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular wife אֵ֥שֶׁת H802 Noun - feminine singular construct Sarai שָׂרַ֖י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 18

Original words

So Pharaoh פַרְעֹה֙ H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular summoned וַיִּקְרָ֤א H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Abram לְאַבְרָ֔ם H87 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular and asked וַיֹּ֕אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular What מַה־ H4100 Interrogative . . . זֹּ֖את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular have you done עָשִׂ֣יתָ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular to me לִּ֑י Preposition | first person common singular Why לָ֚מָּה H4100 Interrogative didn’t לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle you tell הִגַּ֣דְתָּ H5046 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular me לִּ֔י Preposition | first person common singular - כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction she הִֽוא׃ H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular was your wife אִשְׁתְּךָ֖ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

Why לָמָ֤ה H4100 Interrogative did you say אָמַ֙רְתָּ֙ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular She is הִ֔וא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular my sister אֲחֹ֣תִי H269 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular so that I took וָאֶקַּ֥ח H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular her אֹתָ֛הּ H853 Direct object marker | third person feminine singular as my לִ֖י Preposition | first person common singular wife לְאִשָּׁ֑ה H802 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular Now then וְעַתָּ֕ה H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb here הִנֵּ֥ה H2009 Interjection is your wife אִשְׁתְּךָ֖ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Take her קַ֥ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular and go וָלֵֽךְ׃ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Verse 20

Original words

Then Pharaoh פַּרְעֹ֖ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular gave his men אֲנָשִׁ֑ים H582 Noun - masculine plural orders וַיְצַ֥ו H6680 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular concerning [Abram] עָלָ֛יו H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular and they sent him away וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֥וּ H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . אֹת֛וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker with his wife אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and all his possessions כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.