Genesis 12: The call of Abram, and Sarai in Egypt
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Yahweh tells Abram to leave his country and go to a land he will show him, and promises to make him a great nation and to bless him. Abram travels to Canaan with Sarai and Lot, then goes down to Egypt in a famine. There he says Sarai is his sister, Pharaoh takes her into his house, Yahweh strikes Pharaoh's household with plagues, and Pharaoh gives her back.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God speaks in 4 of the 20 verses: his call and blessing of Abram (verses 1 to 3) and his promise of the land (verse 7). Abram speaks to Sarai, and Pharaoh speaks to Abram. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Abram, "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you.
The Hebrew words: "Leave" is lekh lekha: "go, you yourself" (or "go for yourself"). The same two words come again in , when God tells Abraham to take Isaac and go to the land of Moriah.
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2I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.God speaks
In plain English: I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.
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3I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”God speaks
In plain English: I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you (or: will use your name to bless themselves)."
The Hebrew word: "Will be blessed" is barak, to bless. In verses 2 and 3 the words "bless" and "blessing" come 5 times. The form used for "will be blessed" can also mean "will bless themselves".
What changes: Read as "will bless themselves by you", the families of the earth will use Abram's name when they ask for a blessing, instead of being blessed through him.
Church tradition: Many churches read this promise as pointing to Christ. quotes it as Good News told to Abraham ahead of time: "In you all the nations will be blessed."
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4So Abram went, as Yahweh had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
In plain English: So Abram went, as Yahweh had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.
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5Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. They entered into the land of Canaan.
In plain English: Abram took his wife Sarai, his brother's son Lot, all the possessions they had gathered, and the people they had gained in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. They arrived in the land of Canaan.
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6Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites were in the land.
In plain English: Abram traveled through the land as far as the place of Shechem, to the oak (or great tree) of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were living in the land.
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7Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” He built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your offspring." Abram built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.
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8He left from there to go to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and called on Yahweh’s name.
In plain English: From there he moved on to the mountain east of Bethel and set up his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and called on Yahweh's name.
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9Abram traveled, still going on toward the South.
In plain English: Abram kept traveling, moving on toward the South (the Negev).
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10There 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.
In plain English: There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live there as a foreigner, because the famine in the land was severe.
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11When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.
In plain English: As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "Look, I know you are a beautiful woman to look at.
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12It will happen that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.
In plain English: When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.
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13Please 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.”
In plain English: Please say that you are my sister, so that things go well for me because of you, and my life is spared thanks to you."
Good to know: In Abraham says she really is his sister: the daughter of his father, but not of his mother.
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14When Abram had come into Egypt, some Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
In plain English: When Abram came into Egypt, some Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
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15The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.
In plain English: Pharaoh's officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
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16He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
In plain English: Pharaoh treated Abram well because of her. Abram then had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
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17Yahweh afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
In plain English: But Yahweh struck Pharaoh and his household with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
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18Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?
In plain English: Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me she was your wife?
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19Why 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.”
In plain English: 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."
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20Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had.
In plain English: Pharaoh gave his men orders about Abram, and they sent him away with his wife and everything he had.
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