< Genesis 12 >

1 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house, unto a land that I will show you:
2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing:
3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
5 And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had got in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.
And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain 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 offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto your seed will I give this land: and there built he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
8 From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.
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 built an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
9 And Abram journeyed on toward the Negev.
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
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.
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 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman,
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 you are a fair woman to look upon:
12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live.
Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see you, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save you alive.
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.”
Say, I pray you, you are my sister: that it may be well with me for your sake; and my soul shall live because of you.
14 So when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
15 When Pharaoh’s officials saw Sarai, they commended her to him, and she was taken into the palace of Pharaoh.
The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
16 He treated Abram well on her account, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.
And he pleaded Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and male servants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
17 The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai.
And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that you have done unto 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 as my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!”
Why said you, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold your wife, take her, and go your way.
20 Then Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram, and they sent him away with his wife and all his possessions.
And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

< Genesis 12 >