Genesis 12:13

Genesis 12:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.”

Context of Genesis 12:13

11And when he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “Listen: I know that you are a beautiful woman; 12so when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me [to acquire you], but they will let you live. Please tell them that you are my sister so that things will go well for me for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you.” 14And when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful. 15Pharaoh’s princes (officials) also saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken [for the purpose of marriage] into Pharaoh’s house (harem).

Genesis 12:13 word by word

אִמְרִי־נָ֖א אֲחֹ֣תִי אָ֑תְּ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יִֽיטַב־לִ֣י בַעֲבוּרֵ֔ךְ וְחָיְתָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י בִּגְלָלֵֽךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I pray theeנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• my sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
• thatמַ֫עַןma‛an · becauseH4616
• it may be wellיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
• with me for thy sake; and my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• shall liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• because of theeגָּלָלgâlâl · because ofH1558

Cross-references for Genesis 12:13

• John 8:44You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to practice the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths.
• Romans 3:6Certainly not! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?
• Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Colossians 3:6Because of these [sinful] things the [divine] wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience [those who fail to listen and who routinely and obstinately disregard God’s precepts],
• Genesis 11:29Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai (later called Sarah), and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah.
• Genesis 20:2Abraham said [again] of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah [into his harem].
• Genesis 26:7The men of the place asked him about his wife, and he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “my wife”—thinking, “the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, since she is very beautiful.”
• Isaiah 57:11“About whom were you worried and fearful That you lied and did not remember Me, Nor give Me a thought? Was I not silent even for a long time And [as a result] you do not fear Me?
• Matthew 26:69Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came up to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”
• Galatians 2:12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat [his meals] with the Gentiles; but when the men [from Jerusalem] arrived, he began to withdraw and separate himself [from the Gentile believers], because he was afraid of those from the circumcision.
• Psalms 146:3Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation (help).
• Jeremiah 17:5Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in and relies on mankind, Making [weak, faulty human] flesh his strength, And whose mind and heart turn away from the Lord.
• Ezekiel 18:4Behold (pay close attention), all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

Commentaries on Genesis 12:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister - Abram did not wish his wife to tell a falsehood, but he wished her to suppress a part of the truth. From Genesis 20:12, it is evident she was his step-sister, i.e., his sister by his father, but by a different mother. Some suppose Sarai was the daughter of Haran, and consequently the grand-daughter of Terah: this opinion seems to be founded on Genesis 11:29, where Iscah is thought to be the same with Sarai, but the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10-20Verses 10-20 - XXXVIII. Abram in Egypt 15. פרעה par‛oh Paroh, “ouro.” Coptic for “king,” with the masculine article pi. or p. P-ouro, “the king.” If we separate the article p. from the Hebrew form, we have רעה re‛oh for king, which may be compared with רעה ro‛eh “pastor, leader,” and the Latin rex, king. This is the common title of the Egyptian sovereigns, to which we have the personal name occasionally added, as Pharaoh-Necho, Pharaoh-Hophrah. Genesis…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-20Verses 10-20 There is no state on earth free from trials, nor any character free from blemishes. There was famine in Canaan, the glory of all lands, and unbelief, with the evils it ever brings, in Abram the father of the faithful. Perfect happiness and perfect purity dwell only in heaven. Abram, when he must for a time quit Canaan, goes to Egypt, that he might not seem to look back, and meaning to tarry there no longer than needful. There Abram dissembled…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13Please say you are my sister: This request appears three times in Genesis (see also 20:2; 26:7). The text explains that this was Abram’s usual strategy (20:13), and his son Isaac did the same thing. The first time this happened was outside the land, and the second time within it (chapter 20). This shows that God protected his promise in both regions.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1311-13. Sarai's complexion, coming from a mountainous country, would be fresh and fair compared with the faces of Egyptian women which were sallow. The counsel of Abram to her was true in words, but it was a deception, intended to give an impression that she was no more than his sister. His conduct was culpable and inconsistent with his character as a servant of God: it showed a reliance on worldly policy more than a trust in the promise; and he not only…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 12:13

• Abraham
• Cowardice
• Deception
• Doubting
• Egypt
• Egyptians
• Falsehood
• Ignorance
• Marriage
• Sarah
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Appear
• Fair
• Grievous
• Journey
• Lie
• Noah
• Pharaoh
• Sojourn
• Tell

Commentaries on Genesis 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings