Genesis 12

The Call of Abram

(Genesis 26:1–5; Acts 7:1–8)

1Then the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 AbramH87, “LeaveH1980 your countryH776, your kindredH4138, and your father’sH1 householdH1004, and go toH413 the landH776 I will show youH7200.1

4So AbramH87 departedH1980, asH834 the LORDH3068 had directed himH1696H413, and LotH3876 wentH1980 with himH854. AbramH87 was seventy-fiveH2568H7657 yearsH8141 oldH1121H8141 when he leftH3318 HaranH2771. 5And AbramH87 tookH3947 his wifeH802 SaraiH8297, his nephewH1121H251 LotH3876, and allH3605 the possessionsH7399 and peopleH5315 they had acquiredH6213 in HaranH2771, and set outH3318H1980 for the landH776 of CanaanH3667.

When they cameH935 to the landH776 of CanaanH3667, 6AbramH87 traveledH5674 through the landH776 as far asH5704 the siteH4725 of the OakH4363 of MorehH4176 at ShechemH7927. And at that timeH227 the CanaanitesH3669 were in the landH776.

7Then the LORDH3068 appearedH7200 toH413 AbramH87 and saidH559, “I will giveH5414 thisH2063 landH776 to your offspringH2233.4” So Abram builtH1129 an altarH4196 thereH8033 to the LORDH3068, who had appearedH7200 to himH413.

8From thereH8033 Abram moved onH6275 to the hill countryH2022 eastH6924 ofH1008 BethelH1008 and pitchedH5186 his tentH168, with BethelH1008 to the westH3220 and AiH5857 to the eastH6924. ThereH8033 he builtH1129 an altarH4196 to the LORDH3068, and he calledH7121 on the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068.

9And AbramH87 journeyed onH5265H1980 towardH5265 the NegevH5045.

Abram and Sarai in Egypt

10Now there wasH1961 a famineH7458 in the landH776. So AbramH87 went downH3381 to EgyptH4714 to live thereH8033 for a whileH1481 becauseH3588 the famineH7458 was severeH3515. 11AsH834 he was aboutH7126 to enterH935 EgyptH4714, he saidH559 toH413 his wifeH802 SaraiH8297, “LookH2009H4994, I knowH3045 thatH3588 youH859 are a beautifulH3303H4758 womanH802, 12andH1961 whenH3588 the EgyptiansH4713 see youH7200, they will sayH559, ‘ThisH2063 is his wifeH802.’ Then they will killH2026 meH853 butH853 will let you liveH2421. 13PleaseH4994 sayH559 you areH859 my sisterH269, so thatH4616 I will be treated wellH3190 for your sakeH5668, and on account of youH1558 my lifeH5315 will be sparedH2421.”

14SoH1961 when AbramH87 enteredH935 EgyptH4714, the EgyptiansH4713 sawH7200 thatH3588 the womanH802 was veryH3966 beautifulH3303H1931. 15When Pharaoh’sH6547 officialsH8269 sawH7200 Sarai, they commendedH1984 herH853 toH413 him, and sheH802 was takenH3947 into the palaceH1004 of PharaohH6547. 16He treated AbramH87 wellH3190 on her accountH5668, and Abram acquiredH1961 sheepH6629 and cattleH1241, male and female donkeysH2543H860, menservantsH5650 and maidservantsH8198, and camelsH1581.

17The LORD, howeverH3068, afflictedH5060 PharaohH6547 and his householdH1004 with severeH1419 plaguesH5061 because ofH5921H1697 Abram’sH87 wifeH802 SaraiH8297. 18So PharaohH6547 summonedH7121 AbramH87 and askedH559, “WhatH4100H2063 have you doneH6213 to me? WhyH4100 didn’tH3808 you tellH5046 me sheH1931 was your wifeH802? 19WhyH4100 did you sayH559, ‘She isH1931 my sisterH269,’ so that I tookH3947 herH853 as my wifeH802? Now thenH6258, hereH2009 is your wifeH802. Take herH3947 and goH1980!”

20Then PharaohH6547 gave his menH582 ordersH6680 concerningH5921 Abram, and they sent him awayH7971H853 with his wifeH802 and all his possessionsH3605.