God’s Word Translation
Genesis 12:17
17However, the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with terrible plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
Genesis 12:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.
- New International Version (NIV)But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
Context of Genesis 12:17
15When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they raved about her to Pharaoh, so Sarai was taken to Pharaoh’s palace. 16Everything went well for Abram because of her, and he was given sheep, cattle, donkeys, male and female slaves, and camels. However, the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with terrible plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18Then Pharaoh called for Abram. “What have you done to me?” he asked. “Why didn’t you tell me that she’s your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She’s my sister’ and allow me to take her for my wife? Here’s your wife! Take her and go!”
Read all of Genesis 12Genesis 12:17 word by word
וַיְנַגַּ֨ע יְהוָ֧ה׀ אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה נְגָעִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים וְאֶת־בֵּית֑וֹ עַל־דְּבַ֥ר שָׂרַ֖י אֵ֥שֶׁת אַבְרָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- plaguedנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
- Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- and his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- with greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- plaguesנֶ֫גַעnega‛ · plagueH5061
- because ofדָּבָרdâbâr · word: becauseH1697
- Saraiשָׂרַיώâray · SaraiH8297
- Abram’sאַבְרָם'abrâm · AbramH87
- wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
Cross-references for Genesis 12:17
- Genesis 20:18(The Lord had made it impossible for any woman in Abimelech’s household to have children because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.)
- 1 Chronicles 16:21He didn’t permit anyone to oppress them. He warned kings about them:
- 1 Chronicles 21:22David said to Ornan, “Let me have the land this threshing floor is on. I’ll build an altar for the Lord on it. Sell it to me for the full price. Then the plague on the people will stop.”
- Job 34:19The one who is righteous and mighty does not grant special favors to princes or prefer important people over poor people because his hands made them all.
- Psalms 105:14He didn’t permit anyone to oppress them. He warned kings about them:
- Hebrews 13:4Marriage is honorable in every way, so husbands and wives should be faithful to each other. God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.
Commentaries on Genesis 12:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17The Lord plagued Pharaoh - What these plagues were we know not. In the parallel case, Genesis 20:18, all the females in the family of Abimelech, who had taken Sarah in nearly the same way, were made barren; possibly this might have been the case here; yet much more seems to be signified by the expression great plagues. Whatever these plagues were, it is evident they were understood by Pharaoh as proofs of the disapprobation of God; and, consequently, even…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. 17-19God intervened to rescue Sarai and to preserve her marriage to Abram so that the covenant promise could be fulfilled. When Sarai was returned to Abram, Pharaoh rebuked him because of what had happened (12:18–19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201. Now the Lord had said unto Abram--It pleased God, who has often been found of them who sought Him not, to reveal Himself to Abraham perhaps by a miracle; and the conversion of Abraham is one of the most remarkable in Bible history. Get thee out of thy country--His being brought to the knowledge and worship of the true God had probably been a considerable time before. This call included two promises: the first, showing the land of his future posterity…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 12:17
In the dictionaries
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
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