New English Translation
Genesis 12:10
10There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay for a while because the famine was severe.
Genesis 12:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.
Context of Genesis 12:10
8Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord. 9Abram continually journeyed by stages down to the Negev. There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay for a while because the famine was severe. 11As he approached Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman. 12When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive.
Read all of Genesis 12Genesis 12:10 word by word
וַיְהִ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיֵּ֨רֶד אַבְרָ֤ם מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ לָג֣וּר שָׁ֔ם כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד הָרָעָ֖ב בָּאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 12:10
- Genesis 26:1There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.
- Genesis 42:5So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan.
- Genesis 43:1Now the famine was severe in the land.
- Genesis 47:13But there was no food in all the land because the famine was very severe; the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away because of the famine.
- Ruth 1:1During the time of the judges there was a famine in the land of Judah. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons.
- 2 Samuel 21:1During David’s reign there was a famine for three consecutive years. So David inquired of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is because of Saul and his bloodstained family, because he murdered the Gibeonites.”
- 1 Kings 17:1Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”
- 2 Kings 4:38Now Elisha went back to Gilgal, while there was famine in the land. Some of the prophets were visiting him and he told his servant, “Put the big pot on the fire and boil some stew for the prophets.”
- 2 Kings 6:25Samaria’s food supply ran out. They laid siege to it so long that a donkey’s head was selling for eighty shekels of silver and a quarter of a kab of dove’s droppings for five shekels of silver.
- 2 Kings 7:1Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord says, ‘About this time tomorrow a seah of finely milled flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.’”
- Psalms 34:19The godly face many dangers, but the Lord saves them from each one of them.
- Psalms 107:34and a fruitful land into a barren place, because of the sin of its inhabitants.
- Jeremiah 14:1The Lord spoke to Jeremiah about the drought.
- John 16:33I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage – I have conquered the world.”
- Acts 7:11Then a famine occurred throughout Egypt and Canaan, causing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.
- Acts 14:22They strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “We must enter the kingdom of God through many persecutions.”
Commentaries on Genesis 12:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10There was a famine in the land - Of Canaan. This is the first famine on record, and it prevailed in the most fertile land then under the sun; and why? God made it desolate for the wickedness of those who dwelt in it. Went down into Egypt - He felt himself a stranger and a pilgrim, and by his unsettled state was kept in mind of the city that hath foundations that are permanent and stable, whose builder is the living God. See Hebrews 11:8, Hebrews 11:9.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. 10The Nile River supplied plenty of water for crops, so Egypt was usually the last area to experience famine.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. there was a famine ... and Abram went down into Egypt--He did not go back to the place of his nativity, as regretting his pilgrimage and despising the promised land (He 11:15), but withdrew for a while into a neighboring country.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 12:10
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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