Genesis 11:27-12:20

New International Reader's Version

The Family Line of Abram

²⁷ Here is the story of Terah’s family line.

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. ²⁸ Haran died in the city of Ur in Babylonia, the land where he was born. Haran died while his father Terah was still alive. ²⁹ Abram and Nahor both got married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai. The name of Nahor’s wife was Milkah, the daughter of Haran. Haran was the father of Milkah and Iscah. ³⁰ But Sarai wasn’t able to have children.

³¹ Terah left Ur in Babylon. He took with him his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran. Terah also took his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram. All of them left together to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they made their home there.

³² Terah lived for 205 years. And then he died in Harran.

God Chooses Abram

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s family. Go to the land I will show you.

⁴ So Abram went, just as the Lord had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Harran. ⁵ He took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot. They took all the people and possessions they had acquired in Harran. They started out for the land of Canaan. And they arrived there.

⁶ Abram traveled through the land. He went as far as the large tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were living in the land. ⁷ The Lord appeared to Abram at Shechem. He said, “I will give this land to your family who comes after you.” So Abram built an altar there to honor the Lord, who had appeared to him.

⁸ From there, Abram went on toward the hills east of Bethel. He set up his tent there. Bethel was to the west, and Ai was to the east. Abram built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord.

⁹ Then Abram left and continued south toward the Negev Desert.

Abram Goes to Egypt

¹⁰ At that time there was not enough food in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while. ¹¹ As he was about to enter Egypt, he spoke to his wife Sarai. He said, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. ¹² The people of Egypt will see you and say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me. But they will let you live. ¹³ Tell them you are my sister. Then I’ll be treated well and my life will be spared because of you.”

¹⁴ Abram arrived in Egypt. The Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. ¹⁵ When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they told Pharaoh how beautiful she was. So she was taken into his palace. ¹⁶ Pharaoh treated Abram well because of her. So Abram gained more sheep and cattle and male and female donkeys. He also gained more male and female servants and some camels.

¹⁷ But the Lord sent terrible sicknesses on Pharaoh and everyone in his palace. The Lord did it because of Abram’s wife Sarai. ¹⁸ So Pharaoh sent for Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? ¹⁹ Why did you say she was your sister? That’s why I took her to be my wife. Now then, here’s your wife. Take her and go!” ²⁰ Then Pharaoh gave orders to his men about Abram. They sent him on his way. So he left with his wife and everything he had.