Genesis 12:10-13:1

Common English Bible

Abram and Sarai visit Egypt

¹⁰ When a famine struck the land, Abram went down toward Egypt to live as an immigrant since the famine was so severe in the land. ¹¹ Just before he arrived in Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know you are a good-looking woman. ¹² When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife,’ and they will kill me but let you live. ¹³ So tell them you are my sister so that they will treat me well for your sake, and I will survive because of you.”

¹⁴ When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw how beautiful his wife was. ¹⁵ When Pharaoh’s princes saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s household. ¹⁶ Things went well for Abram because of her: he acquired flocks, cattle, male donkeys, men servants, women servants, female donkeys, and camels. ¹⁷ Then the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai. ¹⁸ So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What’s this you’ve done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? ¹⁹ Why did you say, ‘She’s my sister,’ so that I made her my wife? Now, here’s your wife. Take her and go!” ²⁰ Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram, and they expelled him with his wife and everything he had.

Abram and Lot separate

13 Abram went up from Egypt toward the arid southern plain with his wife, with everything he had, and with Lot.