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Genesis 12:10-20
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Genesis 12:10-20
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
10 There was famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, since the famine in the land was severe.(A) 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai: “I know that you are a beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘She is his wife’; then they will kill me, but let you live. 13 Please say, therefore, that you are my sister,[a] so that I may fare well on your account and my life may be spared for your sake.”(B) 14 When Abram arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 When Pharaoh’s officials saw her they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 Abram fared well on her account, and he acquired sheep, oxen, male and female servants, male and female donkeys, and camels.[b]
17 But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.(C) 18 Then Pharaoh summoned Abram and said to him: “How could you do this to me! Why did you not tell me she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now, here is your wife. Take her and leave!”
20 Then Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram, and they sent him away, with his wife and all that belonged to him.
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- 12:13 You are my sister: the text does not try to excuse Abraham’s deception, though in 20:12 a similar deception is somewhat excused.
- 12:16 Camels: domesticated camels did not come into common use in the ancient Near East until the end of the second millennium B.C. Thus the mention of camels here (24:11–64; 30:43; 31:17, 34; 32:8, 16; 37:25) is seemingly an anachronism.
Genesis 12:10-20
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Genesis 12:10-20
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Abram and Sarai in Egypt
10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know well that you are a woman beautiful in appearance; 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, so that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your account.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 When the officials of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female slaves, female donkeys, and camels.
17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram, and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her, and be gone.” 20 And Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning him; and they set him on the way, with his wife and all that he had.
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Genesis 12:10-20
Common English Bible
Genesis 12:10-20
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.
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Genesis 12:10-20
New American Standard Bible
Genesis 12:10-20
New American Standard Bible
10 Now there was (A)a famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a time, because the famine was (B)severe in the land. 11 It came about, when he [a]was approaching Egypt, that he said to his wife Sarai, “See now, I know that you are a [b](C)beautiful woman; 12 (D)and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Please say that you are (E)my sister so that it may go well for me because of you, and that [c](F)I may live on account of you.” 14 Now it came about, when Abram entered Egypt, that the Egyptians [d]saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and (G)the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 Therefore (H)he treated Abram well for her sake; and [e](I)he gave him sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17 But the Lord (J)struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “(K)What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for myself as a wife? Now then, [f]here is your wife, take her and go!” 20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they [g]escorted him away, with his wife and all that belonged to him.
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- Genesis 12:11 Lit came near to enter
- Genesis 12:11 Lit woman of beautiful appearance
- Genesis 12:13 Lit my soul
- Genesis 12:14 Lit saw the woman that she was
- Genesis 12:16 Lit there was to him
- Genesis 12:19 Or behold
- Genesis 12:20 Lit sent
Genesis 12:10-20
New International Version
Genesis 12:10-20
New International Version
Abram in Egypt(A)
10 Now there was a famine in the land,(B) and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.(C) 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai,(D) “I know what a beautiful woman(E) you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister,(F) so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”
14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman.(G) 15 And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.(H)
17 But the Lord inflicted(I) serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household(J) because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?”(K) he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?(L) 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’(M) so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
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Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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