¹⁰ Now there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to live temporarily, for the famine in the land was oppressive and severe. ¹¹ And when he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “Listen: I know that you are ^[a]a beautiful woman; ¹² so when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me [to acquire you], but they will let you live. ¹³ Please tell them that you are ^[b]my sister so that things will go well for me for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you.” ¹⁴ And when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful. ¹⁵ Pharaoh’s princes (officials) also saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken [for the purpose of marriage] into Pharaoh’s house (harem). ¹⁶ Therefore Pharaoh treated Abram well for her sake; he acquired sheep, oxen, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

¹⁷ But the Lord punished Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. ¹⁸ Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “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 as my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her and go!” ²⁰ So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they escorted him on his way, with his wife and all that he had.