King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Say, I pray thee, thou [art] my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Please say that you are my sister, so that it will go well with me for your sake, and so that I will stay alive because of you.”
Berean Standard Bible:
Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared.”
American Standard Version:
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Say{H559}, I pray thee{H4994}, thou art my sister{H269}: that{H4616} it may be well{H3190} with me for thy sake; and my soul{H5315} shall live{H2421} because of thee{H1558}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 20:2
- And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She [is] my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
Genesis 26:7
- And the men of the place asked [him] of his wife; and he said, She [is] my sister: for he feared to say, [She is] my wife; lest, [said he], the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she [was] fair to look upon.
Genesis 20:12
- And yet indeed [she is] my sister; she [is] the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
Genesis 20:13
- And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This [is] thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He [is] my brother.
Genesis 20:5
- Said he not unto me, She [is] my sister? and she, even she herself said, He [is] my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
Isaiah 57:11
- And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid [it] to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
Psalms 146:3
- Put not your trust in princes, [nor] in the son of man, in whom [there is] no help.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 12:13
1. **Themes:**
- Deception: Abraham asks his wife Sarah to lie about their relationship to protect himself.
- Fear: Abraham is motivated by the fear of being killed so that another man might take Sarah as a wife.
- Faith vs. Human Frailty: This moment of deception contrasts with Abraham's faith in God's promises, highlighting human fallibility even in the lives of the faithful.
- Ethical Dilemma: The verse raises questions about the morality of sacrificing truth for perceived self-preservation.
2. **Historical Context:**
- Patriarchal Era: The narrative is set in the early 2nd millennium BCE, a time when kinship ties and tribal affiliations were crucial for survival and social status.
- Covenant Promise: God has promised Abraham that he will become a great nation, yet here Abraham takes matters into his own hands, revealing a lack of trust in God's protection.
- Cultural Practices: It was not uncommon in the ancient Near East for a man to kill another to take his wife, reflecting the harsh realities of the time regarding marriage and social status.
- Egypt as a Backdrop: The incident occurs as Abraham and Sarah enter Egypt due to a famine in Canaan, highlighting the vulnerability of foreigners and the lengths to which they might go to secure safety in a foreign land.
In summary, Genesis 12:13 reflects the complex interplay of faith, fear, and ethical decision-making within the patriarchal context of the ancient Near East, as Abraham and Sarah navigate the perils of being sojourners in Egypt.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H4994
There are 9 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָא
Transliteration: nâʼ
Pronunciation: naw
Description: a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may usually be rendered; 'I pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction; I beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh. - Strong's Number: H269
There are 301 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָחוֹת
Transliteration: ʼâchôwth
Pronunciation: aw-khoth'
Description: irregular feminine of אָח; a sister (used very widely (like brother), literally and figuratively); (an-) other, sister, together. - Strong's Number: H4616
There are 10 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַעַן
Transliteration: maʻan
Pronunciation: mah'-an
Description: from עָנָה; properly, heed, i.e. purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that; because of, to the end (intent) that, for (to,... 's sake), [phrase] lest, that, to. - Strong's Number: H3190
There are 102 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָטַב
Transliteration: yâṭab
Pronunciation: yaw-tab'
Description: a primitive root; to be (causative) make well, literally (sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy, successful, right); be accepted, amend, use aright, benefit, be (make) better, seem best, make cheerful, be comely, [phrase] be content, diligent(-ly), dress, earnestly, find favour, give, be glad, do (be, make) good(-ness), be (make) merry, please ([phrase] well), shew more (kindness), skilfully, [idiom] very small, surely, make sweet, thoroughly, tire, trim, very, be (can, deal, entreat, go, have) well (said, seen). - Strong's Number: H5315
There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ
Transliteration: nephesh
Pronunciation: neh'-fesh
Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it. - Strong's Number: H2421
There are 235 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָיָה
Transliteration: châyâh
Pronunciation: khaw-yaw'
Description: a primitive root (compare חָוָה, חָיָה); to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive; keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole. - Strong's Number: H1558
There are 10 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גָּלָל
Transliteration: gâlâl
Pronunciation: gaw-lawl'
Description: from גָּלַל; a circumstance (as rolled around); only used adverbially, on account of; because of, for (sake).