TRV
Translation
King James Version
Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
Complete Jewish Bible
so that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife,’ and kill me but keep you alive.
Berean Standard Bible
and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live.
American Standard Version
and it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
World English Bible Messianic
It will happen, when the Egyptians will see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Therefore it will come to passe, that when the Egyptians see thee, they will say, She is his wife: so will they kill me, but they will keepe thee aliue.
Young's Literal Translation
and it hath come to pass that the Egyptians see thee, and they have said, `This is his wife,' and they have slain me, and thee they keep alive:
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In the KJVVerse 311 of 31,102
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Commentary on Genesis 12 verses 10–13
10 ¶ And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.
11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
13 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.
Here is, I. A famine in the land of Canaan, a grievous famine. That fruitful land was turned into barrenness, not only to punish the iniquity of the Canaanites who dwelt therein, but to exercise the faith of Abram who sojourned therein; and a very sore trial it was; it tried what he would think, 1. Of God that brought him thither, whether he would not be ready to say with his murmuring seed that he was brought forth to be killed with hunger, Exo 16:3. Nothing short of a strong faith could keep up god thoughts of God under such a providence. 2. Of the land of promise, whether he would think the grant of it worth the accepting, and a valuable consideration for the relinquishing of his own country, when, for aught that now appeared, it was a land that ate up the inhabitants. Now he was tried whether he could preserve an unshaken confidence that the God who brought him to Canaan would maintain him there, and whether he could rejoice in him as the God of his salvation when the fig-tree did not blossom, Hab 3:17, Hab 3:18. Note, (1.) Strong faith is commonly exercised with divers temptations, that it may be found to praise, and honour, and glory, Pe1 1:6, Pe1 1:7. (2.) It pleases God sometimes to try those with great afflictions who are but young beginners in religion. (3.) It is possible for a man to be in the way of duty, and in the way to happiness, and yet meet with great troubles and disappointments.
II. Abram's removal into Egypt, upon occasion of this famine. See how wisely God provides that there should be plenty in one place when there was scarcity in another, that, as members of the great body, we may not say to one another, I have no need of you. God's providence took care there should be a supply in Egypt, and Abram's prudence made use of the opportunity; for we tempt God, and do not trust him, if, in the time of distress, we use not the means he has graciously provided for our preservation: We must not expect needless miracles. But that which is especially observable here, to the praise of Abram, is that he did not offer to return, upon this occasion, to the country from which he came out, nor so much as towards it. The land of his nativity lay north-east from Canaan; and therefore, when he must, for a time, quit Canaan, he chooses to go to Egypt, which lay south-west, the contrary way, that he might not so much as seem to look back. See Heb 11:15, Heb 11:16. Further observe, When he went down into Egypt, it was to sojourn there, not to dwell there. Note, 1. Though Providence, for a time, may cast us into bad places, yet we ought to tarry there no longer than needs must; we may sojourn where we may not settle. 2. A good man, while he is on this side heaven, wherever he is, is but a sojourner.
III. A great fault which Abram was guilty of, in denying his wife, and pretending that she was his sister. The scripture is impartial in relating the misdeeds of the most celebrated saints, which are recorded, not for our imitation, but for our admonition, that he who thinks he stands may take heed lest he fall. 1. His fault was dissembling his relation to Sarai, equivocating concerning it, and teaching his wife, and probably all his attendants, to do so too. What he said was, in a sense, true (Gen 20:12), but with a purpose to deceive; he so concealed a further truth as in effect to deny it, and to expose thereby both his wife and the Egyptians to sin. 2. That which was at the bottom of it was a jealous timorous fancy he had that some of the Egyptians would be so charmed with the beauty of Sarai (Egypt producing few such beauties) that, if they should know he was her husband, they would find some way or other to take him off, that they might marry her. He presumes they would rather be guilty of murder than adultery, such a heinous crime was it then accounted and such a sacred regard was paid to the marriage bond; hence he infers, without any good reason, They will kill me. Note, The fear of man brings a snare, and many are driven to sin by the dread of death, Luk 12:4, Luk 12:5. The grace Abram was most eminent for was faith; and yet he thus fell through unbelief and distrust of the divine Providence, even after God had appeared to him twice. Alas! what will become of the willows, when the cedars are thus shaken?
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–13. Public domain.
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Ephrem the SyrianAD 373
COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 9:3
Abraham gave a human reason as human beings do. Nevertheless, because Sarah thought it was Abraham who was sterile, she was taken to the palace. [This happened] first, so that she might learn that it was she who was barren; second, so that her love for her husband might be seen, for she did not exchange [her husband] for a king while she was a sojourner; and [last], so that the mystery of her descendants might be prefigured in her. Just as she had no love for the kingdom of Egypt, they would not love the idols, the garlic or the onions of Egypt. The entire house of Pharaoh was struck down by Sarah’s deliverance. So too would all Egypt be struck down by the deliverance of her descendants.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
ON ABRAHAM 1.2.6
There came a famine, and so he went to Egypt. He knew that in Egypt the dissipation of youth was widespread, characterized by lust, impudent desires and unrestrained passions. He understood that among such men the modesty of his wife would be defenseless and that her beauty would be a danger for him. So he told his wife to say that she was his sister. By this we are taught that it is not so much beauty that one should seek in a wife, for this often leads to the death of the husband. In fact, it is not so much the beauty of the wife but her virtue and her seriousness that make a husband happy. Whoever desires the happiness of marriage should look not for a wealthy woman, who will not be held in check by the obligations of marriage. One looks not for one ornamented with jewels but with good manners. The wife who is conscious of being of a higher social level generally humiliates her husband. These things have a close connection with pride. Sarah was not richer in goods. She was not of more noble origin. Therefore she did not think her husband inferior but loved him as one of equal dignity. She was not held back by riches, by her parents, by her relatives, but she followed her husband wherever he went. She went to a foreign land; she declared herself to be his sister. She was willing, if necessary, to endanger her own modesty rather than the security of her husband. To safeguard her husband, she lied, saying that she was his sister out of fear that those who were seeking to ensnare her modesty would have killed him as a rival and defender of his wife. The Egyptians, in fact, as soon as they saw her, struck by her uncommon beauty, presented her to the king and treated Abraham with respect, honoring him as the brother of her who was pleasing to the king.
Didymus the BlindAD 398
ON GENESIS 226-27
On the literal level Abraham made an intelligent compromise with the lustfulness of the Egyptians, being certain that God, who had made him leave his own country, would watch over his marriage. He suggested to his wife that she tell them that she was his sister, because if they were told that and only that at the beginning, they would not have the idea that she was his wife, and by that means he would deceive them. In fact, marriage between brother and sister was practiced in Egypt and in his own country, as he said later, “She really is my sister.” It was therefore a clever strategy to suggest to Sarah to say only that at first. As the laws against adultery were probably respected among the Egyptians, Abraham thought in fact that they would kill him in order not to be considered as adulterers.So much for the literal level. As for the spiritual meaning, those who pass from virtue to vice are said to descend into Egypt. One finds often in the Scriptures, “Woe to those who descend into Egypt.” Here it does not say “he descended” but “he entered.” His descent is an entrance, because every zealous man condescends to those who fall without falling with them … to deliver them from their fall. Just as one becomes Jewish for the sake of the Jews without being a Jew, and ungodly for the sake of the ungodly without being ungodly, so one comes into Egypt without living as an Egyptian.
The others then descend there, but Abraham enters there. It is not their vice that leads him there but the fulfillment of a divine plan. The virtuous man enters into Egypt in the sense that he makes use of foreign culture to draw something useful from it, as Paul the blessed apostle did in citing the verse of Aratus, “for we are indeed his offspring,” in order to behave accordingly, and “to an unknown god” or “Cretans are always liars.” He urges us in the same way to “take every thought captive” in order to put it at the service of Christ.
Having entered Egypt, as we have explained it, he imposes restrictions on virtue that she should not say that she is his wife, because the zealous and perfect man does not say that virtue has become his exclusive privilege in order not to provoke the jealousy of those who do not have it. He says that she is his sister, giving himself thus a secondary rank with regard to the union that he enjoys with her, in order to put himself within range of the weak and to inspire in them the desire to receive her as something that is at the disposition of all in common. The fact is that often, when we want to direct the attention of someone to a teaching, we begin by putting it in language common with him, for example the teaching about providence, so that afterward he may receive it personally. The evangelical teaching is thus the gracious spouse of the zealous man, but he does not keep her for himself, even if he speaks of her only “among the mature.” He places her in common with all, like Paul, who said, “I wish that all were as I myself am,” because, having become such, they might know that this culture is the spouse of the perfect man. “Wisdom begets discernment to a man”; and as for me, says the perfect, “I became enamored of her beauty,” that of wisdom, it is understood. But the wise man wishes to share with all that which is his, because in this way they will not become jealous.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
City of God 16.19
Having built an altar there and called upon God, Abraham proceeded thence and dwelt in the desert and was compelled by pressure of famine to go on into Egypt. There he called his wife his sister, and he told no lie. For she was this also, because she was near of blood; just as Lot, on account of the same nearness, being his brother's son, is called his brother. Now he did not deny that she was his wife but held his peace about it, committing to God the defense of his wife's chastity and providing as a man against human wiles. If he had not provided against the danger as much as he could, he would have been tempting God rather than trusting in him. We have said enough about this matter against the calumnies of Faustus the Manichaean. At last what Abraham had expected the Lord to do took place. For Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who had taken her to him as his wife, restored her to her husband when faced with severe plague. And far be it from us to believe that she was defiled by lying with another. It is much more credible that, by these great afflictions, Pharaoh was not permitted to do this.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron)
And when he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife: "I know that you are a beautiful woman, and that when the Egyptians see you, they will say that you are his wife, and they will kill me and keep you alive: therefore, please say that you are my sister, so that it may go well with me because of you," and so on until it was said, "The Lord, however, struck Pharaoh with great plagues and his house because of Sarai, Abram's wife; and Pharaoh called Abram and said to him: What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say she was your sister, so that I took her as my wife?" Abraham did not lie because he said his wife was his sister, for she was also that, being a close relative; likewise Lot was called his brother, though he was his brother's son. Thus, he concealed that she was his wife but did not deny that she was his sister, entrusting the defense of his wife’s chastity to God and avoiding human deceit as a man, since if he did not avoid danger as much as he could, he would tempt God rather than hope in Him. Indeed, what Abraham trusted in the Lord came to pass, for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, who had taken her as his wife, being gravely afflicted, returned her to her husband. It is therefore far from us to believe that she was defiled by another’s embrace, for it is much more credible that Pharaoh was not permitted to do this because of great afflictions. It can also be said that, according to the book of Esther, wherever any woman who pleased the king was prepared for him, she was anointed with myrrh oil for six months, and for another six months used various ointments and perfumes, and only then entered the king. It could be that after Sarai pleased the king, and while she was being prepared to enter him for a year, and Pharaoh had given many gifts to Abraham, and Pharaoh was afterwards struck by the Lord, she still remained untouched by his embrace.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 12:12 records Abram's profound apprehension as he and Sarai approach Egypt, anticipating that the Egyptians, captivated by Sarai's exceptional beauty, would kill him to take her as their own. This verse reveals a moment of human vulnerability and a proposed deceptive strategy, highlighting a significant lapse in Abram's immediate trust in God's protective power, despite the magnificent and recent covenant promises bestowed upon him.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Anticipation is central, as Abram's entire statement is a projection of a feared future scenario, revealing his internal anxiety and strategic thinking. This anticipation also serves as Foreshadowing, as Abram's fear-driven deception will indeed play out, not only in Egypt but later in Gerar (Genesis 20:2), establishing a pattern of human failing. There is also a subtle Irony in Abram's fear; despite God's recent, powerful promises of protection and blessing (Genesis 12:3), Abram relies on his own cunning rather than God's omnipotence. The direct speech, though internal to Abram, adds a dramatic and immediate quality to his perceived dilemma.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Abram's response in Genesis 12:12 serves as a powerful illustration of the human tendency to succumb to fear and devise self-preservation strategies, even when operating under divine promises. Despite God's explicit covenant to bless and protect him, Abram's focus shifts from the unseen divine hand to the very real and immediate danger posed by a powerful foreign nation. This incident underscores that faith is not the absence of fear, but rather the choice to trust God's character and promises even when circumstances seem overwhelmingly threatening. It also highlights the profound truth that God's faithfulness is not contingent upon human perfection; He remains committed to His covenant purposes despite the flaws and failures of His chosen instruments.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 12:12 offers a stark yet relatable glimpse into the human struggle with faith when confronted by overwhelming fear. Abram, the patriarch of faith, demonstrates that even those called by God can falter, allowing perceived dangers to overshadow divine promises. This narrative challenges us to honestly assess our own responses when faced with uncertainty, threat, or the unknown. Do we, like Abram, immediately resort to human ingenuity, half-truths, or self-protective schemes, or do we anchor ourselves in God's unwavering character and explicit assurances? While God's grace is vast enough to work through our imperfections, our choices born of fear often lead to unnecessary complications, distress, and a compromised witness. We are called to cultivate a deeper trust, believing that the God who makes promises is also the God who is able to keep them, even when the path ahead seems perilous.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Abram fear for his life despite God's recent promises?
Answer: Abram's fear, though seemingly contradictory to the fresh and powerful promises of Genesis 12:1-3, reveals the profound human struggle to reconcile divine assurances with immediate, tangible threats. While God had promised to bless and curse on his behalf, Abram's focus shifted from the unseen divine protection to the very real and immediate physical danger posed by the powerful Egyptians. This illustrates that faith is not the absence of fear, but rather the choice to act in trust despite it, a choice Abram momentarily failed to make, relying instead on his own cunning.
Was Abram's plan a lie or a half-truth?
Answer: Abram's plan was a deceptive half-truth. Sarai was indeed his half-sister, as later revealed in Genesis 20:12, sharing a common father but not a common mother. However, she was also his wife. By revealing only the truth of her being his sister and omitting the crucial fact of their marriage, Abram intended to mislead the Egyptians to protect himself. This constitutes a form of deception, as the intent was to create a false impression that would lead to a specific, desired outcome (his safety) at the expense of full transparency and Sarai's true status.
Does this incident diminish Abram's status as a 'man of faith'?
Answer: While this incident reveals a significant lapse in Abram's faith and a moral compromise, it does not ultimately diminish his overall status as a 'man of faith' in the biblical narrative. The Bible consistently portrays its heroes with their flaws and struggles, highlighting that their righteousness comes not from their perfection but from God's grace and their general posture of trust and obedience, despite occasional failures. This account serves to show that even great figures struggled, making their journey relatable and emphasizing God's unwavering faithfulness and ability to work through imperfect vessels to accomplish His perfect will.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Abram's failure in Genesis 12:12 to fully trust God's protection and his resort to deception underscores humanity's deep and pervasive need for a perfect deliverer. Abram, the patriarch through whom the promised "seed" would come, demonstrates that even the chosen instruments of God's redemptive plan are fallible, prone to fear, and capable of compromising truth for self-preservation. This narrative implicitly points forward to Jesus Christ, the ultimate Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16), who perfectly trusted the Father in every circumstance, never resorting to deception or fear-driven self-preservation, even in the face of death (Philippians 2:8). Christ is the one who perfectly fulfills the ideal of faith that Abram fell short of, and through His perfect obedience and sacrifice, God's promises of blessing to all nations are truly secured, not by human cunning, but by divine faithfulness and perfect, unwavering trust (Hebrews 4:15).