Genesis 12

The Obedience of Abram

1 Now the Lord saids to Abram,ts
“Go outt from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household
to the land that I will show you.s

2 Then I will make yout into a great nation, and I will bless you,s
and I will make your name great,t
so that you will exemplify divine blessing.t

3 I will bless those who bless you,t
but the one who treats you lightlyt I must curse,
and all the families of the earth will bless one anothert by your name.”
4 So Abram left,s just as the Lord had told him to do,t and Lot went with him. (Nowt Abram was 75 years oldts when he departed from Haran.)

5 And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephewt Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquiredt in Haran, and they left fort the land of Canaan. They entered the land of Canaan.
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the oak treet of Morehs at Shechem.t (At that time the Canaanites were in the land.)t

7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendantst I will give this land.” So Abramt built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
8 Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethels and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord.t

9 Abram continually journeyed by stagest down to the Negev.ts

The Promised Blessing Jeopardized

10 There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypts to stay for a whilet because the famine was severe.t11 As he approachedt Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look,t I know that you are a beautiful woman.t12 When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive.t

13 So tell themt you are my sisters so that it may go wellt for me because of you and my life will be sparedt on account of you.”
14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.15 When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wifet was takent into the household of Pharaoh,t

16 and he did treat Abram wells on account of her. Abram receivedt sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17 But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseasest because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is thist you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took hert to be my wife?t Here is your wife!t Take her and go!”t

20 Pharaoh gave his men orders about Abram,t and so they expelled him, along with his wife and all his possessions.

GENESIS 12

The [Lord] Chooses Abram

1  t The [Lord] said to Abram:
Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others.

3 t I will bless those who bless you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you. Everyone on earth will be blessed because of you.t

4-5 Abram was 75 years old when the [Lord] told him to leave the city of Haran. He obeyed and left with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and slaves they had acquired while in Haran.
When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram went as far as the sacred tree of Moreh in a place called Shechem. The Canaanites were still living in the land at that time,

7 t but the [Lord] appeared to Abram and promised, “I will give this land to your family forever.” Abram then built an altar there for the [Lord].
8 Abram traveled to the hill country east of Bethel and camped between Bethel and Ai, where he built another altar and worshiped the [Lord].

9 Later, Abram started out toward the Southern Desert.

Abram in Egypt

13 t Please save my life by saying you are my sister.”
14 As soon as Abram and Sarai arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians noticed how beautiful she was. 15 The king'st officials told him about her, and she was taken to his house.

16 The king was good to Abram because of Sarai, and Abram was given sheep, cattle, donkeys, slaves, and camels.
17 Because of Sarai, the [Lord] struck the king and everyone in his palace with terrible diseases. 18 Finally, the king sent for Abram and said to him, “What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me Sarai was your wife?

19 Why did you make me believe she was your sister? Now I've married her. Take her and go! She's your wife.”
20 So the king told his men to let Abram and Sarai take their possessions and leave.