Genesis 12

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Abram [the original name of Abraham], “Leave [depart from, go out of] your country [land, territory], your kindred [relatives, family], and your father’s household [family home, place of birth], and go [walk, travel] to the land [earth, region] I will show [provide for, look after] you [guide, direct]. word study 2 I will make [create, bring into existence] you into a great [large, powerful, esteemed] nation, and I will bless [praise, honor, bestow good things upon] you; I will make [exalt, magnify] your name [reputation, character, identity] great [renowned, respected], so that you will be [become, exist as] a blessing [gift from God, source of prosperity]. word study 3 I will bless [praise and honor] those who bless [show kindness to] you and curse [utterly condemn, bring into contempt] those who curse [speak evil of] you; and all [every single one, the entirety of] the families [nations, tribes, clans] of the earth [land, soil, ground] will be blessed [receive divine favor, be highly honored] through you [as a result of your actions, because of your faith]. ” word study 4 So Abram [the father of a multitude, having faith] departed, as the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had directed [spoken to, given instructions] him, and Lot [his nephew, a relative] went with [accompanied, was near] him. Abram [the original name of Abraham] was seventy-five [seventy and five, a combination of spiritual perfection and human imperfection] years old when he left [departed from, came out of] Haran [a city, a place of residence]. word study 5 And Abram [the father of a multitude, originally named Abram] took his wife Sarai [princess, later renamed Sarah], his nephew Lot [a covering, or veil], and all the possessions [property, wealth, or substance] and people [souls, or living beings] they had acquired [gathered, or collected] in Haran [a city in Mesopotamia], and set out [to go, or journey] for the land [earth, or territory] of Canaan [a promised land, or region]. When they came [arrived, or entered] to the land [region, or country] of Canaan [a land of milk and honey], word study 6 Abram [the father of faith] traveled through the land [country, territory] as far as the site [place, location] of the Oak [terebinth, strong tree] of Moreh [a hill where spiritual guidance was sought] at Shechem [a city in Palestine, a place of meeting]. And at that time [then, in the past] the Canaanites [the original inhabitants, merchants and traders] were in the land [earth, region, territory]. word study 7 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] appeared [was seen, became visible] to Abram [the original name of Abraham] and said, “I will give [bestow, grant] this land [the earth, a country, or territory] to your offspring [seed, descendants].” So Abram built [constructed, established] an altar [a place of sacrifice] there [in that location, at that time] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], who had appeared [been seen, revealed Himself] to him. word study 8 From there Abram moved on [proceeded, journeyed] to the hill country [mountainous region] east [in the direction of the rising sun] of Bethel [house of God, a sacred place] and pitched his tent [set up his dwelling, spread out his home], with Bethel [the house of God] to the west [toward the setting sun] and Ai [the heap of ruins, a nearby city] to the east [in the direction of the rising sun]. There he built [constructed, established] an altar [a place of sacrifice] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], and he called on [invoked, worshiped] the name [the character, the reputation] of the LORD [Yehovah, the God of Israel]. word study 9 And Abram [the father of faith, originally named Abram] journeyed [to set out, started traveling] on toward [in the direction of, heading to] the Negev [the southern district, south country, Negeb]. word study 10 Now there was a famine [severe hunger, lack of food] in the land [earth, country]. So Abram [the original name of Abraham] went down [descended, to a lower place] to Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] to live there [to sojourn, dwell temporarily] for a while because the famine [hunger, scarcity of food] was severe [grievous, heavy]. word study 11 As he was about to enter [approach, come near to] Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai [his princess], “Look [behold, see], I know [am aware, have come to understand] that you are a [truly, exceptionally] beautiful [fair, lovely] woman [a female person, wife], word study 12 and when the Egyptians [the people of Egypt, from the country of Egypt] see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife [this woman is his, his female companion].’ Then they will kill [slay, put to death] me but will let you live [keep you alive, preserve your life]. word study 13 Please [I pray thee] say you are my sister [close relative], so that I will be treated well [it may be well with me] for your sake [because of you, on your account], and on account of you [because of, for the sake of] my life [soul, living being] will be spared [preserved, kept safe].” word study 14 So when Abram [the original name of Abraham] entered [came into, arrived at] Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], the Egyptians [the people of Egypt] saw [looked upon, gazed at] that the woman [a female person, wife] was very [exceedingly, greatly] beautiful [fair, lovely, pleasant]. word study 15 When Pharaoh’s [ruler of Egypt, king] officials [princes, leaders] saw [perceived, looked upon] Sarai, they commended [praised, spoke highly of] her to him, and she was taken [brought, led] into the palace [house, dwelling place] of Pharaoh [the king of Egypt]. word study 16 He treated Abram [with kindness, dealt well with] well on her account [for her sake, because of her], and Abram acquired [received, gained] sheep [flocks, herds] and cattle [oxen, domesticated animals], male and female donkeys [he-asses, she-asses], menservants [male slaves, servants] and maidservants [female slaves, servants], and camels [riding animals, beasts of burden]. word study 17 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], however, afflicted [plagued, struck with disease] Pharaoh [the king of Egypt] and his household [family, palace] with severe [great, terrible] plagues [diseases, afflictions] because of Abram’s [Abraham’s, the father of faith] wife Sarai [princess, later changed to Sarah]. word study 18 So Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] summoned Abram [the original name of Abraham] and asked, “What [expressing surprise or inquiry] have you done [to make or do something] to me? Why [what is the reason] didn’t you tell [to declare openly] me she [a female person, wife, or woman] was your [belonging to you, as a possession] wife [a female spouse, a woman bound to a man by marriage]? word study 19 Why did you say [declare, claim], ‘She is my [biological or close] sister,’ so that I took [received, acquired] her as my wife [woman, spouse]? Now then [at this time, therefore], here is your wife [woman, partner]. Take [receive, accept] her and go [depart, leave]!” word study 20 Then Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] gave his men [servants, officials] orders [commands, instructions] concerning Abram, and they sent him away [expelled him, led him forth] with his wife [woman, female companion] and all [everything, his entire possessions] his possessions. word study