And Pharaoh commanded his men (i.e. certain officers designated for the purpose) concerning him (to see to his departure): and they seat him away, and his wife, and all that he had. The partitionists assign this entire section to the Jehovist. HOMILETICS read more
Abram and Israel; a parallel. 1. Both were driven into Egypt by a famine. 2. To both the land of Egypt proved a house of bondage. 3. In each case the Pharaoh of the time was subjected to plagues. 4. Both were sent away by the alarmed monarchs who were made to suffer for their sakes. 5. Both went up from Egypt laden with the spoils of those among whom they had sojourned. 6. On leaving Egypt both directed their steps to Canaan.— W . read more
- XXXVIII. Abram in Egypt15. פרעה par‛oh, Par‘oh, “ouro.” Coptic for “king,” with the masculine article pi. or p. P-ouro, “the king.” If we separate the article p. from the Hebrew form, we have רעה re‛oh for king, which may be compared with רעה ro‛eh, “pastor, leader,” and the Latin rex, king. This is the common title of the Egyptian sovereigns, to which we have the personal name occasionally added, as Pharaoh-Necho, Pharaoh-Hophrah.Genesis 12:10This first visit of Abram to Mizraim, or Egypt,... read more
Genesis 12:17. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house We are not told particularly, in what way they were plagued; but, doubtless, there was something in the plagues themselves, or some explication added to them, sufficient to convince Pharaoh and his house that it was for Sarai’s sake they were thus plagued. read more
Genesis 12:18. What is this that thou hast done What an ill thing: how unbecoming a wise and good man! Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Intimating, that if he had known that he would not have taken her. It is a fault, too common among good people, to entertain suspicions of others beyond what there is cause for. We have often found more of virtue, honour, and conscience in some people, than we thought there was; and it ought to be a pleasure to us to be thus... read more
Journey to Egypt and return (12:10-13:18)A long drought in Canaan must have caused Abram to wonder just how reliable this promised land was. In the end he journeyed to Egypt in search of better pastures (10).Fearing that the Egyptians would kill him in order to take his beautiful wife, he preserved himself by saying she was his sister. This was half true, because Sarai was a daughter of Terah by another wife (see 20:12); but Abram and Sarai did wrong in telling only half the truth in order to... read more
Pharaoh = the official title of all kings of Egypt, like Kaiser, Czar, &c. read more
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton. See App-6 , emph. each class of property. All these pictured on the Monuments in Egypt. sheep, &c. No horses in Egypt till 18th Dynasty. read more
LORD. Divine intervention necessary. App-23 and App-24 . read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 12:18-19
And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me t why didst thou not tell me she was thy wife? In which case we are bound to believe the monarch that he would not have taken her. Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife (which as yet he had not done; an indirect proof both of the monarch's honorable purpose towards Sarai and of Sarai's unsullied purity): now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. According to... read more