Genesis 12:15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 12:14-20

Here is, I. The danger Sarai was in of having her chastity violated by the king of Egypt: and without doubt the peril of sin is the greatest peril we can be in. Pharaoh's princes (his pimps rather) saw her, and, observing what a comely woman she was, they commended her before Pharaoh, not for that which was really her praise?her virtue and modesty, her faith and piety (these were no excellencies in their eyes), but for her beauty, which they thought too good for the embraces of a subject. They... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 12:15

The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh ,.... The king of Egypt; so it seems by this, that Abram and Sarai were at the place where the court was kept, which the Arabic writers F20 In the Universal History, vol. 2. p. 115. say was Mesr (or Memphis), the capital of the kingdom. And these princes were the king's courtiers, who taking notice of Sarai, and admiring her beauty, praised her for it to the king, and recommended her to be taken into the number of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 12:15

The woman was taken into Pharaoh's house - Pharaoh appears to have been the common appellative of the Cuthite shepherd kings of Egypt, who had conquered this land, as is conjectured, about seventy-two years before this time. The word is supposed to signify king in the ancient Egyptian language. If the meaning be sought in the Hebrew, the root פרע para signifies to be free or disengaged, a name which such freebooters as the Cuthite shepherds might naturally assume. All the kings of Egypt... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 12:15

Verse 15 15.And commended her before Pharaoh (351) Although Abram had sinned by fearing too much and too soon, yet the event teaches, that he had not feared without cause: for his wife was taken from him and brought to the king. At first Moses speaks generally of the Egyptians, afterwards he mentions the courtiers; by which course he intimates, that the rumor of Sara’s beauty was everywhere spread abroad; but that it was more eagerly received by the courtiers who indulge themselves in greater... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 12:10-20

The Church and the world. The genesis of intercourse and controversy between the kingdom of God and the world power, as represented in the great southern kingdom of Egypt. I. THE PRESSURE OF EARTHLY NECESSITIES FORMS THE OCCASION OF THE SOJOURN IN EGYPT . We are not told that Abram was sent by Divine direction amongst the temptations of the South; still there is providential protection even where there is not entire Divine approval. The Lord suffers his people to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 12:14-15

And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also— literally, and the princes ( שָׂרֵי , mas. of Sarah), chief men or courtiers, who, in accordance with the ancient custom of Egypt that no slave should approach the priestly person of Pharaoh, were sons of the principal priests ( vide Havernick, § 18)— of Pharaoh. The official title of the kings of Egypt (cf. Caesar, the designation of the Roman... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 12:10-20

- 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

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 12:10-20

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

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 12:15

Pharaoh = the official title of all kings of Egypt, like Kaiser, Czar, &c. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 12:14-15

"And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house."What a disaster this was! The mother of "the Chosen People" was at this point committed to the harem of Pharaoh and, without divine intervention, ALL of the promises to Abraham would have been lost. It was a situation that required and received a heavenly veto, something... read more

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