Genesis 12:11-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 12:10-13

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, Exod. 16:3. Nothing short of a strong faith could... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 12:11

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt ,.... Just entering into it, having travelled from the mountain between Bethel and Hai, two hundred and forty miles F16 Travels of the Holy Patriarchs, &c.; p. 56. ; or when he "caused to come near" F17 כאשר הקריב "quum admoveret, sub tentorium", so some in Vatablus; "familiam", Munster. , either his camp, as Aben Ezra supplies it, or his tent, or his family, as others: that he said unto Sarai his wife,... read more

John Gill

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

Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee ,.... Who were a lustful people, and whose eyes would soon be fastened upon, and be taken with the beauty of Sarai: that they shall say, this is his wife ; this beautiful woman is such a man's wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive ; so great a regard had they in those times, and even in Heathen countries, to the laws of marriage, that they chose rather to be guilty of murder than of adultery,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 12:13

Say, I pray thee, that thou art my sister ,.... Which though it was not putting a direct lie into her mouth, she being his sister in some sense, as appears from Genesis 20:12 yet it was done to conceal truth, and to deceive the Egyptians, and tended to endanger his wife's chastity, as well as showed great timorousness in him, and distrust of the divine care and protection of him; and upon the whole it must be criminal in him, and shows that the best of men are liable to sin, and the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 12:11

Thou art a fair woman to look upon - Widely differing in her complexion from the swarthy Egyptians, and consequently more likely to be coveted by them. It appears that Abram supposed they would not scruple to take away the life of the husband in order to have the undisturbed possession of the wife. The age of Sarai at this time is not well agreed on by commentators, some making her ninety, while others make her only sixty-five. From Genesis 17:17 , we learn that Sarai was ten years younger... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 12:13

Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister - Abram did not wish his wife to tell a falsehood, but he wished her to suppress a part of the truth. From Genesis 20:12 , it is evident she was his step-sister, i.e., his sister by his father, but by a different mother. Some suppose Sarai was the daughter of Haran, and consequently the grand-daughter of Terah: this opinion seems to be founded on Genesis 11:29 , where Iscah is thought to be the same with Sarai, but the supposition has not a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 12:11

Verse 11 11.He said unto Sarai his wife. He now relates the counsel which Abram took for the preservation of his life when he was approaching Egypt. Andy since this place is like a rock, on which many strike; it is proper that we should soberly and reverently consider how far Abram was deserving of excuse, and how he was to be blamed. First, there seems to be something of falsehood, mixed with the dissimulations which he persuades his wife to practice. And although afterwards he makes the... read more

John Calvin

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

Verse 12 12.Therefore it shall come to pass, that when the Egyptians shall see thee, etc. It may seem that Abram was unjust to the Egyptians, in suspecting evil of them, from whom he had yet received no injury. And, since charity truly is not suspicious; he may appear to deal unfairly, in not only charging them with lust, but also in suspecting them of murder. I answer, that the holy man did, not without reason, fear for himself from that nation, concerning which he had heard many unfavourable... 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 12:11-13

And it came to pass (literally, it was ), when he was come near to enter into Egypt (that he had his misgivings, arising probably from his own eminence, which could scarcely fail to attract attention among strangers, but chiefly from the beauty of his wife, which was calculated to inflame the cupidity and, it might be, the violence of the warm-blooded Southrons, and) that he said unto Sarai his wife . The arrangement here referred to appears ( Genesis 20:13 ) to have been... read more

Group of Brands