Genesis

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:12b):

‏‏וְאָמְרוּ אִשְׁתּוֹ זֹאת

Transliteration:

wᵉʾāmᵉrû ʾištô zōʾt

Translation (NRSV):

they will say, ‘This is his wife’

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏wᵉʾāmᵉrû/וְאָמְרוּ : conjunction ‏wᵉ/וְ + Qal perfect of ‏ʾāmar/‏אָמַר : they will say.
‏zōʾt/זֹאת : demonstrative adjective : this [is].
‏ʾištô/אִשְׁתּוֹ : noun ‏ʾiššâ/‏אִשָּׁה + pronominal suffix : his wife.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:12c):

‏‏‏וְהָרְגוּ אֹתִי וְאֹתָךְ יְחַיּוּ

Transliteration:

wᵉhārᵉgû ʾōtî wᵉʾōtāk yᵉḥayyû

Translation (NRSV):

then they will kill me, but they will let you live.

Comment by Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001):

kill me. The situation resembles the days of Noah: harems and violence (...). However, Abraham's fear demonstrates a lack of trust in God's recent promises. Although God has promised to make Abraham's seed abundant (a promise still to be fulfilled) and to curse those who curse Abraham, Abraham fears for his life.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏wᵉhārᵉgû/וְהָרְגוּ : conjunction ‏wᵉ/וְ + Qal perfect of ‏hārag/‏הָרַג : then they will kill.
‏ʾōtî/אֹתִי : direct object indicator (‏אֵת) + pronominal suffix : me.
‏wᵉʾōtāk/וְאֹתָךְ : conjunction ‏wᵉ/וְ + direct object indicator + pronominal suffix : but you.
‏yᵉḥayyû/יְחַיּוּ : Piel imperfect of ‏ḥāyâ/‏חָיָה : they will let live.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:13a):

‏אִמְרִי־נָא אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ

Transliteration:

ʾimrî-nāʾ ʾᵃḥōtî ʾāt

Translation (NRSV):

Say you are my sister

Comment by Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001):

say. This is better translated "Please say," a request, not an order. Sarah pragmatically consents. Their philosophy is "Better defiled than dead." This is not a philosophy that establishes God's kingdom in a pagan world.
sister. Abraham suggests an equivocating half-truth. She is actually his sister, and it was also a Hurrian practice to adopt a wife as a sister to elevate her social standing. However, he is willing to risk his honor and his wife's purity to advantage himself on this technicality.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏ʾimrî/אִמְרִי : Qal imperative of ‏ʾāmar/‏אָמַר : say.
‏-nāʾ/־נָא : particle of entreaty please.
‏ʾᵃḥōtî/אֲחֹתִי : noun ‏ʾāḥwōt/‏אָחוֹת (feminine of ‏אָח) + pronominal suffix : my sister.
‏ʾāt/אָתְּ : personal pronoun (feminine singular pausal) you [are].

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:13b):

‏‏לְמַעַן יִיטַב־לִי בַעֲבוּרֵךְ

Transliteration:

lᵉmaʿan yîṭab-lî baʿᵃbûrēk

Translation (NRSV):

so that it may go well with me because of you

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏lᵉmaʿan/לְמַעַן : preposition ‏lᵉ/לְ + preposition ‏maʿan/‏מַעַן : so that.
‏yîṭab/יִיטַב : Qal imperfect of ‏yāṭab/‏יָטַב : it may go well.
‏lî/לִי : preposition ‏lᵉ/לְ + pronominal suffix : for me.
‏baʿᵃbûrēk/בַעֲבוּרֵךְ : prep. ‏bᵉ/‏בְּ + prep. ‏ʿᵃbûr/‏עֲבוּר + pron. suffix : because of you.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:13c):

‏‏‏וְחָיְתָה נַפְשִׁי בִּגְלָלֵךְ

Transliteration:

wᵉḥāyᵉtâ napšî biglālēk

Translation (NRSV):

and that my life may be spared on your account.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏wᵉḥāyᵉtâ/וְחָיְתָה : conjunction ‏wᵉ/וְ + Qal perfect of ‏hāyâ/‏הָיָה : that may be spared.
‏napšî/נַפְשִׁי : noun ‏nepeš/‏נֶפֶשׁ + pronominal suffix : my life.
‏biglālēk/בִּגְלָלֵךְ : preposition ‏bᵉ/‏בְּ + preposition ‏gālāl/‏גָּלָל + pronominal suffix : on account of you.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:14a):

‏‏‏‏וַיְהִי כְּבוֹא אַבְרָם מִצְרָיְמָה

Transliteration:

wayᵉhî kᵉbôʾ ʾabrām miṣrāyᵉmâ

Translation (NRSV):

When Abram entered Egypt

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏wayᵉhî/וַיְהִי : consecutive ‏wa/וַ + Qal imperfect of ‏hāyâ/‏הָיָה : and it happened.
‏ʾabrām/אַבְרָם : Abram.
‏kᵉbô/כְּבוֹא : temporal ‏kᵉ/כְּ + Qal infinitive construct of ‏bôʾ/‏בּוֹא : when he entered.
‏miṣrāyᵉmâ/מִצְרָיְמָה : noun ‏miṣrayim/‏מִצְרַיִם + directional ה ending : Egypt.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:14b):

‏‏‏‏‏וַיִּרְאוּ הַמִּצְרִים אֶת־הָאִשָּׁה כִּי־יָפָה הִוא מְאֹד

Transliteration:

wayyirʾû hammiṣrîm ʾet-hāʾiššâ kî-yāpâ hiwʾ mᵉʾōd

Translation (NRSV):

the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏hammiṣrîm/הַמִּצְרִים : definite article + plural of ‏miṣrî/‏‏מִצְרִי : the Egyptians.
‏wayyirʾû/וַיִּרְאוּ : consecutive ‏wa/וַ + Qal imperfect of ‏rāʾâ/‏רָאָה : saw.
‏ʾet/אֶת : direct object indicator.
‏hāʾiššâ/הָאִשָּׁה : definite article + ‏ʾiššâ/אִשָּׁה : the woman.
‏kî/כִּי : conjunction : that.
‏hiwʾ/הִוא : personal pronoun : she [was].
‏mᵉʾōd/מְאֹד : adverb : very.
‏yāpâ/יָפָה : adjective : beautiful.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:15a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיִּרְאוּ אֹתָהּ שָׂרֵי פַרְעֹה

Transliteration:

wayyirʾû ʾōtâh śārê parʿō

Translation (Wenham):

The princes of Pharaoh saw her

Comment by Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001):

Pharaoh. This is actually a title meaning "Great House," not a personal name; it is a metonymy, like "Crown" for the British monarch.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏śārê/שָׂרֵי : plural construct of ‏śar/‏שַׂר : the princes of.
‏parʿō/פַרְעֹה : Pharaoh.
‏wayyirʾû/וַיִּרְאוּ : consecutive ‏wa/וַ + Qal imperfect of ‏rāʾâ/‏רָאָה : saw.
‏ʾōtâh/אֹתָהּ : direct object indicator ‏ʾēt/‏אֵת + pronominal suffix : her.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:15b):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיְהַלְלוּ אֹתָהּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה

Transliteration:

wayᵉhalᵉlû ʾōtâh ʾel-parʿō

Translation (TNIV):

they praised her to Pharaoh

Comment by Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001):

Pharaoh's officials ... praised her to Pharaoh. This is probably more than Abraham bargained for. Only divine intervention can correct this situation.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏wayᵉhalᵉlû/וַיְהַלְלוּ : consecutive ‏wa/וַ + Piel imperfect of ‏hālal/‏הָלַל : they praised.
‏ʾōtâh/אֹתָהּ : direct object indicator (‏אֵת) + pronominal suffix : her
‏ʾel/אֶל : preposition to.
‏parʿō/פַּרְעֹה : Pharaoh.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:15c):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַתֻּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה בֵּית פַּרְעֹה

Transliteration:

‏wattuqqaḥ hāʾiššâ bêt parʿō

Translation (NRSV):

And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

Comment by Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001):

was taken. Although ambiguous, the Hebrew here does not necessarily entail sexual intercourse (see 20:2, 6); to signify intercourse the text might have included "and violated her" (see 34:2) or "and lay with her" (see 38:2).

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏hāʾiššâ/הָאִשָּׁה : definite article + ‏ʾiššâ/אִשָּׁה : the woman.
‏wattuqqaḥ/וַתֻּקַּח : consecutive ‏wa/וַ + Hophal imperfect of ‏lāqaḥ/‏לָקַח : was taken.
‏bêt/בֵּית : construct of ‏bayit/‏בַּיִת : the house of.
‏parʿō/פַּרְעֹה : Pharaoh.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:16a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וּלְאַבְרָם הֵיטִיב בַּעֲבוּרָהּ

Transliteration:

ûlᵉʾabrām hêṭîb baʿᵃbûrâh

Translation (TNIV):

He treated Abram well for her sake

Comment by Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001):

he treated Abram well. Each of the wife-sister episodes has the motif of the patriarch's enrichment in connection with his deception (...). However, in this first story the Pharaoh enriches Abraham after the matriarch's abduction; in the case of Abimelech and Sarah, the Philistine reward's Sarah to compensate for his wrong (...); in the case of Abimelech and Rebekah, the Lord blesses Isaac (...). In spite of the patriarch's failure of faith, God extends them grace and plunders the real criminal, who we may presume would have killed Abraham to gratify his lust (...).

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏ûlᵉʾabrām/וּלְאַבְרָם : conjunction ‏û/וּ + preposition ‏lᵉ/לְ + name ‏ʾabrām/‏אַבְרָם : and with Abram.
‏hêṭîb/הֵיטִיב : Hiphil perfect of ‏yāṭab/‏יָטַב : he dealt well.
‏baʿᵃbûrâh/בַּעֲבוּרָהּ : preposition ‏‏bᵉ/‏בְּ + preposition ‏ʿᵃbûr/‏עֲבוּר + pronominal suffix : for her sake.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:16b):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיְהִי־לוֹ צֹאן־וּבָקָר וַחֲמֹרִים וַעֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחֹת וַאֲתֹנֹת וּגְמַלִּים

Transliteration:

wayᵉhî-lô ṣōʾn-ûbāqār waḥᵃmōrîm waʿᵃbādîm ûšᵉpāḥōt waʾᵃtōnōt ûgᵉmallîm

Translation (TNIV):

and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

Comment by Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001):

menservants and maidservants. The Hebrew word also denotes "slaves." People who failed financially for one reason or another became indentured slaves. A person of modest means had at least several slaves (cf. Judg. 6:5 with 6:27). Even a "nobody" had at least one (Prov. 12:9). On the other hand, in the law, the kidnapping of a person to sell him or her into slavery was a capital offense (Ex. 21:16), and an Israelite slave was set free with a generous hand after six years (Deut. 15:12-15).

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏wayᵉhî/וַיְהִי : consecutive ‏wa/וַ + Qal imperfect of ‏hāyâ/‏הָיָה : and there was.
‏lô/לוֹ : preposition ‏lᵉ/‏לְ + pronominal suffix : belonging to him.
‏ṣōʾn/צֹאן : sheep.
‏ûbāqār/וּבָקָר : conjunction ‏û/וּ + noun ‏bāqār/בָקָר : and cattle.
‏waḥᵃmōrîm/וַחֲמֹרִים : conjunction ‏wᵉ/‏וְ + plural of ‏ḥᵃmôr/‏חֲמוֹר : and male donkeys.
‏waʿᵃbādîm/וַעֲבָדִים : conjunction ‏wᵉ/‏וְ + plural of ‏ʿebed/‏‏עֶבֶד : and male slaves.
‏ûšᵉpāḥōt/וּשְׁפָחֹת : conjunction ‏û/וּ + plural of ‏šipḥâ/‏‏‏שִׁפְחָה : and female slaves.
‏waʾᵃtōnōt/וַאֲתֹנֹת : conjunction ‏wᵉ/‏וְ + plural of ‏ʾātwōn/‏‏‏אָתוֹן : and female donkeys.
‏ûgᵉmallîm/וּגְמַלִּים : conjunction ‏û/וּ + plural of ‏gāmāl/‏‏‏‏גָּמָל : and camels.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:17a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיְנַגַּע יְהוָה אֶת־פַּרְעֹה נְגָעִים גְּדֹלִים

Transliteration:

wayᵉnaggaʿ YHWH ʾet-parʿō nᵉgāʿîm gᵉdōlîm

Translation (TNIV):

But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh

Comment by Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001):

The LORD inflicted. Through the plagues, Pharaoh recognizes the providential blessing and protection of Sarah. In contrast with his later dealings with Abimelech (20:6), however, God does not acquit Pharaoh as innocent. In all likelihood, Pharaoh's general behavior had been the reason for Abraham's fear.

serious diseases. Though the nature of the diseases is unexplained, it probably pertains to sex so as to suggest to Pharaoh that Sarah is their cause. Instead of bringing blessing and life, Abraham brings death upon Egypt (see 12:3).

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏YHWH/יְהוָה : the LORD.
‏wayᵉnaggaʿ/וַיְנַגַּע : consecutive ‏wa/וַ + Piel imperfect of ‏nāgaʿ/‏נָגַע : but [YHWH] afflicted.
‏ʾet/אֶת : direct object indicator.
‏parʿō/פַּרְעֹה : Pharaoh.
‏nᵉgāʿîm/נְגָעִים : plural of ‏negaʿ/‏נֶגַע : afflictions.
‏gᵉdōlîm/גְּדֹלִים : plural of ‏gādōl/‏גָּדוֹל : great.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:17b):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ עַל־דְּבַר שָׂרַי אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם

Transliteration:

wᵉʾet-bêtô ʿal-dᵉbar śāray ʾēšet ʾabrām

Translation (REB):

and his household on account of Abram’s wife Sarai

Comment by Victor P. Hamilton, Genesis 1-17 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990):

Sarai is the pivotal figure here. Abram prospers because of her. Pharaoh suffers because of her. She is a catalyst for good and evil. It is true that Pharaoh acted in ignorance, but he is nonetheless culpable. The sin of ignorance takes two forms in the OT. Such a sin may be committed through negligence (the sinner knows that what he did was wrong, but he did not do it on purpose) or through ignorance (the sinner does not know that what he did was wrong). Clearly, Pharaoh's sin was the latter type. And yet the OT does not exonerate the sinner on the basis of either negligence or ignorance. For such a person expiation, accompanied by confession, is required. Of course, the sacrificial system is there for the sons and daughters of Israel, not for Egyptian pharaohs. And yet even one who is not a child of Abraham and stands outside the covenant family is held accountable for crimes perpetrated unwittingly, and must consequently be subjected to the appropriate punishment. And in this particular case the crime is committed against a member of Abram's family.

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏wᵉʾet/וְאֶת : conjunction ‏wᵉ/וְ + direct object indicator : and.
‏bêtô/בֵּיתוֹ : noun ‏bayit/‏בַּיִת + pronominal suffix : his household.
‏ʿal/עַל : on account of.
‏dᵉbar/דְּבַר : construct of ‏dābār/‏דָּבָר : the affair of.
‏śāray/שָׂרַי : Sarai.
‏ʾēšet/אֵשֶׁת : construct of ‏ʾiššâ/‏אִשָּׁה : the wife of.
‏ʾabrām/אַבְרָם : Abram.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 12:18a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה לְאַבְרָם

Transliteration:

wayyiqrāʾ parʿō lᵉʾabrām

Translation (Wenham):

So Pharaoh summoned Abram.

Comment by Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1987):

"So Pharaoh summoned Abram." ‏קרא, "summon, call" immediately suggests the seriousness of Pharaoh; cf. the use of ‏קרא in a similar context (3:9).

Glossary (meanings in this context):

‏parʿō/פַרְעֹה : Pharaoh.
‏wayyiqrāʾ/וַיִּקְרָא : consecutive ‏wa/וַ + Qal imperfect of ‏qārāʾ/‏קָרָא : so he summoned.
‏lᵉʾabrām/לְאַבְרָם : preposition ‏lᵉ/לְ + name ‏ʾabrām/אַבְרָם : Abram.