Genesis 12:10 kjv

And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

Genesis 12:10 nkjv

Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.

Genesis 12:10 niv

Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.

Genesis 12:10 esv

Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.

Genesis 12:10 nlt

At that time a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner.

Genesis 12 verses

Genesis 12 10 Meaning

Genesis 12:10 describes a significant shift in Abram's journey immediately after God's call and promise. A severe famine afflicted the land of Canaan, prompting Abram to travel south to Egypt to find temporary refuge and provisions. This marks the first major challenge to Abram's faith and his direct obedience to remaining in the promised land, foreshadowing later encounters between God's people and Egypt.

Genesis 12 10 Context

Genesis 12:10 immediately follows God's foundational call to Abram to leave his land, kindred, and father's house, and go to a land that God would show him. This call included vast promises of blessing, land, nationhood, and universal blessing through him (Gen 12:1-3). Abram had responded in faith, departing from Haran (Gen 12:4), passing through Canaan, building altars, and proclaiming the Lord's name (Gen 12:6-9). Just when he is established in the promised land, a famine strikes, presenting the first major test of his nascent faith. This unexpected hardship forces Abram to make a crucial decision that leads him away from the promised land and into Egypt, a common ancient world refuge from famine, but also a symbol of bondage and spiritual danger in the biblical narrative. The narrative highlights the tension between God's promise and immediate difficult circumstances.

Genesis 12 10 Word analysis

• וַיְהִי (vay'hi): "And it came to pass" or "Now it happened." This common Hebrew narrative connector signals a significant development or new event in the story. Its use here indicates a sudden turn of events immediately after Abram's establishment in the land.
• רָעָב (ra'av): "Famine." This refers to a severe lack of food and water, often a natural disaster in ancient agricultural societies. Biblically, famine can also be seen as a divine judgment or a test of faith, contrasting with God's promise of abundant land. Its presence in the promised land directly after God's promise highlights the testing of Abram's reliance on God's provision.
• בָּאָרֶץ (ba'aretz): "in the land." Specifically referring to the land of Canaan, the very land God had just promised to Abram and his descendants. This detail underscores the immediate challenge to God's promise; the land of promise is afflicted.
• וַיֵּרֶד (vay'yered): "And he went down." This verb indicates a downward physical movement, as Egypt is geographically lower than Canaan. Metaphorically, "going down" often implies a moral or spiritual decline in biblical narrative, suggesting a deviation from the upward path of faith and trust in God's immediate provision in the promised land.
• אַבְרָם (Avram): "Abram." "Exalted father." At this point, Abram's faith is being shaped. His initial response was obedient, but the famine reveals his humanity and vulnerability to fear and natural pressures.
• מִצְרָיְמָה (mitzray'mah): "to Egypt." Egypt (Mizraim) was known as a land of great agricultural prosperity, often immune to the famines that plagued Canaan due to the Nile River's annual inundation. However, in the biblical narrative, Egypt often represents a place of self-reliance, idolatry, oppression, and bondage (e.g., the Exodus). For Abram to seek refuge there implies a reliance on human provision rather than fully trusting in divine providence in the land of promise.
• לָגוּר (lagur): "to sojourn," "to reside temporarily." Abram's intention was not to settle permanently but to find temporary refuge until the famine passed. This reflects his identity as a transient stranger, aligning with the patriarchs' nomadic lifestyle (Heb 11:9-10). However, even a temporary sojourn away from God's chosen land presented spiritual perils.
• שָׁם (sham): "there." Emphasizes the destination—Egypt—as the specific place of his sojourn.
• כִּי כָבֵד הָרָעָב (ki kaved hara'av): "for the famine was severe/heavy." The conjunction "כי" (ki) provides the reason for Abram's departure. The adjective "כָבֵד" (kaved), "heavy" or "severe," intensifies the description of the famine, offering a human explanation and justification for his decision. It conveys the real-world pressure Abram faced, making his move understandable but challenging the steadfastness of his trust.

Genesis 12 10 Bonus section

• The theme of "going down to Egypt" is a recurring motif throughout the Bible, often symbolizing seeking refuge in human systems, engaging in idolatry, or experiencing spiritual and physical bondage. Abram's descent is the first in a series that includes Jacob's family during a famine and eventually the nation of Israel's long captivity there, culminating in the Exodus. Jesus' family also went to Egypt, but as a refuge from Herod, distinct from Abram's economic flight.
• This event implicitly contrasts the sovereignty of Yahweh over the natural world with the deities worshipped in Canaan and Egypt. While a famine occurred in the land promised by Yahweh, the prosperity of Egypt relied on the Nile's predictable floods, revered as divine in Egyptian religion. Abram's experience thus points to God's ultimate control, even through hardship, and the temptation to rely on perceived human stability.
• The severity of the famine (כָּבֵד הָרָעָב) justifies the practical decision, but the location of refuge chosen reveals a momentary lapse in his complete trust in God's immediate sustenance within the promised boundary. It's a reminder that good intentions or understandable human reactions are not always God's intended path.

Genesis 12 10 Commentary

Genesis 12:10 is a pivotal moment, immediately testing Abram's faith after the grand promises of God. The presence of "famine in the land" (the very land promised by God) confronts Abram with an immediate crisis. His decision to "go down to Egypt" reveals a human reaction to hardship: seeking security and provision outside the direct path God had laid for him. While a practical solution in human terms due to Egypt's fertile Nile Delta, this act is spiritually ambiguous. It contrasts sharply with God's directive to remain in the promised land (implied by the promise itself) and foreshadows Israel's later descents into and struggles with Egypt. The verse highlights that faith is not merely initial obedience but ongoing reliance on God's provision and presence, even when circumstances are dire. Abram's vulnerability underscores that great men of faith are still prone to human fear and reliance on earthly solutions. Yet, even in this questionable move, God's faithfulness to His covenant promises would prove to transcend human failures. It exemplifies how trials can reveal hidden anxieties and redirect believers to deeper dependence on God.