Genesis 12:12 kjv

Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

Genesis 12:12 nkjv

Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you live.

Genesis 12:12 niv

When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live.

Genesis 12:12 esv

and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.

Genesis 12:12 nlt

When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife. Let's kill him; then we can have her!'

Genesis 12 verses

Genesis 12 12 Meaning

Genesis 12:12 reveals Abram's profound fear for his life upon entering Egypt. He anticipates that due to Sarah's beauty, the Egyptians would realize she is his wife, subsequently kill him to take her, and spare her. This calculated outcome, born of self-preservation rather than trust in God, forms the basis of his deception regarding Sarah being his sister.

Genesis 12 12 Context

Genesis 12 begins with the monumental call of Abram by God, instructing him to leave his country, kindred, and father's house for a land God would show him. Accompanying this call were astounding promises of blessing, land, nationhood, and universal blessing through his lineage. Abram obeyed by faith, arriving in Canaan. However, a famine then grips the land, forcing Abram to migrate further south into Egypt, a region known for its fertility and centralized power. It is in this new, foreign context, a place of survival rather than divine direction, that Abram faces the perceived threat of a powerful ruler. Verse 12 directly precedes Abram's command to Sarah to pretend to be his sister, showcasing a moment of profound fear and human strategizing, immediately after having experienced God's direct promises and leading. This event becomes the first major challenge to Abram's faith and the testing ground for God's promised protection.

Genesis 12 12 Word analysis

• When the Egyptians (ve-hayah ki-yiru otekh ha-Mitzrim - וְהָיָה כִּי-יִרְאוּ אֹתֵךְ הַמִּצְרִים):

  • Ha-Mitzrim (הַמִּצְרִים): "The Egyptians." Identifies a foreign, powerful, and potentially predatory people. This setting heightens Abram's sense of vulnerability as an outsider.
  • Abram's focus shifts from God's promise to human observation and threat, anticipating the actions of those outside his covenant with Yahweh.

• see you (ki-yiru otekh - כִּי-יִרְאוּ אֹתֵךְ):

  • Yiru (יראו): "They will see." Emphasizes visual perception. Sarah's remarkable beauty (which becomes evident later in the narrative, Gen 12:14) is the direct catalyst for Abram's fear and his calculated risk.

• they will say (ve'amru - וְאָמְרוּ):

  • Amru (אמרו): "They will say." Abram projects their future statement, revealing his own mental construct of their thought process and intent. This highlights his fearful internal dialogue, not necessarily what the Egyptians would have immediately concluded.

• 'This is his wife.' (Ishto zot - אִשְׁתּוֹ זֹאת):

  • Ishto (אשתו): "His wife." The direct and immediate identification of their true relationship, which Abram perceives as his death warrant. This highlights the perceived danger of violating societal norms or ruler's desires in that ancient context.

• Then they will kill me (ve-hargu oti - וְהָרְגוּ אֹתִי):

  • Hargu (הרגו): "They will kill." A definitive and violent act. Abram's primary concern is self-preservation. This directly threatens God's promise of numerous descendants through Abram, as a dead Abram cannot father a nation. It shows a temporary lack of trust in God's power to protect him for the sake of the promise.

• but let you live (ve'otekh yehayyu - וְאוֹתָךְ יְחַיּוּ):

  • Yehayyu (יחיו): "They will cause to live, preserve alive." This phrase contrasts starkly with his own anticipated fate. It reveals the underlying motive Abram attributes to the Egyptians: desiring Sarah for themselves.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.'": This phrase sets up the entire precarious situation. It demonstrates Abram's calculated projection of human (Egyptian) judgment based on appearance, assuming their primary motive is selfish desire rather than fearing God or respecting others' rights. This focus on "what man sees" rather than "what God has promised" underscores his immediate crisis of faith.
  • "Then they will kill me but let you live": This directly contrasts his envisioned outcome with Sarah's. It reveals a chilling pragmatism on Abram's part, where self-preservation outweighs fully trusting in divine protection. This line frames his fear of death as the central driver for the ensuing deception, which in turn jeopardizes the purity and sanctity of the lineage through which God's promises were to flow.

Genesis 12 12 Bonus section

• The Recurring Motif of the "Sister-Wife": This specific scenario where a patriarch claims his wife is his sister for self-preservation reappears in Gen 20 (Abram with Abimelech) and Gen 26 (Isaac with Abimelech). This repetition is significant, perhaps showing a persistent family failing, or acting as a literary device to underscore the precariousness of the promised lineage and the constant need for divine intervention to preserve it against human error and external threats. Each instance reiterates God's faithfulness in upholding His covenant, even when human agents act unfaithfully.
• Fear of Man vs. Fear of God: Abram's primary fear in this verse is of the powerful Egyptians, fearing death from them more than trusting in the God who had just called him and promised him protection and blessing. This starkly contrasts with the "fear of the LORD" which is often presented as the beginning of wisdom and true security in biblical literature (e.g., Prov 1:7). Abram's fear of death shows a temporary eclipsing of his trust in Yahweh as the ultimate arbiter of life and destiny.

Genesis 12 12 Commentary

Genesis 12:12 encapsulates a crucial test of Abram's faith immediately following the grand covenant promises. It is the first instance where human fear overshadows divine promise. Abram's logic, "If they know you are my wife, they will kill me for you," reveals a calculated human strategy devoid of God-reliance. This episode is not merely a record of an ancestor's lapse; it serves as a powerful biblical illustration of human weakness and how the "fear of man" can lead even those divinely chosen to compromise their integrity and potentially jeopardize God's plan.

Ironically, Abram’s fear of being killed for his wife ultimately puts Sarah in an even greater position of vulnerability within Pharaoh's house, an outcome God himself must then intervene to rectify. This narrative highlights the ever-present tension between human frailty and divine faithfulness. It teaches that even when God's people stumble in faith, His commitment to His promises remains steadfast, ultimately intervening to protect His covenant, often despite human failing, not because of human merit. For believers today, it is a reminder that fear can lead to poor decisions, but God's grace and faithfulness are larger than our weaknesses.