Genesis 12:12 - It will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.

Generated Verse: Genesis 12:12

What does "Genesis 12:12" mean?


This verse is from Genesis 12:12, where Abram (later Abraham) is traveling to Egypt with his wife Sarai (later Sarah). Abram is concerned that Sarai's beauty will attract the attention of the Egyptians, particularly the Pharaoh. He fears they will kill him in order to take her as their own wife.

Here's a breakdown of the meaning:

"It will happen, when the Egyptians see you...": Abram anticipates that Sarai's beauty will be immediately noticeable to the Egyptians.
"...that they will say, 'This is his wife.'": He predicts that the Egyptians will correctly identify Sarai as his wife.
"They will kill me...": Abram believes the Egyptians will resort to murder to remove him from the equation so they can take Sarai.
"...but they will save you alive.": He believes that because of Sarai's beauty, the Egyptians will want to keep her alive and unharmed to marry her or keep her in the Pharaoh's harem.

Essentially, Abram is driven by fear for his own life and believes that his wife's beauty puts him in danger. He anticipates the Egyptians will be so captivated by Sarai that they will prioritize acquiring her over respecting his life or their marriage.

This verse highlights Abram's:

Fear: He is afraid of what the Egyptians might do.
Self-preservation: He prioritizes his own life over his wife's safety.
Distrust: He doesn't trust in God's protection or the Egyptians' morality.

The situation sets up a test of faith, as Abram does not trust God to protect him. He asks Sarai to lie about their relationship (pretending to be his sister), hoping to mitigate the perceived threat. This sets the stage for further complications and demonstrates that even figures like Abraham had moments of fear and doubt.

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