Genesis 12

"The Call of Abraham"

1Now the LORD said unto Abram, “Go out from your country and from your kindred, and from your father’s house, into the land that I will show you; 2and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you will be a blessing; 3and I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you; and in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” 4So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him; and Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the souls that they had made in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. 6And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Shechem, unto the oak^a of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.

Abram buildeth Altars for exercise and declaration of his faith among the infidels.

7And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, “Unto your seed I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8And he went from there to the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. 9And Abram journeyed, traveling continuously into the south.

Because of the dearth he goeth into Egypt.

10And there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was severe. 11And it came to pass, when he was near the land of Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Behold now, I know that you are a woman of great beauty,” 12"and it will come to pass, when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife;’ and they will kill me, but they will keep you alive." 13"Please say that you are my sister, that it may go well with me for your sake, and that my soul will live because of you." 14And it came to pass, that, when Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

Pharaoh taketh his wife, and is punished.

15And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into the house of Pharaoh. 16And he entreated Abram well for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and male donkeys; servants and handmaids, and female donkeys, and camels. 17And the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her, and go thy way." 20And Pharaoh commanded his men commandment concerning Abram; then they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.