Genesis

Genesis 12:14–20

¹⁴So when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. ¹⁵When Pharaoh’s officials saw Sarai, they commended her to him, and she was taken into the palace of Pharaoh. ¹⁶He treated Abram well on her account, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.

¹⁷The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai. ¹⁸So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? ¹⁹Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!”

²⁰Then Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram, and they sent him away with his wife and all his possessions.

Read all of Genesis 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 12:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So	וַיְהִ֕י	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
when Abram	אַבְרָ֖ם	’aḇ·rām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H87 Abram
entered	כְּב֥וֹא	kə·ḇō·w	Preposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H935 come in, come, go in, go
Egypt	מִצְרָ֑יְמָה	miṣ·rā·yə·māh	Noun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians
the Egyptians	הַמִּצְרִים֙	ham·miṣ·rîm	Article; Noun - proper - masculine plural	H4713 Mitsrite
saw	וַיִּרְא֤וּ	way·yir·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7200 see
that	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the woman	הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה	hā·’iš·šāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
was very	מְאֹֽד׃	mə·’ōḏ	Adverb	H3966 muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
beautiful	יָפָ֥ה	yā·p̄āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H3303 fair, beautiful

Genesis 12:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Pharaoh’s	פַרְעֹ֔ה	p̄ar·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
officials	שָׂרֵ֣י	śā·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H8269 chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince
saw	וַיִּרְא֤וּ	way·yir·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7200 see
they commended	וַיְהַֽלְל֥וּ	way·hal·lū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1984 shine
her	אֹתָ֖הּ	’ō·ṯāh	Direct object marker; third person feminine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
and she	הָאִשָּׁ֖ה	hā·’iš·šāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
was taken	וַתֻּקַּ֥ח	wat·tuq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - QalPass - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3947 take
into the palace	בֵּ֥ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of Pharaoh	פַּרְעֹֽה׃	par·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh

Genesis 12:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He treated Abram	וּלְאַבְרָ֥ם	ū·lə·’aḇ·rām	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H87 Abram
well	הֵיטִ֖יב	hê·ṭîḇ	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3190 be good, well, glad, pleasing
on her account	בַּעֲבוּרָ֑הּ	ba·‘ă·ḇū·rāh	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H5668 crossed, transit, account
and Abram acquired	וַֽיְהִי־	way·hî-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
sheep	צֹאן־	ṣōn-	Noun - feminine singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
and cattle	וּבָקָר֙	ū·ḇā·qār	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox
male and female donkeys	וַחֲמֹרִ֔ים	wa·ḥă·mō·rîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H2543 heap
menservants	וַעֲבָדִים֙	wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H5650 slave, servant
and maidservants	וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת	ū·šə·p̄ā·ḥōṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural	H8198 maid, maid-servant
and camels	וּגְמַלִּֽים׃	ū·ḡə·mal·lîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H1581 camel

Genesis 12:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The LORD	יְהוָ֧ה׀	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
however	יְהוָ֧ה׀	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
afflicted	וַיְנַגַּ֨ע	way·nag·ga‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5060 touch, reach, strike
Pharaoh	פַּרְעֹ֛ה	par·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
and his household	בֵּית֑וֹ	bê·ṯōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1004 house
with severe	גְּדֹלִ֖ים	gə·ḏō·lîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H1419 great
plagues	נְגָעִ֥ים	nə·ḡā·‘îm	Noun - masculine plural	H5061 stroke, plague, mark, plague-spot
because of	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Abram’s	אַבְרָֽם׃	’aḇ·rām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H87 Abram
wife	אֵ֥שֶׁת	’ê·šeṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H802 woman, wife, female
Sarai	שָׂרַ֖י	śā·ray	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8297 Sarai

Genesis 12:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So Pharaoh	פַרְעֹה֙	p̄ar·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
summoned	וַיִּקְרָ֤א	way·yiq·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
Abram	לְאַבְרָ֔ם	lə·’aḇ·rām	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H87 Abram
and asked	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
What	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you done	עָשִׂ֣יתָ	‘ā·śî·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
to me	לִּ֑י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
Why	לָ֚מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
didn’t	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
you tell	הִגַּ֣דְתָּ	hig·gaḏ·tā	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
me	לִּ֔י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
she	הִֽוא׃	hî	Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
was your wife	אִשְׁתְּךָ֖	’iš·tə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H802 woman, wife, female

Genesis 12:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Why	לָמָ֤ה	lā·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
did you say	אָמַ֙רְתָּ֙	’ā·mar·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
She is	הִ֔וא	hî	Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
my sister	אֲחֹ֣תִי	’ă·ḥō·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H269 sister
so that I took	וָאֶקַּ֥ח	wā·’eq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H3947 take
her	אֹתָ֛הּ	’ō·ṯāh	Direct object marker; third person feminine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
as my	לִ֖י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
wife	לְאִשָּׁ֑ה	lə·’iš·šāh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
Now then	וְעַתָּ֕ה	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
here	הִנֵּ֥ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
is your wife	אִשְׁתְּךָ֖	’iš·tə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
Take her	קַ֥ח	qaḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H3947 take
and go	וָלֵֽךְ׃	wā·lêḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk

Genesis 12:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Pharaoh	פַּרְעֹ֖ה	par·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
gave his men	אֲנָשִׁ֑ים	’ă·nā·šîm	Noun - masculine plural	H582 man, mankind
orders	וַיְצַ֥ו	way·ṣaw	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
concerning	עָלָ֛יו	‘ā·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5921 height
and they sent him away	וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֥וּ	way·šal·lə·ḥū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7971 send
with his wife	אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ	’iš·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
and all his possessions	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all