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Genesis 12:10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
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So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/genesis/12.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/genesis/12.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine <i>was</i> grievous in the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/genesis/12.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine <i>was</i> severe in the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/genesis/12.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />Now there was a famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a time, because the famine was severe in the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/genesis/12.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />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.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/genesis/12.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />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.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/genesis/12.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />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.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/genesis/12.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />Now there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to live temporarily, for the famine in the land was oppressive <i>and</i> severe.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/genesis/12.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay there for a while because the famine in the land was severe.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/genesis/12.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine in the land was severe. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/genesis/12.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/genesis/12.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/genesis/12.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />There was a famine in the land. Abram went to Egypt to stay awhile because the famine was severe.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/genesis/12.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />But there was a famine in Canaan, and it was so bad that Abram went farther south to Egypt, to live there for a while. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/genesis/12.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live because the famine was so severe. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/genesis/12.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/genesis/12.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay for a while because the famine was severe.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/genesis/12.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, because the famine was severe in the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/genesis/12.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to dwell there; for the famine was grievous in the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/genesis/12.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/genesis/12.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />And there is a famine in the land, and Abram goes down toward Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine [is] grievous in the land;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/genesis/12.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> And there is a famine in the land, and Abram goeth down towards Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine is grievous in the land;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/genesis/12.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And there shall be a famine in the land; and Abram will go down to Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was strong in the land.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/genesis/12.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />And there came a famine in the country; and Abram went down into Egypt, to sojourn there: for the famine was very grievous in the land. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/genesis/12.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />But a famine occurred in the land. And Abram descended to Egypt, to sojourn there. For famine prevailed over the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/genesis/12.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />There was famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, since the famine in the land was severe.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/genesis/12.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the famine was severe in the land.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/genesis/12.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />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.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/genesis/12.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And there was a famine in the land and Abram came down to Egypt to dwell there because the famine was very severe in the land.<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/genesis/12.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />And there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/genesis/12.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, because the famine prevailed in the land.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/genesis/12-10.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ehevn8iSgc?start=2643" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/genesis/12.htm">Abram and Sarai in Egypt</a></span><br> <span class="reftext">10</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/1961.htm" title="1961: way·hî (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To fall out, come to pass, become, be. A primitive root; to exist, i.e. Be or become, come to pass.">Now there was</a> <a href="/hebrew/7458.htm" title="7458: rā·‘āḇ (N-ms) -- Famine, hunger. From ra'eb; hunger.">a famine</a> <a href="/hebrew/776.htm" title="776: bā·’ā·reṣ (Prep-b, Art:: N-fs) -- Earth, land. From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth.">in the land.</a> <a href="/hebrew/87.htm" title="87: ’aḇ·rām (N-proper-ms) -- Exalted father, the original name of Abraham. Contracted from 'Abiyram; high father; Abram, the original name of Abraham.">So Abram</a> <a href="/hebrew/3381.htm" title="3381: way·yê·reḏ (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To come or go down, descend. ">went down</a> <a href="/hebrew/4714.htm" title="4714: miṣ·ray·māh (N-proper-fs:: 3fs) -- A son of Ham, also his desc. and their country in N.W. Africa. Dual of matsowr; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt.">to Egypt</a> <a href="/hebrew/8033.htm" title="8033: šām (Adv) -- There, thither. A primitive particle; there then; often thither, or thence.">to live there</a> <a href="/hebrew/1481.htm" title="1481: lā·ḡūr (Prep-l:: V-Qal-Inf) -- A primitive root; properly, to turn aside from the road, i.e. Sojourn; also to shrink, fear; also to gather for hostility.">for a while</a> <a href="/hebrew/3588.htm" title="3588: kî- (Conj) -- That, for, when. ">because</a> <a href="/hebrew/7458.htm" title="7458: hā·rā·‘āḇ (Art:: N-ms) -- Famine, hunger. From ra'eb; hunger.">the famine</a> <a href="/hebrew/776.htm" title="776: bā·’ā·reṣ (Prep-b, Art:: N-fs) -- Earth, land. From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth."></a> <a href="/hebrew/3515.htm" title="3515: ḵā·ḇêḏ (Adj-ms) -- Heavy. From kabad; heavy; figuratively in a good sense or in a bad sense.">was severe.</a> </span><span class="reftext">11</span>As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman,…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/26-1.htm">Genesis 26:1</a></span><br />Now there was another famine in the land, subsequent to the one that had occurred in Abraham’s time. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/41-54.htm">Genesis 41:54-57</a></span><br />the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt. / When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” / When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ruth/1-1.htm">Ruth 1:1</a></span><br />In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man from Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the land of Moab.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_kings/8-1.htm">2 Kings 8:1</a></span><br />Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed that a seven-year famine will come to the land.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/7-11.htm">Acts 7:11</a></span><br />Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/105-16.htm">Psalm 105:16</a></span><br />He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/51-2.htm">Isaiah 51:2</a></span><br />Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hebrews/11-8.htm">Hebrews 11:8-9</a></span><br />By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going. / By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hebrews/11-17.htm">Hebrews 11:17</a></span><br />By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/2-13.htm">Matthew 2:13-15</a></span><br />When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” / So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt, / where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/7-2.htm">Acts 7:2-4</a></span><br />And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, / and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.’ / So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you are now living.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/1-10.htm">Exodus 1:10-11</a></span><br />Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.” / So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/12-10.htm">Exodus 12:10</a></span><br />Do not leave any of it until morning; before the morning you must burn up any part that is left over.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/26-5.htm">Deuteronomy 26:5</a></span><br />and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/nehemiah/9-7.htm">Nehemiah 9:7</a></span><br />You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">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.</p><p class="hdg">A.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/26-1.htm">Genesis 26:1</a></b></br> And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/42-5.htm">Genesis 42:5</a></b></br> And the sons of Israel came to buy <i>corn</i> among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/43-1.htm">Genesis 43:1</a></b></br> And the famine <i>was</i> sore in the land.</p><p class="hdg">went.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/26-2.htm">Genesis 26:2,3</a></b></br> And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: … </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/43-1.htm">Genesis 43:1</a></b></br> And the famine <i>was</i> sore in the land.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/46-3.htm">Genesis 46:3,4</a></b></br> And he said, I <i>am</i> God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: … </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/genesis/12-9.htm">Abram</a> <a href="/genesis/11-2.htm">Dwell</a> <a href="/genesis/10-13.htm">Egypt</a> <a href="/revelation/18-8.htm">Famine</a> <a href="/genesis/9-4.htm">Food</a> <a href="/colossians/3-11.htm">Foreigner</a> <a href="/revelation/16-2.htm">Grievous</a> <a href="/genesis/9-27.htm">Live</a> <a href="/revelation/16-21.htm">Severe</a> <a href="/acts/7-6.htm">Sojourn</a> <a href="/revelation/16-2.htm">Sore</a> <a href="/genesis/12-9.htm">Towards</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/genesis/12-14.htm">Abram</a> <a href="/genesis/13-6.htm">Dwell</a> <a href="/genesis/12-11.htm">Egypt</a> <a href="/genesis/26-1.htm">Famine</a> <a href="/genesis/14-11.htm">Food</a> <a href="/genesis/17-12.htm">Foreigner</a> <a href="/genesis/18-20.htm">Grievous</a> <a href="/genesis/12-12.htm">Live</a> <a href="/genesis/35-16.htm">Severe</a> <a href="/genesis/19-9.htm">Sojourn</a> <a href="/genesis/19-9.htm">Sore</a> <a href="/genesis/13-1.htm">Towards</a><div class="vheading2">Genesis 12</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/12-1.htm">God calls Abram, and blesses him with a promise of Christ.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">4. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/12-4.htm">He departs with Lot from Haran, and comes to Canaan.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">6. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/12-6.htm">He journeys through Canaan,</a></span><br><span class="reftext">7. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/12-7.htm">which is promised to him in a vision.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">10. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/12-10.htm">He is driven by famine into Egypt.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">11. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/12-11.htm">Fear makes him feign his wife to be his sister.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">14. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/12-14.htm">Pharaoh, having taken her from him, is compelled to restore her.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">18. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/12-18.htm">Pharaoh reproves Abram, whom he dismisses.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; 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In the biblical narrative, famines are sometimes used by God to direct His people to new locations or to bring about significant events. This particular famine occurs in Canaan, the land promised to Abram by God, highlighting the tension between divine promise and present reality. Famines in Scripture often symbolize spiritual barrenness or a time of testing, as seen in the story of Joseph (Genesis 41) and the famine during the time of Elijah (1 Kings 17).<p><b>So Abram went down to Egypt</b><br>Egypt, with its Nile River, was a fertile land and often a refuge during times of famine. This journey marks the first of several significant interactions between the Hebrews and Egypt, foreshadowing future events such as the Israelites' enslavement and the Exodus. Abram's decision to go to Egypt reflects a common practice of seeking sustenance in more prosperous regions during times of scarcity. This move also sets the stage for Abram's subsequent challenges and God's intervention.<p><b>to live there for a while</b><br>Abram's intention to stay temporarily indicates his awareness of God's promise concerning Canaan. However, this decision also reflects a reliance on human wisdom rather than seeking divine guidance. The temporary nature of his stay suggests a lack of permanence and foreshadows the transient nature of the Israelites' later sojourns. This phrase can be seen as a metaphor for the believer's journey through life, living as sojourners in a world that is not their ultimate home.<p><b>because the famine was severe.</b><br>The severity of the famine underscores the desperation and urgency of Abram's situation. It highlights the challenges faced by those who follow God's call, as even the land of promise can experience hardship. This severity serves as a backdrop for the unfolding narrative, where Abram's faith and character are tested. The mention of a severe famine also connects to other biblical accounts where God uses difficult circumstances to fulfill His purposes, such as the story of Ruth and Naomi (<a href="/ruth/1.htm">Ruth 1:1</a>) and the trials faced by the early church (<a href="/acts/11-28.htm">Acts 11:28</a>).<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/a/abram.htm">Abram</a></b><br>Later known as Abraham, he is a central figure in the Bible, called by God to leave his homeland and journey to a land that God would show him. His faith and obedience are pivotal in the account of God's covenant with His people.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/f/famine.htm">Famine</a></b><br>A severe shortage of food that affected the land of Canaan, prompting Abram to seek refuge in Egypt. Famines are often seen in the Bible as tests of faith or as catalysts for God's people to move according to His plan.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/e/egypt.htm">Egypt</a></b><br>A significant location in biblical history, often representing a place of refuge or testing. In this context, it serves as a temporary refuge for Abram during the famine.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/trust_in_god's_provision.htm">Trust in God's Provision</a></b><br>Despite the famine, Abram's journey to Egypt reminds us to trust in God's provision even when circumstances seem dire. God often uses challenging situations to guide us and grow our faith.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/o/obedience_in_uncertainty.htm">Obedience in Uncertainty</a></b><br>Abram's decision to move to Egypt demonstrates obedience in the face of uncertainty. We are called to follow God's leading, even when the path is not clear.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_sovereignty_in_trials.htm">God's Sovereignty in Trials</a></b><br>The famine serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty. He uses trials to fulfill His purposes and to position His people where they need to be for His plans to unfold.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/f/faith_in_action.htm">Faith in Action</a></b><br>Abram's journey is an example of faith in action. Our faith should lead us to take steps that align with God's will, trusting Him to guide us through challenges.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_genesis_12.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Genesis 12</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/is_genesis_20_a_repeated_deception_pattern.htm">Does the account in Genesis 20 conflict with similar narratives in Genesis 12:10–20 and Genesis 26:1–11, implying a repeated pattern of deception? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/is_there_evidence_of_abram's_famine.htm">Genesis 12:10: Does any external record confirm a famine severe enough to prompt Abram’s journey to Egypt? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_is_cultural_appropriation.htm">What is cultural appropriation?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/bible's_stance_on_marriage,_gender.htm">What does the Bible say about Egypt?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/genesis/12.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>ABRAM'S VISIT TO EGYPT.</span><p>(10) <span class= "bld">There was a famine in the land.</span>--This famine must have happened within a few years after Abram reached Canaan; for he was seventy-five years of age on leaving Haran, and as Ishmael, his son by an Egyptian slave-woman, was thirteen years old when Abram was ninety-nine, only about eight years are left for the events recorded in Genesis 12-16. As rain falls in Palestine only at two periods of the year, the failure of either of these seasons would be immediately felt, especially in a dry region like the Negeb, and at a time when, with no means of bringing food from a distance, men had to depend upon the annual products of the land. As Egypt is watered by the flooding of the Nile, caused by the heavy rains which fall in Abyssinia, it probably had not suffered from what was a mere local failure in South Palestine; and Abram, already far on his way to Egypt, was forced by the necessity of providing fodder for his cattle to run the risk of proceeding thither. In Canaan he had found a thinly scattered Canaanite population, for whom probably he would have been a match in war; in Egypt he would find a powerful empire, and would be at the mercy of its rulers. It is a proof of Abram's faith that in this necessity he neither retraced his steps (<a href="/hebrews/11-15.htm" title="And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from where they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.">Hebrews 11:15</a>), nor sought a new home. For he went to Egypt with no intention of settling, but only "to sojourn there," to remain there for a brief period, after which with returning rains he would go back to Canaan.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/genesis/12.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 10.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">And there was a famine</span>. <span class="hebrew">רָעָב</span>, from a root signifying to hunger, the primary. idea appearing to lie in that of an ample, <span class="accented">i.e.</span> empty, stomach (Gesenius, Furst). The term is used of individuals, men or animal (<a href="/psalms/34-11.htm">Psalm 34:11</a>; <a href="/psalms/50-12.htm">Psalm 50:12</a>); or of regions (Psalm 41:55). <span class="cmt_word">In the land</span>. Of Canaan, which, though naturally fertile, was, on account of its imperfect cultivation, subject to visitations of dearth (cf. <a href="/genesis/26-1.htm">Genesis 26:1</a>; <a href="/genesis/41-56.htm">Genesis 41:56</a>), especially in dry seasons, when the November and December rains, on which Palestine depended, either failed or were scanty. The occurrence of this famine just at the time of Abram's entering the land was an additional trial to his faith. <span class="cmt_word">And Abram went down to Egypt</span>. Mizraim (<span class="accented">vide Genesis</span> 10:6) was lower than Palestine, and celebrated then, as later, as a rich and fruitful country, though sometimes even Egypt suffered from a scarcity of corn, owing to a failure in the annual inundation of the Nile. Eichhorn notes it as an authentication of this portion of the Abrahamic history that the patriarch proposed to take himself and his household to Egypt, since at that time no corn trade existed between the two countries such as prevailed in the days of Jacob (<span class="accented">vide</span> Havernick's Introduction, § 18). The writer to the Hebrews remarks it as an instance of the patriarch's faith that he did not return to either Haran or Ur (<a href="/hebrews/11-15.htm">Hebrews 11:15, 16</a>). <span class="cmt_word">To sojourn there</span>. To tarry as a stranger, but not to dwell. Whether this journey was undertaken with the Divine sanction and ought to be regarded as an act of faith, or in obedience to his own fears and should be reckoned as a sign of unbelief, does not appear. Whichever way the patriarch elected to act in his perplexity, to leave Canaan or reside in it, there was clearly a strain intended to be put upon his faith. <span class="cmt_word">For the famine was grievous</span> (literally, <span class="accented">heavy</span>) <span class="cmt_word">in the land</span>. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/genesis/12-10.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">Now there was</span><br /><span class="heb">וַיְהִ֥י</span> <span class="translit">(way·hî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1961.htm">Strong's 1961: </a> </span><span class="str2">To fall out, come to pass, become, be</span><br /><br /><span class="word">a famine</span><br /><span class="heb">רָעָ֖ב</span> <span class="translit">(rā·‘āḇ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7458.htm">Strong's 7458: </a> </span><span class="str2">Famine, hunger</span><br /><br /><span class="word">in the land.</span><br /><span class="heb">בָּאָ֑רֶץ</span> <span class="translit">(bā·’ā·reṣ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_776.htm">Strong's 776: </a> </span><span class="str2">Earth, land</span><br /><br /><span class="word">So Abram</span><br /><span class="heb">אַבְרָ֤ם</span> <span class="translit">(’aḇ·rām)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - proper - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_87.htm">Strong's 87: </a> </span><span class="str2">Abram -- 'exalted father', the original name of Abraham</span><br /><br /><span class="word">went down</span><br /><span class="heb">וַיֵּ֨רֶד</span> <span class="translit">(way·yê·reḏ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3381.htm">Strong's 3381: </a> </span><span class="str2">To come or go down, descend</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to Egypt</span><br /><span class="heb">מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙</span> <span class="translit">(miṣ·ray·māh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4714.htm">Strong's 4714: </a> </span><span class="str2">Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to live there</span><br /><span class="heb">שָׁ֔ם</span> <span class="translit">(šām)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8033.htm">Strong's 8033: </a> </span><span class="str2">There, then, thither</span><br /><br /><span class="word">for a while</span><br /><span class="heb">לָג֣וּר</span> <span class="translit">(lā·ḡūr)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1481.htm">Strong's 1481: </a> </span><span class="str2">To turn aside from the road, sojourn, to shrink, fear, to gather for, hostility</span><br /><br /><span class="word">because</span><br /><span class="heb">כִּֽי־</span> <span class="translit">(kî-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunction<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> </span><span class="str2">A relative conjunction</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the famine</span><br /><span class="heb">הָרָעָ֖ב</span> <span class="translit">(hā·rā·‘āḇ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7458.htm">Strong's 7458: </a> </span><span class="str2">Famine, hunger</span><br /><br /><span class="word">was severe.</span><br /><span class="heb">כָבֵ֥ד</span> <span class="translit">(ḵā·ḇêḏ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3515.htm">Strong's 3515: </a> </span><span class="str2">Heavy</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/genesis/12-10.htm">Genesis 12:10 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/genesis/12-10.htm">Genesis 12:10 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/genesis/12-10.htm">Genesis 12:10 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/genesis/12-10.htm">Genesis 12:10 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/genesis/12-10.htm">Genesis 12:10 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/genesis/12-10.htm">Genesis 12:10 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/genesis/12-10.htm">Genesis 12:10 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/genesis/12-10.htm">Genesis 12:10 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/genesis/12-10.htm">Genesis 12:10 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/genesis/12-10.htm">Genesis 12:10 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/genesis/12-10.htm">OT Law: Genesis 12:10 There was a famine in the land (Gen. Ge Gn)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/genesis/12-9.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Genesis 12:9"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Genesis 12:9" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/genesis/12-11.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Genesis 12:11"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Genesis 12:11" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>