12Genesis 12

The Chooses Abram

1The Lord said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you.Select Genesis 12:1

2I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others.Select Genesis 12:2

3I will bless those who bless you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you. Everyone on earth will be blessed because of you.Select Genesis 12:3

5Abram was 75 years old when the Lord told him to leave the city of Haran. He obeyed and left with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and slaves they had acquired while in Haran. When they came to the land of Canaan,Select Genesis 12:5

6Abram went as far as the sacred tree of Moreh in a place called Shechem. The Canaanites were still living in the land at that time,Select Genesis 12:6

7but the Lord appeared to Abram and promised, “I will give this land to your family forever.” Abram then built an altar there for the Lord.Select Genesis 12:7

8Abram traveled to the hill country east of Bethel and camped between Bethel and Ai, where he built another altar and worshiped the Lord.Select Genesis 12:8

9Later, Abram started out toward the Southern Desert.Select Genesis 12:9

Abram in Egypt

11The crops failed, and there was no food anywhere in Canaan. So Abram and his wife Sarai went to live in Egypt for a while. But just before they got there, Abram said, “Sarai, you are really beautiful!Select Genesis 12:11

12When the Egyptians see you, they will murder me because I am your husband. But they won't kill you.Select Genesis 12:12

13Please save my life by saying you are my sister.”Select Genesis 12:13

14As soon as Abram and Sarai arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians noticed how beautiful she was.Select Genesis 12:14

15The king's officials told him about her, and she was taken to his house.Select Genesis 12:15

16The king was good to Abram because of Sarai, and Abram was given sheep, cattle, donkeys, slaves, and camels.Select Genesis 12:16

17Because of Sarai, the Lord struck the king and everyone in his palace with terrible diseases.Select Genesis 12:17

18Finally, the king sent for Abram and said to him, “What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me Sarai was your wife?Select Genesis 12:18

19Why did you make me believe she was your sister? Now I've married her. Take her and go! She's your wife.”Select Genesis 12:19

20So the king told his men to let Abram and Sarai take their possessions and leave.Select Genesis 12:20