Chapter 12

Abram commanded by God to leave his country, with promise to be blessed in his seed, ℣.5 taking his wife Sarai, and his nephew Lot, ℣.6 Wandereth in the land of Chanaan, ℣.7 erecteth an Altar in Sichem, ℣.8 another in Bethel. ℣.10 Thence by occasion of famine passeth into Ægypt: ℣.14 where his wife (called his sister) is taken into the King's house, ℣.19 but untouched is restored to him.

1. 1

   And our Lord said to Abram: Go forth of thy country, and out of thy kindred, and out of thy father's house, and come into a land which I will shew thee.

2. 2

   And I will make thee into a great nation, and I will bless thee, and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed.

3. 3

   I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and In thee shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

4. 4

   Abram therefore went out as our Lord had commanded him, and with him went Lot: seventy five years old was Abraham when he went forth out of Haran.

5. 5

   And he took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all the substance which they had possessed, and the souls which they had gotten in Haran: and went forth to go into the land of Chanaan. And when they were come into it.

6. 6

   Abram passed through the country unto the place Sichem, as far as the noble vale: and the Chananite was at that time in the country.

7. 7

   And our Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him: To thy seed will I give this land. Who builded there an altar to our Lord, that had appeared to him.

8. 8

   And marching on from thence to a mountain, that was on the east side of Bethel, there he pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: he builded there also an altar to our Lord, and called upon his name.

9. 9

   And Abram went forward going, and proceeding on to the south.

10. 10

    And there came a famine in the country: and Abram descended into Ægypt, to be as a pilgrim there: for the famine was very sore in the land.

11. 11

    And when he was near to enter into Ægypt, he said to Sarai his wife: I know that thou art a fair woman,

12. 12

    and that when the Ægyptians shall see thee, they will say: She is his wife; and they will kill me, and reserve thee.

13. 13

    Say therefore, I pray thee, that thou art my sister: that I may be well used for thee, and that my soul may live for thy sake.

14. 14

    When Abram therefore was entered into Ægypt, the Ægyptians, saw the woman that she was passing beautiful.

15. 15

    And the Princes told Pharao, and praised her to him: and the woman was taken into the house of Pharao.

16. 16

    And they used Abram well for her sake. And he had sheep and oxen and he asses, and men servants, and maid servants, and she asses, and Camels.

17. 17

    And our Lord scourged Pharao with very sore plagues, and his house, for Sarai Abram's wife.

18. 18

    And Pharao called Abram, and said to him: What is this that thou hast done to me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

19. 19

    For what cause didst thou say she was thy sister, that I might take her to my wife? Now therefore there is thy wife, take her, and go thy ways.

20. 20

    And Pharao gave certain men commandment in the behalf of Abram: and they conducted him, and his wife, and all that he had.