Genesis 12

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Yahweh said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your kindred and your father's house for a country whichI shal show you;	1 The LORD said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you.
2 and I shal make you a great nation, I shal bless you and make your name famous; you are to be ablessing!	2 "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
3 I shal bless those who bless you, and shal curse those who curse you, and al clans on earth willbless themselves by you.'	3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you."
4 So Abram went as Yahweh told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old whenhe left Haran.	4 Abram went as the LORD directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
5 Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had amassed and the people theyhad acquired in Haran. They set off for the land of Canaan, and arrived there.	5 Abram took his wife Sarai, his brother's son Lot, all the possessions that they had accumulated, and the persons they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
6 Abram passed through the country as far as the holy place at Shechem, the Oak of Moreh. TheCanaanites were in the country at the time.	6 Abram passed through the land as far as the sacred place at Shechem, by the terebinth of Moreh. (The Canaanites were then in the land.)
7 Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, 'I shal give this country to your progeny.' And there, Abrambuilt an altar to Yahweh who had appeared to him.	7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.
8 From there he moved on to the mountainous district east of Bethel, where he pitched his tent, withBethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and invoked the name of Yahweh.	8 From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel, pitching his tent with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there to the LORD and invoked the LORD by name.
9 Then Abram made his way stage by stage to the Negeb.	9 Then Abram journeyed on by stages to the Negeb.
10 There was a famine in the country, and Abram went down to Egypt to stay there for a time, since thefamine in the country was severe.	10 There was famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, since the famine in the land was severe.
11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, 'Look, I know you are a beautifulwoman.	11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai: "I know well how beautiful a woman you are.
12 When the Egyptians see you they wil say, "That is his wife," and they wil kil me but leave you alive.	12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'She is his wife'; then they will kill me, but let you live.
13 Therefore please tell them you are my sister, so that they may treat me wel because of you andspare my life out of regard for you.'	13 Please say, therefore, that you are my sister, so that it may go well with me on your account and my life may be spared for your sake."
14 When Abram arrived in Egypt the Egyptians did indeed see that the woman was very beautiful.	14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw how beautiful the woman was; and when Pharaoh's courtiers saw her,
15 When Pharaoh's officials saw her they sang her praises to Pharaoh and the woman was taken intoPharaoh's household.	15 they praised her to Pharaoh. So she was taken into Pharaoh's palace.
16 And Abram was very well treated because of her and received flocks, oxen, donkeys, men andwomen slaves, she-donkeys and camels.	16 On her account it went very well with Abram, and he received flocks and herds, male and female slaves, male and female asses, and camels.
17 But Yahweh inflicted severe plagues on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai.	17 But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram's wife Sarai.
18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, 'What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell meshe was your wife?	18 Then Pharaoh summoned Abram and said to him: "How could you do this to me! Why didn't you tell me she was your wife?
19 Why did you say, "She is my sister," so that I took her to be my wife? Now, here is your wife. Takeher and go!'	19 Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Here, then, is your wife. Take her and be gone!"
20 And Pharaoh gave his people orders about him; they sent him on his way with his wife and al hispossessions.	20 Then Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and all that belonged to him.