Genesis 12

Genesis 12 General Notes

Special concepts in this chapter

Abram

When God said, "Go from your country, and from your relatives," he established several new people groups. These groups descended from Abram.

God's covenant with Abram

God made a covenant with Abram. This covenant was not conditioned upon anything that Abram needed to do, but the fulfillment of its promises is conditioned upon the actions of each generation of his descendants. It has not yet been fulfilled in its entirety. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#covenant and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#fulfill and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#promise)

Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter

"They will kill me"

Abram was afraid the Egyptians would see him as a foreigner and upon seeing his beautiful wife, they would try to kill him. This would free Sarai to marry someone else. Apparently, it would have been easy for them to kill a foreigner without punishment. If she was Abram's sister, they would have shown favor to him. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#favor)

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Genesis 12:1

Now

This word is used to mark a new part of the story.

Go from your country, and from your relatives

"Go from your land, from your family"

Genesis 12:2

I will make of you a great nation

Here "you" is singular and refers to Abram, but Abram represents his descendants. Alternate translation: "I will start a great nation through you" or "I will make your descendants become a great nation" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

make your name great

The word "name" represents the person's reputation. Alternate translation: "make you famous" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

you will be a blessing

The words "to other people" are understood. Alternate translation: "you will be a blessing to other people" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 12:3

whoever dishonors you I will curse

"I will curse whoever treats you in a shameful way" or "if anyone treats you as worthless, I will curse him"

Through you will all the families of the earth be blessed

This can be made active. Alternate translation: "I will bless all the families of the earth through you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

Through you

"Because of you" or "Because I have blessed you"

Genesis 12:4

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Genesis 12:5

possessions

This includes animals and non-living property.

the people that they had acquired

Possible meanings are 1) "slaves that they had accumulated" or 2) "the people whom they had gathered to be with them."

Genesis 12:6

Abram passed through the land

Only Abram's name is mentioned because he was the head of the family. God had given him the command to take his family and go there. Alternate translation: "So Abram and his family went through the land" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

the land

"the land of Canaan"

the oak of Moreh

Moreh was probably the name of a place. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 12:7

Yahweh, who had appeared to him

"Yahweh, because he had appeared to him"

Genesis 12:8

he pitched his tent

Abram had many people with him as he traveled. People who moved from place to place lived in tents. Alternate translation: "they set up their tents"

called on the name of Yahweh

"prayed in the name of Yahweh" or "worshiped Yahweh"

Genesis 12:9

Then Abram continued journeying

You may need to make explicit that he took his tent with him. "Then Abram took his tent and continued journeying." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

toward the Negev

"toward the Negev region" or "toward the south" or "south to the Negev desert"

Genesis 12:10

There was a famine

The crops did not grow well that season. This can be made explicit. Alternate translation: "There was a shortage of food" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

in the land

"in the area" or "in the land where Abram was living"

went down into

Possible meanings are 1) "went further south" or 2) "went away from Canaan into." It would be best to translate this using your usual words for going from a higher place to a lower place.

Genesis 12:11

See now, I

The phrase "See now" indicates that what follows is a polite request for the hearer to pay attention. "Please listen carefully: I"

Genesis 12:12

they will kill me ... you alive

The reason they would kill Abram can be made explicit: "they will kill me so that they can marry you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 12:13

so that my life will be spared because of you

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "so that, because of you, they will not kill me" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

Genesis 12:14

It came about that

Possible meanings are 1) This phrase is used here to mark where the action starts, and if your language has a way for doing this, you could consider using it here, or 2) "And that was what happened" .

Genesis 12:15

The princes of Pharaoh saw her

"Pharaoh's officials saw Sarai" or "the king's officials saw her"

the woman was taken into Pharaoh's household

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Pharaoh took her into his household" or "Pharaoh had his soldiers take her into his household" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

the woman

Sarai

Pharaoh's household

Possible meanings are 1) "Pharoah's family," that is, as a wife, or 2) "Pharaoah's house" or "Pharaoh's palace," a euphemism for Pharaoh making her one of his wives. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-euphemism)

Genesis 12:16

for her sake

"for Sarai's sake" or "because of her"

Genesis 12:17

because of Sarai, Abram's wife

This can be made more explicit. Alternate translation: "because Pharaoh intended to take Sarai, Abram's wife, to be his own wife" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 12:18

Pharaoh summoned Abram

"Pharaoh called Abram" or "Pharaoh ordered Abram to come to him"

What is this that you have done to me?

Pharaoh used this rhetorical question to show how angry he was about what Abram had done to him. It can also be stated as an exclamation. Alternate translation: "You have done a terrible thing to me!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)

Genesis 12:19

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Genesis 12:20

Then Pharaoh gave orders to his men concerning him

"Then Pharaoh directed his officials concerning Abram"

they sent him away, along with his wife and all that he had

"the officials sent Abram away from Pharoah, with his wife and all his possessions"