Abram and Sarai in Egypt

A severe famine sends Abram to Egypt, and as they approach, he asks Sarai to say she is his sister because he fears the Egyptians will kill him to take her.

N¹⁰ow there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. ¹¹As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman, ¹²and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. ¹³Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared.”

Sarai's beauty is noticed in Egypt and praised to Pharaoh, and she is taken into his palace. Abram prospers because of her, receiving livestock, servants, and camels.

¹⁴So when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. ¹⁵When Pharaoh’s officials saw Sarai, they commended her to him, and she was taken into the palace of Pharaoh. ¹⁶He treated Abram well on her account, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.

The LORD afflicts Pharaoh's household because of Sarai, and Pharaoh confronts Abram for the deception. He returns Sarai and sends Abram away with all he has.

¹⁷The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai. ¹⁸So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? ¹⁹Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” ²⁰Then Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram, and they sent him away with his wife and all his possessions.