King James Version

What Does Genesis 12:11 Mean?

Genesis 12:11 in the King James Version says “And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know tha...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 12 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:”

Genesis 12:11 · KJV

Context

9

And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. going: Heb. in going and journeying

10

And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

11

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

12

Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

13

Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

Read Genesis 12 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Be... This passage is part of the Abrahamic narratives which shift from universal human history to God's particular covenant people. The Abraham cycle (Genesis 12-25) demonstrates God's sovereign election, covenant faithfulness, and the development of faith through testing and promise fulfillment.

Central themes include God's unconditional covenant promises (land, descendants, blessing to nations), the call to faith and obedience, the testing of faith through delays and impossibilities, the contrast between divine promises and human schemes, and God's gracious persistence despite human failures. Abraham emerges as the father of faith whose trust in God's promises becomes the model for all believers (Romans 4, Galatians 3, Hebrews 11).

Theologically, these narratives establish: (1) salvation by grace through faith rather than works; (2) covenant as God's gracious initiative binding Himself to His people; (3) the necessity of patient trust when promises seem impossible; (4) the consequences of attempting to fulfill God's promises through human effort; (5) the pattern of divine testing producing mature faith. The Abraham cycle foreshadows Christ as the ultimate seed through whom blessing extends to all nations (Galatians 3:16).

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse contribute to the biblical doctrine of creation, fall, or redemption?
  2. What obstacles prevent us from living out the truths presented in this verse?
  3. In what ways does this narrative foreshadow or typify aspects of Christ's redemptive work?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 17 words
וַיְהִ֕י1 of 17
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר2 of 17

“And it came to pass when”

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

הִקְרִ֖יב3 of 17

“he was come near”

H7126

to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose

לָב֣וֹא4 of 17

“to enter”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

מִצְרָ֑יְמָה5 of 17

“into Egypt”

H4714

mitsrajim, i.e., upper and lower egypt

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙6 of 17

“that he said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֶל7 of 17
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

שָׂרַ֣י8 of 17

“unto Sarai”

H8297

sarai, the wife of abraham

אִשָּׁ֥ה9 of 17

“his wife”

H802

a woman

הִנֵּה10 of 17

“Behold”

H2009

lo!

נָ֣א11 of 17

“now”

H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

יָדַ֔עְתִּי12 of 17

“I know”

H3045

to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o

כִּ֛י13 of 17
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

אִשָּׁ֥ה14 of 17

“his wife”

H802

a woman

יְפַת15 of 17

“that thou art a fair”

H3303

beautiful (literally or figuratively)

מַרְאֶ֖ה16 of 17

“to look upon”

H4758

a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape (especially if handsome, comeliness; often plural the looks),

אָֽתְּ׃17 of 17
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 12:11 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 12:11 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Genesis 26:7Genesis 29:17Genesis 12:14Proverbs 21:302 Samuel 11:2Genesis 39:6-7

Places in This Verse

EgyptRegion · Modern: Ain Shams · 30.13°N, 31.31°E658 verses across 33 books
View all places in Genesis 12 →

Test Your Knowledge

Genesis 12 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterGenesis Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Genesis 12 with CommentaryAll Genesis ChaptersComplete Genesis QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes