12 ¹⁰ There came a famine in the land, so severe that Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while. 12 ¹¹ When he was approaching Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, 'I know very well that you are a beautiful woman, 12 ¹² and that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, "She is his wife"; then they will kill me but let you live. 12 ¹³ Tell them that you are my sister, so that all may go well with me because of you and my life may be spared on your account.' 12 ¹⁴ When Abram arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians saw that she was indeed very beautiful. 12 ¹⁵ Pharaoh's courtiers saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into Pharaoh's household. 12 ¹⁶ He treated Abram well because of her, and Abram came to possess sheep and cattle and asses, male and female slaves, she-asses, and camels.

12 ¹⁷ But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his household with grave diseases on account of Abram's wife Sarai. 12 ¹⁸ Pharaoh summoned Abram and said to him, 'Why have you treated me like this? Why did you not tell me that she is your wife? 12 ¹⁹ Why did you say that she was your sister, so that I took her as a wife? Here she is: take her and be gone.' 12 ²⁰ Then Pharaoh gave his men orders, and they sent Abram away with his wife and all that he had.