Drifting Away from the Lord

Abram had enjoyed the Lord's appearing time after time. Each time he responded and was strengthened to follow the Lord more until He had arrived where the Lord wanted him to be. But Abram did not stay there very long. He continued traveling heading downward towards the south. Soon there was a famine in the land and he went into Egypt. When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, "I know that you are a woman beautiful to behold; and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife'; then they will kill me, but they will let you live. Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your account."

Selling His Wife

When Abram entered Egypt the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Sarai was taken into Pharaoh's house to be a member of his harem. And for her sake Pharaoh dealt well with Abram. He gave him a dowery fit for a king. It consisted of sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels, menservants, and maidservants. Abram had had quite a bit before. Pharaoh's gifts made him rich. As far as they knew Sarai now belonged to Pharaoh. Abram had just sold his wife to save his own skin.

God's Protection

But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. They all got very sick. So Pharaoh called Abram, and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her, and be gone."

Leaving Egypt

Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram; and they set him on the way, with his wife and all that he had. So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him into the southern part of Canaan. Now Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he journeyed on as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai. There Abram called on the name of the Lord again.