Genesis 12 · Verse 10

Genesis 12:10

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.
Genesis 12:10, King James Version

Genesis 12:10 in other translations

BSBNow there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
WEBThere was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land.
ASVAnd there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land.
YLTAnd there is a famine in the land, and Abram goeth down towards Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine is grievous in the land;
DARBYAnd there was a famine in the land. And Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land.
BBEAnd because there was little food to be had in that land, he went down into Egypt.
WebsterAnd there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to dwell there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

What does Genesis 12:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. there was a famine ... and Abram went down into Egypt--He did not go back to the place of his nativity, as regretting his pilgrimage and despising the promised land (He 11:15), but withdrew for a while into a neighboring country.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 There was a famine in the land - Of Canaan. This is the first famine on record, and it prevailed in the most fertile land then under the sun; and why? God made it desolate for the wickedness of those who dwelt in it. Went down into Egypt - He felt himself a stranger and a pilgrim, and by his unsettled state was kept in mind of the city that hath foundations that are permanent and stable, whose builder is the living God. See Heb 11:8, Heb 11:9.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 12:10-20
There is no state on earth free from trials, nor any character free from blemishes. There was famine in Canaan, the glory of all lands, and unbelief, with the evils it ever brings, in Abram the father of the faithful. Perfect happiness and perfect purity dwell only in heaven. Abram, when he must for a time quit Canaan, goes to Egypt, that he might not seem to look back, and meaning to tarry there no longer than needful. There Abram dissembled his relation to Sarai, equivocated, and taught his wife and his attendants to do so too. He concealed a truth, so as in effect to deny it, and exposed thereby both his wife and the Egyptians to sin. The grace Abram was most noted for, was faith; yet he thus fell through unbelief and distrust of the Divine providence, even after God had appeared to him twice. Alas, what will become of weak faith, when strong faith is thus shaken! If God did not deliver us, many a time, out of straits and distresses which we bring ourselves into, by our own sin and folly, we should be ruined. He deals not with us according to our deserts. Those are happy chastisements that hinder us in a sinful way, and bring us to our duty, particularly to the duty of restoring what we have wrongfully taken or kept. Pharaoh's reproof of Abram was very just: What is this that thou hast done? How unbecoming a wise and good man! If those who profess religion, do that which is unfair and deceptive, especially if they say that which borders upon a lie, they must expect to hear of it; and they have reason to thank those who will tell them of it. The sending away was kind. Pharaoh was so far from any design to kill Abram, as he feared, that he took particular care of him. We often perplex ourselves with fears which are altogether groundless. Many a time we fear where no fear is. Pharaoh charged his men not to hurt Abram in any thing. It is not enough for those in authority, that they do not hurt themselves; they must keep their servants and those about them from doing hurt.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Genesis 12:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֥יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
רָעָ֖בra.'Ava famineH7458
בָּאָ֑רֶץba.'A.retzin the landH776
וַיֵּ֨רֶדvai.Ye.redand he went downH3381
אַבְרָ֤ם'av.RamAbramH87
מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙mitz.Ray.mahEgypt towardsH4714
לָג֣וּרla.Gurto sojournH1481
שָׁ֔םShamthereH8033
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
כָבֵ֥דkha.Ved[was] heavyH3515
הָרָעָ֖בha.ra.'Avthe famineH7458
בָּאָֽרֶץ\׃ba.'A.retzin the landH776

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 12:10

  • Genesis 43:1

    And the famine was sore in the land.

  • Genesis 26:1-3

    And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

  • 2 Samuel 21:1

    Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

  • Genesis 47:13

    And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.

  • Jeremiah 14:1

    The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.

  • Ruth 1:1

    Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth–lehem–judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

  • John 16:33

    These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

  • 2 Kings 7:1-8

    Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. …

  • 2 Kings 8:1-2

    Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.

  • Psalms 107:34

    A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

  • Psalms 105:13

    When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people;

  • Genesis 46:3-4

    And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A.M. 2084. B.C. 1920. was a.
26:1; 42:5; 43:1; 47:13; Ru 1:1; 2Sa 21:1; 1Ki 17:1-18:46; 2Ki 4:38
2Ki 6:25; 7:1-8:1; Ps 34:19; 107:34; Jer 14:1; Joh 16:33; Ac 7:11
Ac 14:22
went.
26:2,3; 43:1; 46:3,4; 2Ki 8:1,2; Ps 105:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 12:9

    And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

  • Genesis 12:10

    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.

  • Genesis 12:11

    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:

Read all of Genesis 12

Genesis 12:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y hubo hambre en la tierra, y descendió Abram á Egipto para peregrinar allá; porque era grande el hambre en la tierra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et il y eut une famine dans le pays; et Abram descendit en Égypte pour y séjourner, car la famine pesait sur le pays.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Es entstand aber eine Hungersnot im Lande; und Abram zog nach Ägypten hinab, um sich daselbst aufzuhalten, denn die Hungersnot war schwer im Lande.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Facta est autem fames in terra: descenditque Abram in Ægyptum, ut peregrinaretur ibi: prævaluerat enim fames in terra.