The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Genesis 12

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Torah

Genesis chapter 12 — part of the Torah in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “Now HaShem said unto Abram: 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will…” — the complete text of all 20 verses is below, free to read online.

1Now HaShem said unto Abram: 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show thee.

2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing.

3And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'

4So Abram went, as HaShem had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him; and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

5And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

6And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Shechem, unto the terebinth of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.

7And HaShem appeared unto Abram, and said: 'Unto thy seed will I give this land'; and he builded there an altar unto HaShem, who appeared unto him.

8And he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and he builded there an altar unto HaShem, and called upon the name of HaShem.

9And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.

10And there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land.

11And 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.

12And it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say: This is his wife; and they will kill me, but thee they will keep alive.

13Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee.'

14And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

15And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

16And he dealt well with Abram for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels.

17And HaShem plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.

18And Pharaoh called Abram, and said: 'What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

19Why saidst thou: She is my sister? so that I took her to be my wife; now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.'

20And Pharaoh gave men charge concerning him; and they brought him on the way, and his wife, and all that he had.

20 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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