The Meaning of Genesis 12:13 Explained

Genesis 12:13

KJV: 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.

YLT: say, I pray thee, thou art my sister, so that it is well with me because of thee, and my soul hath lived for thy sake.'

Darby: Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister, that it may be well with me on thy account, and my soul may live because of thee.

ASV: Say, 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 12:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 12:10-20 - Abram And Sarai In Egypt
It is a comfort that the Holy Spirit permits us to trace the successive stages through which the father of those who believe made his way to the maturity of faith. We all stumble as we step out on the difficult path. But God is patient with His dull scholars and protects them. See Psalms 105:15. It was certain that no weapon formed against him could prosper, nor God's promise fail, yet Abram meanly sacrificed Sarai with his pitiful proposition for his own safety. This doubting outbreak would never have occurred, unless the patriarch had gone down to Egypt, which in Scripture stands for creature-confidence. See Isaiah 30:1. The God of glory, who had sent him forth, was responsible for his maintenance in Canaan, even though famine prevailed. He ought to have stayed quietly in the position to which God had called him, leaving the Almighty to provide. Live with God in the heights; and do not go down into Egypt. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 12

1  God calls Abram, and blesses him with a promise of Christ
4  He departs with Lot from Haran, and comes to Canaan
6  He journeys through Canaan,
7  which is promised to him in a vision
10  He is driven by famine into Egypt
11  Fear makes him feign his wife to be his sister
14  Pharaoh, having taken her from him, is compelled to restore her
18  Pharaoh reproves Abram, whom he dismisses

What do the individual words in Genesis 12:13 mean?

Say please my sister you [are] that it may be well with me for your sake that may live my soul because of you
אִמְרִי־ נָ֖א אֲחֹ֣תִי אָ֑תְּ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יִֽיטַב־ לִ֣י בַעֲבוּרֵ֔ךְ וְחָיְתָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י בִּגְלָלֵֽךְ

אִמְרִי־  Say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נָ֖א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
אֲחֹ֣תִי  my  sister 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָחֹות  
Sense: sister.
אָ֑תְּ  you  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person feminine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
לְמַ֙עַן֙  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יִֽיטַב־  it  may  be  well 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
לִ֣י  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
בַעֲבוּרֵ֔ךְ  for  your  sake 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: עֲבוּר  
Sense: for the sake of, on account of, because of, in order to conj.
וְחָיְתָ֥ה  that  may  live 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
נַפְשִׁ֖י  my  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
בִּגְלָלֵֽךְ  because  of  you 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: גָּלָל  
Sense: on account of, for the sake of.