The Meaning of Genesis 12:14 Explained

Genesis 12:14

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

YLT: And it cometh to pass, at the entering of Abram into Egypt, that the Egyptians see the woman that she is exceeding fair;

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Genesis 12:14 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 12:14 mean?

So it was when came Abram into Egypt that saw the Egyptians - the woman that beautiful she [was] very
וַיְהִ֕י כְּב֥וֹא אַבְרָ֖ם מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיִּרְא֤וּ הַמִּצְרִים֙ אֶת־ הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּֽי־ יָפָ֥ה הִ֖וא מְאֹֽד

וַיְהִ֕י  So  it  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְּב֥וֹא  when  came 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אַבְרָ֖ם  Abram 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָם  
Sense: original name of Abraham.
מִצְרָ֑יְמָה  into  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
וַיִּרְא֤וּ  that  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
הַמִּצְרִים֙  the  Egyptians 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה  the  woman 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יָפָ֥ה  beautiful 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: יָפֶה  
Sense: fair, beautiful, handsome.
הִ֖וא  she  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
מְאֹֽד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 12:14?

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