Bible Commentary

Genesis 12:17

Genesis 12:17

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public Domain

And the Lord plagued (literally, struck) Pharaoh and his house with great plagues (or strokes, either of disease or death, or some other calamity—an indication that Pharaoh was not entirely innocent) because of Sarai Abram's wife. The effect of this was to lead to the discovery, not through the aid of the Egyptian priests (Josephus), but either through a special revelation granted to him, as afterwards () to Abimelech in a dream (Chrysostom), or through the confession of Sarai herself (A Lapide), or through the servants of Abraham (Kurtz).

And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me t why didst thou not tell me she was thy wife? In which case we are bound to believe the monarch that he would not have taken her. Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife (which as yet he had not done; an indirect proof both of the monarch's honorable purpose towards Sarai and of Sarai's unsullied purity): now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. According to Josephus ('Bell. Jud.' 5. ) Sarah was only one night in Pharaoh's house; but this is obviously incorrect.

The Daily Devotional

One devotional. Every morning.

The full reading, the passage behind it, and where to go deeper — in your inbox before the day starts. No ads, ever.

We'll send one email to confirm it's really you. Unsubscribe in one tap, any time.

Continue tomorrow

Turn Bible study into a daily habit

Read today's devotional, save your progress, and receive a gentle daily reminder.

Recommended reading

More for Genesis 12:17

Continue with other commentaries and DiscipleDeck content connected to this verse, chapter, or topic.

Other commentaries

Genesis 12 — OverviewGenesis 12 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleThe pedigree and family of Abram we had an account of in the foregoing chapter; here the Holy Ghost enters upon his story, and henceforward Abram and his seed are almost the only subject of the sacred history.…Genesis 12 — OverviewGenesis 12 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeGenesis 12:1, God calls Abram, and blesses him with a promise of Christ; Genesis 12:4, He departs with Lot from Haran, and comes to Canaan; Genesis 12:6, He journeys through Canaan, Genesis 12:7, which is promised to…Genesis 12 — OverviewGenesis 12 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleIn this chapter an account is given of the call of Abram to depart from his own country, with a promise of a divine blessing, Ge 12:1 of his obedience to it, Ge 12:4 of his journey through the land of Canaan, and of the…Genesis 12:10-20Genesis 12:10-20 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITIONGenesis 12:10-20Genesis 12:10-20 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe Church and the world. The genesis of intercourse and controversy between the kingdom of God and the world power, as represented in the great southern kingdom of Egypt. I. THE PRESSURE OF EARTHLY NECESSITIES FORMS…Genesis 12:14-20Genesis 12:14-20 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleHere is, I. The danger Sarai was in of having her chastity violated by the king of Egypt: and without doubt the peril of sin is the greatest peril we can be in. Pharaoh's princes (his pimps rather) saw her, and,…