Abram and Sarai in Egypt (Abraham and Sarah)

Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah) in Egypt
Genesis 12

This is the story of when Abraham and Sarah were named Abram and Sarai. Sarai was the wife of Abram, but she was also his half sister. And Sarai had no child.

One day the LORD told Abram to leave his father's house and go to a land that the LORD would show him. And so when Abram was 75 years old, he left his father's home and took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, and journeyed to the land of Canaan, and it was there that the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him "Unto your descendents I will give this land." And so Abram built an altar to the LORD, and then he journeyed to Bethel, and there he built an altar to the LORD too. And he journeyed farther south but there was a famine in the land and so Abram went down to Egypt (but the LORD did not tell him to go to Egypt).

Now just as they were about to enter Egypt, Abram told his wife Sarai, "I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at: therefore when the Egyptians see you, they shall say 'This is his wife' and they will kill me, but they will save you alive. So I ask you to say that you are my sister; that it will be well with me for your sake; and I shall live because of you."

And it came to pass that when Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her, and told Pharaoh about her, and she was taken to Pharaoh's house. But Abram was treated well because of Sarai and he had sheep, and oxen, and male donkeys, and servants, and female donkeys, and camels.

But the LORD brought great sicknesses to Pharaoh's house because of Abram's wife Sarai. And Pharaoh called Abram and said "what have you done to me? why didn't you tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say that she was your sister? because then I might have taken her to be my wife. Now you take your wife and go on your way."

And Abram was sent away with his wife and all that he had.

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Memory Verse: Genesis 12:7 "And the LORD appeared unto Abram and said "Unto your descendents I will give this land."

Questions:
1 Why did Abram leave his father's house?
2 How old was Abram when he left his father's house?
3 What was the name of the land the LORD promised to give to Abram's descendants?
4 Why did Abram tell Sarai to say she was his sister?
5 How was Pharaoh prevented from taking Sarai to be his wife?

Answers:
1 the LORD had said to Abram to leave his father's house and leave his country.
2 75
3 Canaan
4 Abram said that the Egyptians would kill him if they thought that Sarai was his wife.
5 the LORD brought great sicknesses to Pharaoh and his house.

Lesson to learn: Do not go where the Lord does not lead you because it will only lead to trouble.

Vicki Gross/October '04