1 And in that year there was a severe scarcity of food throughout the land of Kena’an, and the inhabitants of the land could not remain because of the scarcity of food for it was very grievous.
2 And Aḇram and all belonging to him rose and went down to Mitsrayim because of the scarcity of food, and when they were at the wadi of Mitsrayim they remained there some time to rest from the fatigue of the journey.
3 And Aḇram and Sarai were walking at the border of the wadi of Mitsrayim, and Aḇram saw his wife Sarai that she was very good-looking.
4 And Aḇram said to his wife Sarai, “Since Elohim has created you with such a good-looking appearance, I am afraid of the Mitsrites lest they should slay me and take you away, for the fear of Elohim is not in these places.
5 “Indeed then you shall do this: say you are my sister to all that may ask you, in order that it may be well with me, and that we may live and not be put to death.”
6 And Aḇram commanded the same to all those that came with him to Mitsrayim because of the scarcity of food; also his nephew Lot he commanded, saying, “If the Mitsrites ask you concerning Sarai say, ‘She is the sister of Aḇram.’ ”
7 And yet with all these orders Aḇram did not put confidence in them, but he took Sarai and placed her in a chest and concealed it among their goods, for Aḇram was greatly concerned about Sarai because of the wickedness of the Mitsrites.
8 And Aḇram and all belonging to him rose up from the wadi of Mitsrayim and came to Mitsrayim. And they had scarcely entered the gates of the city when the guards stood up to them saying, “Give tithe to the sovereign from what you have, and then you may come into the town.” And Aḇram and those that were with him did so.
9 And Aḇram with the people that were with him came to Mitsrayim, and when they came they brought the chest in which Sarai was concealed and the Mitsrites saw the chest.
10 And the sovereign’s servants approached Aḇram, saying, “What have your here in this chest which we have not seen? Now open the chest and give tithe to the sovereign of all that it contains.”
11 And Aḇram said, “This chest I will not open, but all you demand upon it I will give. And Pharaoh’s officers answered Aḇram, saying, “It is a chest of precious stones, give us the tenth of it.”
12 Aḇram said, “All that you desire I will give, but you must not open the chest.”
13 But the sovereign’s officers pressed Aḇram, and they reached the chest and opened it with force, and they looked, and see, a good-looking woman was in the chest!
14 And when the officers of the sovereign saw Sarai they were struck with admiration at her good looks, and all the princes and servants of Pharaoh assembled to see Sarai, for she was very good-looking. And the sovereign’s officers ran and told Pharaoh all that they had seen, and they praised Sarai to the sovereign, and Pharaoh ordered her to be brought, and the woman came before the sovereign.
15 And Pharaoh saw Sarai and she pleased him exceedingly, and he was struck with her good looks. And the sovereign rejoiced greatly for her sake, and bestowed presents on those who brought him the news concerning her.
16 And the woman was then brought to Pharaoh’s house, and Aḇram grieved for the sake of his wife, and he prayed to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 deliver her from the hands of Pharaoh.
17 And Sarai also prayed at that time and said, “O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim, You told my master Aḇram to go from his land and from his father’s house to the land of Kena’an, and You promised to do well with him if he would perform Your Commands. Now see, we have done that which You Commanded us, and we left our land and our clans, and we went to a strange land and to a people whom we have not known before.
18 “And we came to this land to avoid the scarcity of food, and this evil accident has befallen me. Now therefore, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim, deliver us and save us from the hand of this oppressor, and do well with me for the sake of your favour.”
19 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 listened to the voice of Sarai, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 sent a messenger to deliver Sarai from the power of Pharaoh.
20 And the sovereign came and sat before Sarai and see, a messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was standing over them, and he appeared to Sarai and said to her, “Do not fear, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has heard your prayer.”
21 And the sovereign approached Sarai and said to her, “What is that man to you who brought you here?” And she said, “He is my brother.”
22 And the sovereign said, “It is necessary for us to make him great, to exalt him and to do to him all the good which you shall command us.” And at that time the sovereign sent to Aḇram silver and gold and precious stones in great amount, together with cattle, male servants and female servants. And the sovereign ordered Aḇram to be brought, and he sat in the court of the sovereign’s house, and the sovereign greatly exalted Aḇram on that night.
23 And the sovereign approached to speak to Sarai, and he reached out his hand to touch her, when the messenger smote him heavily, and he was afraid and he refrained from reaching to her.
24 And when the sovereign came near to Sarai, the messenger smote him to the ground, and did so to him the whole night, and the sovereign was afraid.
25 And on that night the messenger smote all the servants of the sovereign, and his whole household severely because of Sarai, and there was a great lamentation that night among the people of Pharaoh’s house.
26 And Pharaoh, seeing the evil that befell him, said, “Indeed this matter has befallen me because of this woman.” And he removed himself to some distance from her and spoke pleasing words to her.
27 And the sovereign said to Sarai, “Please tell me concerning the man with whom you came here”; and Sarai said, “This man is my husband, and I said to you that he was my brother for I was afraid, lest you should put him to death through wickedness.”
28 And the sovereign kept away from Sarai, and the plagues of the messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 ceased from him and his household. And Pharaoh knew that he was smitten because of Sarai, and the sovereign was greatly astonished at this.
29 And in the morning the sovereign called for Aḇram and said to him, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’, owing to which I took her to me for a wife, and therefore this heavy plague has come upon me and my household?
30 “Now therefore here is your wife, take her and go from our land lest we all die for her sake!” And Pharaoh took more cattle, male servants and female servants, and silver and gold, to give to Aḇram, and he returned Sarai his wife to him.
31 And the sovereign took a maiden whom he brought forth by his concubines, and he gave her to Sarai for a female servant.
32 And the sovereign said to his daughter, “It is better for you, my daughter to be a female servant in this man’s house than to be mistress in my house, after we have seen the evil that befell us because of this woman.”
33 And Aḇram arose, and he and all belonging to him went away from Mitsrayim. And Pharaoh ordered some of his men to accompany him and all that went with him.
34 And Aḇram returned to the land of Kena’an, to the place where he had made the altar, where he at first had pitched his tent.
35 And Lot son of Haran, Aḇram’s brother, had a numerous stock of cattle, flocks and herds and tents, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was good to them because of Aḇram.
36 And when Aḇram was dwelling in the land, the herdsmen of Lot quarrelled. with the herdsmen of Aḇram, for their property was too great for them to remain together in the land, and the land could not bear them because of their cattle.
37 And when Aḇram’s herdsmen went to feed their flock they would not go into the fields of the people of the land, but the cattle of Lot’s herdsmen did otherwise, for they were sent to feed in the fields of the people of the land.
38 And the people of the land saw this occurrence daily, and they came to Aḇram and quarrelled with him because of Lot’s herdsmen.
39 And Aḇram said to Lot, “What is this you are doing to me, to make me despicable to the inhabitants of the land, that you ordered your herdsman to feed your cattle in the fields of other people? Do you not know that I am a stranger in this land among the children of Kena’an, and why would you do this to me?”
40 And Aḇram quarrelled daily with Lot because of this, but Lot would not listen to Aḇram, and he continued to do the same, and the inhabitants of the land came and told Aḇram.
41 And Aḇram said to Lot, “How long will you be for a stumbling block to me with the inhabitants of the land? Now please, let there be no more quarrelling between us, for we are kinsmen.
42 “But please separate from me, go and choose a place where you may dwell with your cattle and all belonging to you, but keep yourself at a distance from me, you and your household.
43 “And do not be afraid in going from me, for if anyone does injury to you, let me know and I will avenge your cause from him, only remove from me.”
44 And when Aḇram had spoken all these words to Lot, then Lot rose and lifted his eyes toward the plain of Yardĕn.
45 And he saw that the whole of the place was well watered, and good for man as well as affording pasture for the cattle.
46 And Lot went from Aḇram to that place, and he pitched his tent there and he dwelt in Seḏom, and they were separated from each other.
47 And Aḇram dwelt in the plain of Mamrĕ, which is in Heḇron, and he pitched his tent there, and Aḇram remained in that place many years.