17
But YHWHוַ יְהוָהstruckיְנַגַּעPharaohאֶת פַּרְעֹהand his houseוְאֶת בֵּיתוֹwith greatגְּדֹלִיםplaguesנְגָעִיםbecause ofעַל דְּבַרSarai,שָׂרַיAbram’sאַבְרָםwife.אֵשֶׁת
Genesis 12:17
Study it in the app“But YHWH struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 12:17, word by word
- But YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- struckיְנַגַּעyenaga
strike
To hit, afflict with a plague.
Where else “yenaga” appears- Pharaohפַּרְעֹהparo
Pharaoh
Pharaoh: the title of the kings of Egypt, not a personal name.
Where else “paro” appears- and his houseבֵּיתbet
household
The family, everyone living under one roof.
Where else “bet” appears- with greatגְּדֹלִיםgedolim
great
Of great size, amount or importance: a river, a city, a king.
Where else “gedolim” appears- plaguesנְגָעִיםnegaim
plague
Something that strikes suddenly, sometimes sent by YHWH.
Where else “negaim” appears- because ofדְּבַרdevar
thing
A matter, a thing; with "not", nothing.
Where else “devar” appears- Saraiשָׂרַיsaray
Sarai
Sarai, the name of Sarah before God changed it (Genesis 17:15).
Where else “saray” appears- Abram’sאַבְרָםavram
Abram
Abram, the name of Abraham before God changed it (Genesis 17:5). It means "exalted father".
Where else “avram” appears- wifeאֵשֶׁתeshet
wife
Literally "his woman": the one married to him.
Where else “eshet” appears
The context
16He dealt well with Abram because of her, and he had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male slaves, female slaves, female donkeys, and camels.
17 · This verse (above)
18So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?
To study Genesis 12 in a group
1. What it says
What did YHWH command and promise Abram, and what did he do (vv. 1-4)?
2. What it means
What does it mean that in Abram all the families of the earth will be blessed (v. 3)?
3. How I live it
What step of trust can you take today, even without seeing the whole road, as Abram did?