Genesis 12:18
New International Version
So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?

New Living Translation
So Pharaoh summoned Abram and accused him sharply. “What have you done to me?” he demanded. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?

English Standard Version
So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

Berean Standard Bible
So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?

King James Bible
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

New King James Version
And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

New American Standard Bible
Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

NASB 1995
Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

NASB 1977
Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

Amplified Bible
Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

Christian Standard Bible
So Pharaoh sent for Abram and said, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Pharaoh sent for Abram and said, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?

American Standard Version
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

Contemporary English Version
Finally, the king sent for Abram and said to him, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me Sarai was your wife?

English Revised Version
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Pharaoh called for Abram. "What have you done to me?" he asked. "Why didn't you tell me that she's your wife?

Good News Translation
Then the king sent for Abram and asked him, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?

International Standard Version
Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, "What have you done to me! Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?

Majority Standard Bible
So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?

NET Bible
So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?

New Heart English Bible
Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

Webster's Bible Translation
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done to me? why didst thou not tell me that she is thy wife?

World English Bible
Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Pharaoh calls for Abram and says, “What [is] this you have done to me? Why have you not declared to me that she [is] your wife?

Young's Literal Translation
And Pharaoh calleth for Abram, and saith, 'What is this thou hast done to me? why hast thou not declared to me that she is thy wife?

Smith's Literal Translation
And Pharaoh will call to Abram, and will say, What this thou didst to me? why didst thou not declare to me that she is thy wife?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Pharao called Abram, and said to him: What is this that thou hast done to me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Pharaoh called Abram, and he said to him: “What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me she was your wife?

New American Bible
Then Pharaoh summoned Abram and said to him: “How could you do this to me! Why did you not tell me she was your wife?

New Revised Standard Version
So Pharaoh called Abram, and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So Pharaoh called Abram, and said to him, What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Pharaoh called Abram and said to him, “What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not show me that she is your wife?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said: 'What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Pharao having called Abram, said, What is this thou hast done to me, that thou didst not tell me that she was thy wife?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Abram and Sarai in Egypt
17The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!”…

Cross References
Exodus 9:1-7
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may worship Me. / But if you continue to restrain them and refuse to let them go, / then the hand of the LORD will bring a severe plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks. ...

Exodus 12:31-32
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Get up, leave my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested. / Take your flocks and herds as well, just as you have said, and depart! And bless me also.”

1 Samuel 29:6-9
So Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and it seems right in my sight that you should march in and out with me in the army, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until this day. But you are not good in the sight of the leaders. / Therefore turn back now and go in peace, so that you will not do anything to displease the leaders of the Philistines.” / “But what have I done?” David replied. “What have you found against your servant, from the day I came to you until today, to keep me from going along to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” ...

2 Samuel 24:10-17
After David had numbered the troops, his conscience was stricken and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg You to take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” / When David got up in the morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer: / “Go and tell David that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am offering you three options. Choose one of them, and I will carry it out against you.’” ...

1 Kings 18:17-18
When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” / “I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.

Jonah 1:7-10
“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. / “Tell us now,” they demanded, “who is to blame for this calamity that is upon us? What is your occupation, and where have you come from? What is your country, and who are your people?” / “I am a Hebrew,” replied Jonah. “I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.” ...

Acts 7:2-4
And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, / and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.’ / So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you are now living.

Hebrews 11:8-10
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going. / By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. / For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Romans 4:1-3
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has discovered? / If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God. / For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Galatians 3:6-9
So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” / Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham. / The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” ...

James 2:21-23
Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? / You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. / And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.

1 Peter 3:6
just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. And you are her children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear.

Nehemiah 9:7-8
You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham. / You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites—to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.

Isaiah 51:2
Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him.

Joshua 24:2-3
And Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods. / But I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates and led him through all the land of Canaan, and I multiplied his descendants. I gave him Isaac,


Treasury of Scripture

And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that you have done to me? why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

Genesis 3:13
And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Genesis 4:10
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Genesis 20:9,10
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done…

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Abram Declared Pharaoh Summoned Wife
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Abram Declared Pharaoh Summoned Wife
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.














So Pharaoh summoned Abram
The phrase begins with "So," indicating a consequence or result of previous actions. Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, is a significant figure, representing authority and power. The act of summoning Abram shows the gravity of the situation. In the Hebrew context, the name "Pharaoh" (פַּרְעֹה, Par'oh) is a title rather than a personal name, reflecting the Egyptian king's status. Abram, later known as Abraham, is a pivotal patriarch in the Bible, chosen by God to be the father of many nations. This summoning is a moment of confrontation, highlighting the tension between divine promise and human error.

and asked, 'What have you done to me?'
Pharaoh's question, "What have you done to me?" is a direct confrontation. The Hebrew root for "done" (עָשָׂה, asah) implies action or creation, suggesting that Abram's actions have created a significant problem for Pharaoh. This question underscores the moral and ethical implications of Abram's deception. Historically, this reflects the cultural norms and expectations of honesty and integrity, which Abram violated by not disclosing Sarai's true identity. The question also reveals Pharaoh's sense of betrayal and the potential consequences of Abram's actions on his household.

Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
The phrase "Why didn’t you tell me" indicates a breach of trust and communication. In the ancient Near Eastern context, marriage was a sacred covenant, and the failure to disclose Sarai's status as Abram's wife (אִשָּׁה, ishah) is a serious offense. This question highlights the importance of truthfulness and transparency in relationships. The historical context suggests that Pharaoh's court would have had expectations of honesty, especially in matters involving potential alliances or interactions with foreign dignitaries. The phrase also reflects the potential for divine intervention, as God protects Sarai despite Abram's failure to act righteously.

Verses 18, 19. - 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. 9:4) Sarah was only one night in Pharaoh's house; but this is obviously incorrect.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Pharaoh
פַרְעֹה֙ (p̄ar·‘ōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings

summoned
וַיִּקְרָ֤א (way·yiq·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

Abram
לְאַבְרָ֔ם (lə·’aḇ·rām)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 87: Abram -- 'exalted father', the original name of Abraham

and asked,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“What
מַה־ (mah-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

have you done to me?
עָשִׂ֣יתָ (‘ā·śî·ṯā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

Why
לָ֚מָּה (lām·māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

did you not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

tell
הִגַּ֣דְתָּ (hig·gaḏ·tā)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

me she
הִֽוא׃ (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

was your wife?
אִשְׁתְּךָ֖ (’iš·tə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female


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OT Law: Genesis 12:18 Pharaoh called Abram and said What (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 12:17
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